Check Collections Manager jobs in Bellingham, WA

Position Title

NAGPRA Program and Collections Manager

About the University

Western Washington University, with over 16,000 students in seven colleges and the graduate school, is nationally recognized for its educational programs, students and faculty. The campus is located in Bellingham, Washington, a coastal community of 90,000 overlooking Bellingham Bay, the San Juan Islands and the North Cascades Mountain range. The city lies 90 miles north of Seattle and 60 miles south of Vancouver, British Columbia. Western is the highest-ranking public, master's-granting university in the Pacific Northwest, according to the 2022 U.S. News & World Report rankings. Western Washington University is committed to achieving excellence through advancing inclusive success, increasing our Washington impact, and focusing on transformational education grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and based on innovative scholarship, research, and creative activity. Western's greatest strength is the outstanding students, faculty, staff, and alumni/ae who make up its community. Western supports an inclusive governance structure for all and provides a learning and working environment in which everyone can thrive. In pursuit of this excellence, individual employees are expected to establish and maintain productive and effective inclusive working relationships amongst diverse populations including staff, faculty, administration, student, and external constituents. Further, individual employees are expected to have the ability to operationalize sustainability concepts (economic, societal, environmental) into all aspects of performing their job duties.

About the Department

The University President's Office supports Western's mission, which states that together with our students, staff, and faculty, we are committed to making a positive impact in the state and the world with a shared focus on academic excellence and inclusive achievement. We encourage applications from women, people of color, people with disabilities, veterans, and other candidates from underrepresented backgrounds and with diverse experiences interested in this opportunity.

About the Position

The NAGPRA Program and Collections Manager will oversee compliance, consultations, repatriations, and other activities associated with ensuring Western’s fulfillment of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). The position will play a key role in managing, tracking, and evaluating the progress of core projects and initiatives relating to NAGPRA compliance. The position will work closely with the Chair of the Anthropology Department and WWU’s NAGPRA committee to build collaborative relationships with source communities on behalf of WWU. The position will also develop and evaluate processes to share or return important cultural items and archives to descendants, source communities, or culture keepers. This is a full-time, 12-month, professional staff position that requires travel.

Primary responsibilities include:

Collections Management and Relationship Building

• Serve as a liaison between WWU and source communities, stakeholders, and descendants on all topics associated with collections at WWU.
• Work collaboratively with the WWU Executive Director of American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations Relations and Tribal Liaison to the President
• Respond to inquiries and requests from Native American representatives and other stakeholders, schedule consultations, build and maintain communication channels with stakeholders.
• In collaboration with the Anthropology Department and the NAGPRA Committee, develop a prioritized list of all WWU holdings for further research and review to determine if provenance for all collections is lawful and ethical.
• Consult with source communities and nations to develop co-curation agreements, restorative actions, or other reparative measures, as appropriate.
• Research all records and archives and consult with nations and descendants to determine cultural or community affiliation. Conduct independent research on collections.
• Build collaborative relationships with descendants, source communities, source nations, and culture keepers to ensure ethical storage, handling, and display of collections.
• Schedule and facilitate access to collections by stakeholders.
• Manage the schedule and logistical considerations for site visits and assist in preparing other staff for visits, consultations, and repatriations of non-NAGPRA eligible holdings.
• Enter data and maintain the accuracy, completeness, and consistency of data and information related to research and consultations in the WWU and Anthropology's databases.
• With other staff, develop grant proposals and funding requests to support repatriation and consultation activities.

Manage Archaeological Repository

• Assist in the identification, evaluation, protection, cataloging, cleaning, labeling, storing, and maintenance of properties, objects, or collections.
• Improve the quality of collection storage and organization and assist in the maintenance of collection records.
• Analyze, organize, index, and describe materials such as slides, digital collections, and photographs.
• Assist with public tours or other educational outreach programs, identifying materials that are appropriate for public access.
• In collaboration with faculty, organize and prepare teaching collections (non-NAGPRA materials) for class use as required by faculty members.

NAGPRA Research and Compliance

• Manage and maintain WWU's compliance with NAGPRA.
• Maintain WWU's collections and records and communicate any changes to the National NAGPRA program and laws to WWU NAGPRA Committee.
• Serve as primary advisor to the WWU NAGPRA Committee.
• Coordinate, maintain and file all NAGPRA records, communications, notices, records of activities, and inventories.

