Position Details:
Title: Collections & Exhibitions Coordinator
Location: Shangri La, 4055 Pāpū Circle, Honolulu, HI
Status: Full time, non-exempt (in-person required)
How to Apply: Click here to apply and submit a résumé and cover letter. The priority application deadline for this position is July 17th. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.
BACKGROUND
Shangri La is a vibrant compound situated on a spectacular, 5-acre, oceanside property in Honolulu. It integrates a 14,000-square-foot house with multiple outbuildings, comprising a series of interlocking spaces, both indoors and out: rooms, courtyards, lanais, terraces, gardens and numerous water features. The property includes spaces for reflection and for gatherings.
Historically operated exclusively as a museum to showcase some of its collection of 4,500 objects from diverse Muslim cultures, Shangri La is in the midst of a strategic transformation that envisions the institution as a global center for personal and societal transformation.
Shangri La is owned and operated by the Doris Duke Foundation (DDF), whose mission is to build a more creative, equitable and sustainable future. We work across three areas: arts & culture, nature, and health & well-being. In addition to Shangri La, DDF operates five national programs as well as Duke Farms, a New Jersey-based center for applied conservation and sustainability. Headquartered in New York City, DDF’s activities are guided by the will of Doris Duke, who endowed the foundation with financial assets that currently total over $2 billion. To learn more, visit www.dorisduke.org.
Collections Coordination and Installation
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Coordinate the day-to-day care, handling, movement, storage and monitoring of the museum’s collections and archives, including logistics for incoming and outgoing loans and other on-site and off-site activities.
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Conduct regular presentation-quality checks of gallery spaces and exhibitions, ensuring that spaces, installations, interpretive elements and environmental conditions meet organizational expectations and guidelines, communicating issues and coordinating across the Operations department to support timely resolution, as needed. Receive, inspect, accession, catalog and document objects and archival materials.
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Maintain storage areas, including rehousing and reorganizing collections as needed, creating custom packaging, flagging concerns and implementing improvements.
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Install and de-install collection objects on-site and at off-site local venues, supporting exhibitions, object rotations and installations through preparation, scheduling, documentation and cross-functional coordination with staff and contractors.
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Facilitate the production and printing of exhibition didactics, including wall texts, object labels, images and interactives.
Department Initiatives and Administration
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Monitor environmental conditions and support preventive care, including pest management, disaster preparedness, emergency response and weekly cleaning of selected collections items under the guidance of the Conservator.
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Coordinate approved access to galleries, collections spaces and off-site storage facilities for staff, consultants, contractors, members of the media and other authorized users, including supporting internal access for research, interpretation, tours and education.
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Support initiatives that document collections and exhibitions, including digitization, photography, rights and reproductions records, permissions, artifact conditions, use requests and related workflows, ensuring that such activities meet organizational standards, policies and procedures.
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Coordinate procurement of equipment, materials and supplies approved for purchase by members of the Collections department.
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Track timelines, dependencies, materials and follow-up for exhibitions, rotations, loans, inventories and access-related projects, coordinating activities across departments and external vendors as needed.
Registrar and Records Management
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Support the stewardship of Shangri La’s collections by serving as registrar to maintain accurate museum records, managing logistics across the collections’ life cycle.
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Generate custom reports and administer the collections database in alignment with curatorial priorities, foundation policies and museum practices.
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Support digital and physical inventories, audits, location control and ongoing organization of collections spaces and records.
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Improve documentation workflows, support data quality and assist with reporting needs across DDF.
Perform other work, including special projects, as assigned.
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Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (museum studies, art history, history, archival studies, library and information science, etc.) or a related field required.
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Experience in museums, galleries, studios, archives or related collections environments required.
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Strong understanding of professional standards for collections care, documentation and access, with the ability to apply those standards thoughtfully and pragmatically in support of both preservation and meaningful public engagement.
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Experience managing inventories, maintaining accurate records and improving documentation or collections systems.
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Experience with object installation and de-installation, including use of technical equipment and materials.
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Proficiency with collections management databases and standard office tools, with the ability to learn and refine systems as institutional needs evolve; experience with The Museum System preferred.
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Comfort with Microsoft Office Suite, cloud-based systems, Adobe Creative Suite and emerging technologies, including AI tools, that support efficiency and documentation.
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Strong organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills, with excellent attention to detail, meticulous follow-through and the ability to manage multiple priorities and complex workflows.
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Collaborative, solutions-oriented mindset with strong interpersonal, oral and written communication skills and the ability to work effectively with colleagues, partners, consultants and a diverse public.
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Demonstrated ability to apply professional museum and collections standards, balancing long-term collections stewardship with Shangri La’s role as an active cultural institution that presents its collection through exhibitions, programs and public engagement both on-site and beyond its campus.
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Adaptable and comfortable working in an evolving environment, with the ability to embrace change, adjust priorities and support new approaches while maintaining high professional standards.
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Experience with procurement and the ability to keep matters confidential.
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Ability to physically perform duties that require standing, walking and sitting for extended periods, traversing the 5-acre property with uneven terrain, navigating flights of stairs, working in storage environments, and lifting and carrying up to 40 pounds.
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Flexibility to work a varying schedule, including weekends, special events and emergency situations.
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Enthusiasm for innovation in collections work and a passion for making art, culture and design more accessible to the public. Appreciation for working with an organization that is both a museum and an evolving cultural destination, where collections stewardship and public engagement are mutually reinforcing. Knowledge of Islamic art, culture and design a plus.
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Anticipated starting hourly rate is $24.23 to $30.29, and the final offer will depend on experience.
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Industry-leading benefits, including a 15% employer contribution to your 401(k), health insurance, four weeks paid vacation with additional time off and matching gift benefits of up to $20,000 per year, all to support employees’ well-being, productivity and engagement.
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A values-driven culture rooted in integrity, excellence, openness and imagination, collaboration and a deep commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
The Doris Duke Foundation is committed to inclusive hiring and equal employment opportunity. We strongly encourage candidates of all identities, experiences, orientations and communities to apply. Our recruiting and employment practices adhere to all applicable federal, state and local laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. We provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. If a reasonable accommodation in the job application process is needed, please contact us here.
