Collections Manager, NAGPRA

Overview

Position: Collections Manager, NAGPRA

Status: Full time, permanent

Location: Ohio History Center, Columbus OH

Salary: $62,400 - $70,720 annually

Benefits: Full benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance, retirement pension, paid time off and holidays

The NAGPRA Collections Manager oversees the daily collections-based work of the NAGPRA specialist. This role includes managing the inventory, documentation, care, and handling of Native American human remains, associated funerary objects, sacred objects, objects of cultural patrimony, and other NAGPRA-related materials. The manager supervises and supports two NAGPRA Specialists and ensures that all work aligns with professional and regulatory standards. This position serves as the primary liaison, along with the NAGPRA Program Manager, with Tribal Nations and partners, ensuring respectful and culturally sensitive communication and collaboration.

• Supervise NAGPRA Specialists, including work assignments, performance feedback, and professional development.
• Oversee the physical care, storage, and handling of NAGPRA-eligible collections.
• Ensure accurate and consistent inventory and documentation standards are met.
• Coordinate with the NAGPRA Program Manager to prepare materials for consultation and repatriation.
• Develop workflows and schedules for NAGPRA collections work.
• Maintain secure and respectful storage environments for NAGPRA materials.
• Uphold the institution's duty of care through all aspects of collections stewardship, ensuring respectful, ethical, and lawful treatment of NAGPRA-related materials.
• Contribute to institutional policy and procedures related to NAGPRA collections management.
• Serve as the primary liaison, along with the NAGPRA Program Manager, with Tribal Nations, the National NAGPRA Program, and other stakeholders.
• Support grant writing and budget management for NAGPRA activities.
• Ensure compliance with NAGPRA regulations and cultural sensitivity protocols.

• Master's degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field plus seven to ten years of direct work with NAGPRA-eligible collections.
• Significant experience in collections management with NAGPRA-related holdings.
• Thorough knowledge of osteology, faunal, artifact handling, and cultural sensitivity standards.
• Experience consulting with Tribal Nations and handling culturally sensitive artifacts.
• Thorough knowledge of custodial care and policies, and current museum collection management and handling practices.
• Demonstrates a strong sense of ethical responsibility and duty of care in managing culturally sensitive collections.
• Knowledge of and experience with automated collection records systems and collections preservation.
• Must be available for emergency response activities.

• Master's degree in anthropology, museum studies, Native American studies, or related field.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Demonstrated experience with NAGPRA compliance, consultation, and repatriation.
• Proven ability to build and maintain relationships with Tribal Nations.
• Proficient in using information management systems like Collection Space. Demonstrated experience in managing and updating collection records, generating reports, and ensuring data integrity within these platforms.
• Experience in program and/or project creation and implementation.
• Understand basic project management processes.
• Understand how evaluation data can be used for program improvement.
• Ability to communicate with staff and the public, both orally and in writing.
• Excellent presentation skills.
• Ability to manage a budget.
• Proficiency in various office software suites and virtual platforms, including Microsoft 365.

• Commitment to ethical stewardship and respectful treatment of culturally affiliated materials.
• Work independently and in support of a team of curators, archivists, and registrars to complete work; set priorities.
• Ability to locate and use resources to get things done, orchestrate multiple activities, and arrange information in a useful manner.
• Able to process information consistently while remaining adaptable when…