Policy Development

• Advise in the development and refinement of policies related to acquisitions and deaccessioning to ensure lawful and ethical practices are maintained.
• Address legal and ethical compliance with local, state, federal, and international laws, treaties, and conventions relating to the acquisition and use of collections.
• Communicate with WWU legal team, Government Relations, and Contracts Office to develop unique co-curation and other agreements with source communities, nations, and descendants.
• Advise WWU NAGPRA Committee and other units on decolonizing practices, initiatives, and policies.

Administrative

• Actively participate in creating a work environment that is culturally and linguistically sensitive, supportive, respectful, welcoming, and collaborative.
• Attend NAGPRA Committee meetings and actively participate in planning and evaluation of the collections.
• Actively participate in creating a work environment that is supportive, respectful, welcoming, and collaborative.
• Actively participate in creating and reviewing WWU NAGPRA-related policies and procedures.
• May serve on community or campus committees, working groups, or participate in other advisory groups.
• Remain active in appropriate professional groups and develop conference or informational presentations when appropriate.
• Serve as a technical advisor to undergraduate students, graduate students, and faculty researchers.

Required Qualifications

• Any combination of experience and education equivalent to a Bachelor’s degree in Native American Studies, Anthropology, History, Art History, Legal Studies or related field
• A total of two (2) years in education, training and/or work experience working with Native American Tribes, representatives, and descendants.
• Demonstrated experience with procedures, policies, and activities related to compliance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.
• Working knowledge of factors important to the management of archaeology collections, such as historical eras, geological formations, and community standards and existing best practices in a given field.
• Experience with human osteology.
• Knowledge of Native American History.
• Experience writing reports, grants, professional correspondence, and/or procedure manuals.
• Experience effectively presenting information to and responding to questions from individuals or groups of managers, scientists, and the general public.

Preferred Qualifications

• Masters degree in Native American Studies, Anthropology, History, Art History, Legal Studies or related field.
• 2 years of experience managing staff.
• 2 years of experience in project management.
• Experience working in a nonprofit, tribal or first nations organization, arts/cultural organization, or higher education.
• Experience working with diverse cultures and communities from around the globe.
• Experience working for an organization committed to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.

Successful candidates will have the following:

• Ability to build rapport and establish effective working relationships with co-workers and stakeholders.
• Ability to communicate effectively with others.
• Awareness of, and sensitivity to, cultural and linguistic differences.
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Demonstrated effective organizational skills.
• Ability to assume responsibility and to work independently with minimum guidance.
• Demonstrated effective organization, supervisory and communication skills desired to provide daily leadership.
• Ability to work with a diverse range of college and departmental personnel, including deans, college staff, department heads, and departmental financial and human resource personnel.
• Ability to work collaboratively.

Conditions of Employment

All employees must comply with our Immunization policies, including Proof of Rubeola Measles Immunity within 60-days of hire. Please reach out to HR@wwu.edu if you need information regarding medical or religious exemption and applicable accommodations.

Salary

Hiring range for position is $72,070 - $82,880/year. Through longevity position tops out at $93,690/year.

Benefits Information

Benefits Overview for Administrative Professional Position.

Application Instructions

A cover letter and resume are required and should address your experience related to the position responsibilities and the required and preferred qualifications. Please include the names and contact information of three professional references. References will only be contacted if necessary, with notice provided beforehand.

Closing Date Notes

Application review begins April 10, 2024; position is open until filled.

Western Washington University (WWU) is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, people with disabilities and veterans are strongly encouraged to apply. In compliance with applicable laws and in furtherance of its commitment to fostering an environment that welcomes and embraces diversity, WWU does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and parenting status), disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status or genetic information in its programs or activities, including employment, admissions, and educational programs. See WWU’s Policy on Ensuring Equal Opportunity and Prohibiting Discrimination and Retaliation. Inquiries may be directed to the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance, Title IX and ADA Coordinator, Western Washington University, Old Main 126 (MS 9021), 516 High Street, Bellingham, WA 98225; 360.650.3307 (voice) or 711 (Washington Relay); crtc@wwu.edu

WWU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request an accommodation, please contact Human Resources Disability Services, 360.650.3303 or 711 (Washington Relay).

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report: This report is provided pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act ("The Clery Act"). It includes statistics for the previous three calendar years concerning reported crimes that occurred on Western's campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by Western; and on public property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from, the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a copy of this report in printed or alternate formats by contacting the Office of the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Services at vpsa.office@wwu.edu. The report can be found at: Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

All new employees must comply with the immunization policy and show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizen and Immigration Service before beginning work at WWU. A thorough background check will be conducted on all new hires which includes a sexual misconduct background check.