Pechanga Collections Manager

SUMMARY:

The Collections Manager is responsible for contributing to and maintaining the Tribe’s collections housed in the Cultural Resource Department repositories. The collections include but are not limited to: digital and physical archival material including paper documents, manuscripts, sound and visual recordings, as well as cultural items and archaeological objects.  The Collection manager is responsible for assisting in generating and maintaining the digital records, ensuring the collections are accurately documented and properly stored, and conserving the physical items. The Collections Manager also assists with the creation and preparation of exhibits on the Pechanga Reservation and at outside museums and institutions and works closely with the Curator, Archivist, and other Cultural Department staff, including interns, outside vendors and colleagues.  The collections manager plays an important role in establishing and achieving goals to improve the care and preservation of and access to the Pechanga collections and may be called upon to help lead projects in these areas, such as emergency preparedness.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Managing proper documentation of the Pechanga collections, including accessioning and deaccessioning, cataloging, digitization, inventories, and other records
• Maintaining the collections management database (Past Perfect), object files, the server and backup system
• Ensuring proper care and preservation of the Pechanga collections by helping manage the collections storage rooms, environmental conditions data and analysis, curatorial housekeeping, and conservation projects
• Contributing to exhibition planning and installation, including assisting in overseeing incoming and outgoing loans
• Must adhere to all policies and procedures of the Pechanga Tribal Government.

QUALIFICATIONS, EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in history, art history, museum studies, or a closely related field required
• A minimum of five (5) years of professional experience managing cultural items and/or artifact collections in a museum environment required
• Must have a thorough knowledge of collections management standards and best practices
• Demonstrated experience managing the care, preservation, and documentation of museum collections, especially in museum registration, collections management software, object handling and housing, loan procedures, and exhibition installation is required

• Experience working with/for Native Americans, with an understanding of the special needs and concerns governing the management of Native American collections preferred

• Must have experience and be proficient in MS Office Suite, including Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Outlook
• Experience or ability to learn to use the cataloging software, PastPerfect
• Must have experience with data input and/or data entry
• Basic knowledge of the Luiseño culture and tradition and Native American history preferred
• Must have excellent project management skills
• Must have the ability to perform moderate physical activity, such as climbing ladders, operating a lift, lifting, kneeling, and standing or walking for extended periods of time
• Must have the ability to work occasional evening and weekend hours

• This position must comply with the Pechanga Tribal Government’s Drug-Free Workplace Policy.    This includes: pre-employment and random testing.
• Must successfully pass a pre-employment background investigation.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Must have the ability to compile data and reports, create files and monitor records
• Must be organized, and be detail orientated
• Must be able to work independently, work in a team and have the ability to take initiative
• Must have the ability to communicate effectively verbally and in written form and be an effective writer
• Must have the ability to speak with others and convey information effectively
• Must have the knowledge and ability to input data accurately
• Must be able to work independently with minimum direction and work in a team environment
• Must be eager to contribute to the Pechanga Cultural Department’s work

PHYSICAL DEMANDS:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The Pechanga Tribal Government may, upon request and in its sole discretion, grant an accommodation it deems reasonable and necessary to enable an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, stand, walk and talk or hear.  They must be able to speak the English language, speak clearly so listeners can understand and understand the speech of another person. The employee is constantly required to use hands to finger, handle, reach, lift and carry books, reach with hands and arms and operate computers. This role requires manual dexterity to handle books and a variety of media formats and the repeating of the same physical activities or mental activities over and over. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25-50 pounds and is regularly required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl and stand on step ladders.

Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus, all of which would allow the employee to read, sort and shelve library materials and cataloging records.  The employee is required to be able to see the differences between colors, shades and brightness and be able to see details that are less than a few feet away. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those and employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The Pechanga Tribal Government may, upon request and in its sole discretion, grant an accommodation it deems reasonable and necessary to enable an employee with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee works amid normal conditions of dust, odors, and noise.  Job tasks are sometimes performed in close physical proximity to other people.  This job usually requires working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.  This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.  The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet while in the office, or moderately noisy during events. 

Hiring Preference: The Pechanga Tribal Government is an equal opportunity employer.  Consistent with federal law, the Pechanga Band of Indians applies Indian preference in employment.  It is the policy of the Pechanga Tribal Government to give preference in hiring, promotions, and transfers into vacant positions to qualified applicants in the following order: 1) Pechanga Tribal Members; 2) Pechanga Tribal Member Spouses; 3) non-member American Indians.  At-Will Employment: Employment with the Pechanga Tribal Government is at-will and can be terminated with or without cause, and with or without notice, at any time, either at the option of the employee or the Pechanga Tribal Government.  Drug Testing: The Pechanga Tribal Government is a drug-free workplace.  All employees are subject to drug testing.  Background Investigation: All candidates and employees may be subject to a background investigation.