Collections Manager

Join to apply for the Collections Manager role at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Position:
Collections Manager

Status:
Full-time (not to exceed 40 hours), Hourly

To Apply: Applications must include a resume and a cover letter; package the documents as a single file and upload under “Apply with a Resume” on Shaker Village’s employment portal. Please contact rsoules with any questions. Applications will only be reviewed if they are complete and include all requested materials.

Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill (SVPH) is on a mission to inspire generations through DISCOVERY, by sharing the legacies of the Kentucky Shakers. SVPH is committed to bridging historic preservation, land conservation, engaged learning, and warm hospitality to present an unrivaled destination experience. Home to the Shaker community of Pleasant Hill from 1805 until 1923, SVPH manages the country’s largest private collection of original nineteenth‑century buildings and is the largest National Historic Landmark in Kentucky.

On‑site amenities include overnight accommodations, dining and catering services, retail shops, event and meeting venues, historical exhibitions and tours, farm and garden area, nature preserve, multi‑use trail system, equestrian stable, and an extensive calendar of special programs, activities and events.

The Collections Department supports the mission of Shaker Village by thoughtfully preserving the site’s history to inspire and inform guests today and in future generations. The Department is responsible for managing and safeguarding SVPH’s permanent collection of more than 4,800 three‑dimensional artifacts, 3,000 photographs, 350 rare books, and 500 archival materials, as well as an extensive institutional archive documenting SVPH’s 60+ years as a museum.

The Department’s Research Library contains a wide assortment of resources, including a non‑archival reference collection, microfilm of Shaker archival materials from other sites, and a library of over 2,000 volumes on Kentucky, Shaker, and religious history. Additionally, the Department manages SVPH’s online collections database, hosts onsite scholars, provides remote research assistance, and interfaces with the Program Department and other SVPH staff to provide up‑to‑date, accurate historical information about the Shakers and Pleasant Hill as needed.

The Collections Department is also an active partner in planning, installing, and maintaining all SVPH exhibitions, as well as developing tours, programs, and other public offerings.

The Collections Manager will provide thoughtful care and stewardship of SVPH’s collections, along with the dissemination of historical information through programs, exhibits, and written content. Responsibilities encompass all aspects of the Collections Department’s operations. A key responsibility will include managing research projects and library access—supervising visiting scholars’ and SVPH research fellows’ access to the collections, answering remote research inquiries, assisting other SVPH departments with research needs and fact‑checking historical information, and conducting research for new exhibits and programs.

The Collections Manager will also supervise other departmental projects and activities, such as collections management (cataloging new accessions or found‑in‑collection materials, photographing and scanning items, rehousing and updating items’ location, and providing preventive conservation care), exhibit design and development (label writing, artifact selection, and exhibit installation), and the reorganization of SVPH’s institutional archives (sorting staff records, developing finding aids, and organizing twentieth‑century photographs).

This position may also be asked to assist with other duties delegated by the Collections & Education Director, such as occasionally leading tours and programs.

• Respond to scholarly requests from external researchers and organizations in a timely manner, including responsible access to the archival collection through scheduled research appointments, genealogical research, scans of historical material and photos, and…