Job Description

Staff - Non Union
Job Category
M&P - AAPS
Job Profile
AAPS Salaried - Museum, Level B
Job Title
Collections Access Coordinator and Provenance Researcher
Department
Collections and Information Centre Operations | Museum of Anthropology
Compensation Range
$6,251.00 - $8,986.00 CAD Monthly
The Compensation Range is the span between the minimum and maximum base salary for a position. The midpoint of the range is approximately halfway between the minimum and the maximum and represents an employee that possesses full job knowledge, qualifications and experience for the position. In the normal course, employees will be hired, transferred or promoted between the minimum and midpoint of the salary range for a job.
Posting End Date
July 27, 2025
Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.
Job End Date
At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.
Job Summary

The Collections Access Manager will be responsible for managing the Indigenous Collection Access Program as well as all other collections-related access and research visits to MOA. This includes, but is not limited to: facilitating community and researcher visits, administering grants, coordinating collection access, and supporting researchers and community members during visits. This position also conducts provenance research on the MOA collections in support of repatriation, collections access, curatorial initiatives, and supports other special projects related to the collections. Additionally, the position contributes to policy development, strategic planning, and museum committees, while also training staff, interns, and students on collection-related topics.



Organizational Status

This position reports to the Head of the Collections Care, Access and Management Department, works closely with the Collections Registrar, and works collaboratively with other Collections and Conservation staff, as well as MOA Curatorial staff.



Work Performed
This position is responsible for:
Collections AccessManages the Indigenous Collections Access Programme: + Oversees the Indigenous Collections Access Grant applications, adjudication and reimbursement
+ Facilitates community member, family and group visits to the museum. This includes: liaising with appropriate curators; dialoguing with researchers prior to and during research visits; selecting and pulling collections; ensuring that object information is readily available; supporting groups and individuals during visits; coordinating use of the research rooms; and hosting (ordering meals and setting up the Community Lounge as appropriate)
+ Conducts research on collections to support user inquiries and family needs.
+ Collaborates with curators, librarians, and archivists, to ensure coordinated information access.
+ Coordinates collections access with security, reception, admissions, and curatorial staff as appropriate. Develops and delivers outreach programs to foster engagement.
+ Facilitates all other access requests to MOA's object collections, and information from the collections management database, for a variety of researchers, including curatorial and other museum staff, external researchers, academic researchers, and UBC professors and students.


Provenance Research:Researches Museum records including but not limited to, accession files, catalogue cards, ledgers, the collections database, MOA and UBC Archival collection records, relevant literature, oral histories, as well as other lines of evidence, in support of repatriation, collections access, curatorial initiatives, and other MOA special projects related to the object collections. Writes concise reports summarizing the object information and the circumstances under which the item(s) entered the museum, including any information about the circumstances under which the item(s) were removed from their original cultural context, if known. Provides sets of object data, using spreadsheets, reports or exports from the collections database, to Indigenous and other originating community researchers, when requested.

Other:Serves as a member of the MOA Repatriation Committee: oversees the preparation of repatriation documentation, maintains the committee's tracking list, and retains, manages, and archives all associated communications and documents; conducts provenance research relevant to repatriation requests and compiles reports for the committee; facilitates appraisals for the objects approved for repatriation; coordinates with conservation staff as required for materials analysis and packing; updates the object records to reflect status change; and participates in policy development and implementation. Responds to community enquiries regarding the Museum's collections, and provides collections management advice to other cultural institutions. Provides access to object information from the collection's management database for a variety of researchers including communities, curatorial and other museum staff, as well as external researchers and scholars, using database and reporting software. Contributes to strategic and long-term planning, facility planning and other Museum activities and policies, and participates in Museum committees, as required. Trains and supervises staff, collection interns and volunteers Conducts classes on relevant aspects of the position for UBC Museum Studies courses. Other collections related duties, as required.


Consequence of Error/Judgement

The Museum is a public trustee of rare and valuable collections; the Collections Access Manager is responsible for providing access to these collections, and for conducting provenance research to help better document the collections. Errors could have financial, legal, ethical and other consequences for community members, families, donors, lenders and for the University.



Supervision Received

Considerable personal initiative and decision making is expected within established guidelines. The position reports to the Head of the Collections Care and Management Department. Performance is judged by results (see Consequences of Error above).



Supervision Given

This position supervises collections assistants and students as well as museum volunteers and assists in the training and supervision of student assistants, interns and volunteers.



Minimum Qualifications

Master's degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.



Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred QualificationsAwareness and sensitivity to issues concerning collections originating from Indigenous and other originating communities. Experience working in a university environment as well as experience working with the public is desirable. Strong research skills. Knowledge of the Museum of Anthropology's collections, collections registration processes, collections management software and other relevant reporting and spreadsheet software is desirable. Knowledge of cultural property laws and professional ethics are essential. Material culture knowledge is desirable. Excellent organizational skills and strong attention to detail. Proven experience working with and entering data into a collections management database, along with excellent written English and competency on a PC workstation. Knowledge of information management, UBC Policy 11, Canadian copyright law, Canadian cultural property rules, and the BC Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Awareness and sensitivity regarding Indigenous and other originating peoples and belongings; familiarity with the UNDRIP Act and UBC's Indigenous Strategic Plan. Working knowledge of the techniques of handling objects and artworks, standards and practices for preventative conservation, and familiarity with common object contaminants. Ability to work on ladders up to 8'; ability to handle a wide range of objects and artworks, in a variety of spaces, including galleries and storage rooms. Ability to exercise discretion in regards to confidential records. * Ability to work independently and as part of a collegial, cooperative team.