Collections Manager, Archaeology

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The Collections Manager, Archaeology is a member of the curatorial and collections team. The Manager will work collaboratively with the Collections Manager, Ethnography, the curatorial team, descendant communities, the IU Office of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), and IU faculty to build collections access policies/procedures, research pathways, and active consultations procedures for the wide variety of anthropology collections.

The Collections Manager will ensure descendant community requests are honored, respected, and integrated in collection management procedures for the associated items.

• Partners interdepartmentally and across disciplines to manage collections and support research, curation, the development of collections access policies, repatriation, and the implementation of shared-stewardship and culturally conscious conservation models in the archaeology collections.
• Reports directly to the Director of Curatorial Affairs, and closely collaborates with the Executive Director, Curator of Midwest Archaeology, and the grant writing and external communications department. Works closely with operations, the learning and community engagement team, students, and researchers.
• Leads efforts to document and catalog archaeology artifacts using digital cataloging systems, including detailed descriptions, provenance, condition reports, and photographs.
• Updates and maintains detailed and accessible records on the Museum's past and current outreach, notification, consultation, and repatriation processes with Indigenous communities (NAGPRA/non-NAGPRA/international). Works with department staff as necessary to create procedures that maintain intellectual control of this information.
• Implements policies and procedures for repatriations, acquisition, deaccessions, restitution, cataloging, handling, storage, and maintenance of archaeology collections.
• Ensures compliance with ethical and legal standards for the repatriation, acquisition, and management of cultural materials, materials on loan, artifacts, and state/local materials.
• Maintains accurate and comprehensive records of collections, adhering to museum standards, stewardship policies, and practices. Collaborates with curators, conservation specialists, and descendant communities to assess and address the conservation and stewardship needs of artifacts.
• Develops and implements strategies to mitigate environmental risks, prevent deterioration, and align with the stewardship protocols and guidelines indicated by the descendant community, if applicable.
• Supports the interpretive planning team, curators, exhibit designers, and educators to develop innovative, engaging, and dynamic exhibitions and displays as needed.
• Assists and collaborates in the selection and arrangement of artifacts, interpretive materials, and multimedia elements within the archaeology collections.
• Provides access to collections for descendant communities, tribal consultants, IU NAGPRA, researchers, scholars, and students in alignment with the goals of the Museum and the collection access policies.
• Manages and maintains the IUMAA collections in alignment with the Collections Management policies and procedures.
• Manages and maintains all the records, recording, stewardship, and associated tasks with federal, faculty, and other external collections that IUMAA stewards in partnership with the Museum Registrar.
• Partners with the Museum Registrar to manage the loan of archaeology objects to other IU units or external institutions, ensuring proper documentation, handling, and transportation.
• Collaborates with other museums, cultural organizations, and Indigenous communities to enhance collections management policies and procedures.
• Approaches the management of archaeology collections with sensitivity and awareness of the ethical considerations involved in working with culturally sensitive materials and communities harmed by the Museum, and the colonial legacy of anthropology, academia, and the museum field at large.
• Collaborates with the learning and community engagement team to support scholarly and public engagement by sharing insights on collections as needed.
• Manages part-time, practicum, and student workers professional growth at the museum while also meeting their work deliverables in collections.
• Trains and supervises collections assistants, interns, and volunteers in all routine collections and curation activities.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Creates and manages the database for collection records which includes processing, photographing, cataloging, and locating all incoming exhibits in the museum system.
• Generates reports depending on the need and information entered. These reports are needed to list object locations for inventory…