Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist

About the Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met presents over 5,000 years of art from around the world for everyone to experience and enjoy. The Museum lives in two iconic sites in New York City—The Met Fifth Avenue and The Met Cloisters. Millions of people also take part in The Met experience online.

Since its founding in 1870, The Met has always aspired to be more than a treasury of rare and beautiful objects. We are committed to fostering a collaborative and respectful work environment with a staff as diverse as the audiences we engage. Our staff members are art lovers who are passionate about working toward a common goal: creating the most dynamic and inspiring art museum in the world.

At The Met, every staff member – from security officers to researchers to scientists and beyond – lives by our core values of respect, inclusivity, collaboration, excellence, and integrity. 

Respect: Engage one another with collegiality, empathy, and kindness, always.

Inclusivity: Ensure that all are and feel welcome and valued.

Collaboration: Reach across boundaries to exchange ideas and work together toward our shared mission.

Excellence: Lead the cultural world in quality and expertise—and inspire curiosity and creativity.

Integrity: Hold ourselves to the highest moral standards, admit when we fall short, and then evolve. 

GENERAL STATEMENT OF RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

As the Senior Museum Acquisitions Specialist, you will manage the procedures for acquisitions of art, deaccessioning and disposal, and other collections management procedures.

You will develop reports, prepare summaries for the Acquisitions Committee of the Board of Trustees and provide administrative support for other Board Committees and the Board of Trustees. You will partner with the attorneys in Counsel’s Office, curatorial and conservation departments, Registrar’s Office, Finance, Director’s Office, and Development. This position is fully on-site. Please include a cover letter and writing sample with application.

Please submit a cover letter with your application.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES:

• Manage the acquisitions and deaccessioning/disposals processes (including other collections-related issues, such as abandoned property, retroaccessioning, reaccessioning, found objects, N.A. numbers, study and touch collections) at Museum. Review submissions for the General Counsel & Secretary’s approval.
• Review documentation for acquisitions of art, deaccessioning and disposal. Facilitate deaccessioning, such as oversee correspondence from related inboxes, maintain databases, and prepare reports for the Board of Trustees and other Board Committees.
• Review and proofread meeting materials for the Board of Trustees and other Board Committee meetings, including minutes, draft correspondence, and reports
• Draft internal memos and reports for acquisitions
• Draft policies and procedures related to Museum acquisitions
• Review gift and purchase paperwork for art acquisitions, and gifts-in-kind (including for touch and study collections).
• Assist in processing of paperwork for acquisitions, as needed
• Review documentation for Workday invoices and purchases of art
• Administer Museum accounts with third-parties for acquisitions
• Support provenance research related to acquisitions
• Oversee the processing of departmental loan paperwork
• Compile responses to institutional surveys
• Clip news articles and prepare summaries for Board Committees
• Prepare reports on acquisitions for senior management
• Work on research projects related to acquisitions of art
• Administer the Board and Acquisitions sections of the Counsel’s Office internal SharePoint site and manage documents on the Counsel’s Office k-drive
• Review and prepare files for deposit in Museum Archives.
• Coordinate and maintain the archival process of Board materials
• Assist in preparation for Board and Board Committee meetings and any Dry Runs
• Greet and escort Trustees. Assist with set-up and break-down for Board of Trustees and Board Committee meetings.
• Provide Board and acquisitions coverage, as necessary
• Other Counsel’s Office related duties (such as mail, filing, answering phones, and coverage for attorneys when assistants are out)
• Occasional evening and weekend work may be required
• Other duties as assigned

REQUIREMENTS & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s Degree, in Arts Administration, Art History, Museum Studies or related specialization, with MA preferred.
• 4-5 years experience in collections management, museum administration, or in an auction house environment.
• Experience in managing and organizing files familiarity with legal documents
• NYS Notary Public License, or ability to pass exam
• Proficiency with MS Office (including Word/Excel/Outlook/PowerPoint), Adobe Acrobat Pro, and Zoom
• Experience with The Museum System (TMS), Tessitura, InDesign preferred.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills required
• Highly detail-oriented with excellent organizational skills, required
• Adept at conflict resolution, diplomatic, discreet, required
• Ability to handle several tasks simultaneously, required
• Able to work as a member of a team, as well as independently, required

COMPENSATION RANGE:

• Pay Range: $100,000.00 - $110,000.00 / Annually

The advertised pay scale reflects the good faith minimum and maximum salary range for this role. The advertised pay scale is not a promise of a particular wage for any specific employee. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may be dependent on a variety of factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s experience, education, special licensing or qualifications, and other factors.

Visa Sponsorship

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Location Requirements

At time of employment, employees are expected to be located within commuting distance of the Museum. “Commuting distance” means that they are located in one of following states: New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, or Pennsylvania (the “Tri-state and PA” areas), and be able to commute to and from the Museum in a single day.

Benefits Offerings

The Museum provides competitive compensation, and generous benefits and perks for all eligible employees. Note: Benefits Offering may differ based on Employee Status.

• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 403(b) basic retirement plan and optional matching retirement plan with an outstanding employer match
• Considerable paid time off, including annual leave, sick leave, and 13 Museum holidays
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts & Health Savings Account (pre-tax income for eligible health care expenses)
• Commuter benefits (pre-tax income for parking or mass transit expenses)
• Free financial-planning services
• Financial assistance for relevant coursework, seminars, and training programs
• 25% discount for staff in Museum shops
• A subsidized staff cafeteria
• Access to the Museums Council pass, which grants free admission to various museums and cultural institutions

We recognize that it is highly unlikely that someone meets 100% of the desired attributes for a role. If much of this job description describes you, then please apply for this role.

The Met is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, The Met will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed in this process, please contact benefits@metmuseum.org.  

The Metropolitan Museum of Art provides equal opportunity to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, pregnancy, alienage or citizenship status, marital status or domestic partner status, genetic information, genetic predisposition or carrier status, gender identity, HIV status, military status and any other category protected by law in all employment decisions, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, compensation, training and apprenticeship, promotion, upgrading, demotion, downgrading, transfer, lay-off and termination, and all other terms and conditions of employment.