Position Title: Collections Manager

Reports To: Deputy Director

Classification: Salaried, Exempt

Salary Range: $45,000.00 - $55,000.00

Location: 70 Honey Horn Drive, Hilton Head Island, SC 29926

Date: January 6, 2026

The Coastal Discovery Museum is hiring a Collections Manager who is responsible for the documentation, expansion, interpretation, care, and preservation of the Museum’s permanent collection. This role ensures the effective use of collections in exhibitions, programs, and publications, while promoting the Museum’s mission of connecting art, history, and culture with the public. The Collections Manager collaborates with the Director of Exhibitions, Curatorial Assistant, and Facility Maintenance Technician on collections management and exhibitions, both traveling and in-house. The position reports to the Deputy Director.

The museum has just completed a state-of-the-art collections storage facility with compact storage and is ready to begin the process of rehousing and storing our entire collection.  Although not originally a collecting institution, the museum gradually built-up substantial holdings of archaeological materials, historical objects, natural history specimens, and fine art.  It will fall upon the collection manager with input from museum administration, how to properly catalog, store, and manage our growing collections.

The Museum

The Coastal Discovery Museum was established in 1985 and has a broad mission to inspire people to care for the Lowcountry. We want to make a difference for our community by inspiring our visitors to take action, be better stewards of the environment, cherish and preserve our historical resources, and be active in the arts. The museum believes that our Lowcountry stories are so compelling that they will also begin to make a difference in how people think about these issues at the national level.

The museum is now located on 70 acres of protected land, and our historic buildings, nature trails, marsh front docks, gardens, fields, horse stable and pasture are an integral part of our programming.  Annually, we also host 6-8 exhibitions in the Discovery House and an art market with 90+ regional artists. We offer over 30 programs per week, including a year-round farmers market. Since opening at our Honey Horn location in 2007, the museum has welcomed over 1.52 million visitors.

In 2026 we will start the process of master planning how we will utilize our 70-acre property over the next 30 years to protect, preserve, and interpret this incredibly beautiful place.

The Role

The Collections Manager is responsible for the registration, cataloguing, movement, safekeeping, storage, and conservation management of all Coastal Discovery Museum’s artifact collections. They oversee occasional interns, and volunteers; contribute to the preparation and installation of exhibitions; participate in public programming and social media efforts; and provide reference services related to the artifact collections. The position is full time and exempt from overtime.

Major duties and responsibilities:

● Leads day-to-day activities related to stewardship and care of the collections, including creating and maintaining detailed physical and digital object records following professional best practices, researching found-in-collections items, and coordinating photography of collections objects.

● Manages registration processes for artifact acquisitions, including receipt, accessioning, condition reporting, and cataloging of collections objects.

● Manages incoming and outgoing object loans, including generating and managing loan agreements, executing incoming and outgoing condition reports, filing correspondence and transportation and insurance documentation, tracking physical custody, and confirming loan credit lines and reproduction rights.

● Manages collections storage spaces. Ensures that the artifact collections are safely stored in accordance with best preservation practices, undertakes environmental monitoring, develops and maintains security protocols, and performs light housekeeping duties in collections storage.

● Flexibly facilitates staff and guest access to collections, while upholding professional standards and maintaining collections safety.

● Works closely with the Deputy Director, Director of Exhibitions, Facilities Maintenance  Technician, and outside personnel in coordinating, scheduling, and packing objects, monitoring for safe and responsible movement.

● Working with the Deputy Director, leads long-range planning efforts, driving the ongoing collections inventory, proposing solutions to achieve data accuracy, and overseeing disaster planning and emergency preparedness as they relate to collections.

● Coordinates artifact deaccessions, including recommending items for deaccession, tracking documentation, and handling logistics for final disposition of artifacts.

● Partners with Facilities Maintenance Technician to ensure proper environmental and security conditions for collections storage, and exhibition galleries, proposes solutions to problems as they arise, and submits reports to Deputy Director.

● Identifies conservation needs within the collections, performs preventative conservation work as appropriate, and manages contract conservators.

● Trains staff on collections care, handling, and preventative conservation as needed.

● Participates in special projects related to improving the association’s care of and public’s access to collections materials.

Required Qualifications:

• ·         BA in American History, Art History, Museum Studies, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• ·         Demonstrable research and writing experience; excellent writing skills.
• ·         Experience in a museum or similar public history venue.
• ·         Project management experience.
• ·         Professional and tactful collaboration with coworkers and the public.
• ·         Valid driver's license and personal vehicle.

Preferred Qualifications:

• ·         Master’s Degree in Museum Studies, Public History, or related field.
• ·         Excellent attention to detail and communication skills.
• ·         Experience with collection management software such as PastPerfect.

Personal Qualities:

• ·         Highly motivated, detail-oriented, energetic, and passionate about museums.
• ·         Strong organizational and interpersonal skills; ability to adapt to changing situations.

Work Conditions: 

Work is primarily performed in an office setting with some evening and weekend hours required. The position may involve standing, walking, bending, and lifting (up to 30 pounds).

To Apply

• Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, resume, and three professional references to areiley@coastaldiscovery.org with “Collections Manager” in the subject line. 
• Expected start date: As soon as possible.
• The Coastal Discovery Museum is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity in our workplace. We encourage applicants from all backgrounds to apply.