Museum Director (Pharmacy Administration)

As an asset of the R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy and the University of Arizona, the Coit Museum connects people to pharmacy and health sciences by collecting, perserving, and interpreting their histories for the discovery by and enrichment of present and future generations.  The Coit Museum aspires to create an authentic and engaging experience that broadens perspectives about the histories of pharmacy and health sciences for everyone. Founded in 1966, the Museum collection has grown to an estimated 12,000-15,000 objects, mostly from the 19th and 20th centuries.  The collection consists of objects related to the histories of pharmacy and health sciences, including drug products, apothecary jars and glass bottles, mortars and pestles, show globe, beauty products, oils, microscopes, medical equipment, drug store ephemera, photographs, books, and archival records.  A new, centralized space for  the Museum opened to the public in 2022, located in Skaggs Pharmaceutical Sciences Center at the University of Arizona.
The Coit Museum's director will serve in a leadership capacity as the Museum's curator and representative on the College of Pharmacy leadership team, managing all museum operations, including strategic planning, budgeting, staffing, and administrative tasks.  The director participates in marketing, public relations, fundraising and development, and maintains communication with donors, faculty and staff, the UA Foundation, and other key stakeholders.
The curatorial responsibilities include interpretation, education, and engagement surrounding the Museum's collections. The director will promote access to the collection through campus partnership's community outreach, digital content development, public exhibitions, tours, and events.  The director will manage a full team of visitor services staff, students, interns, and volunteer docents to ensure the Museum is operational and secure during public open hours.  In addition to leading tours, teaching instructional classes, giving presentations, and hosting special events, the director will develop museum services and programs to educate the public on the histories of pharmacy and health sciences, while diversifying audiences.  The director will build partnerships and creative innovative ways to expand content and develop new audiences, while also ensuring the Museum is a welcoming and accessible space.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; state and optional retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!
                                      
The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please visit,  talent.arizona.edu.

Administration

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the museum, including strategic direction, budgeting, staffing, overall leadership, and College of Pharmacy representative.
• Maintains active communication with donors, College faculty and staff, UA Foundation, and other key stakeholders.
• Handle media inquiries in collaboration with the College of Pharmacy Director of Communications.

Visitor Services/Outreach/Education

• Promotes access through campus partnerships, community outreach, and social media.
• Serves as liaison with faculty and staff, donors, students, researchers, donors, peer institutions, and the general public by answering requests for information.
• Manages visitor services team of students, interns, and volunteer docents to maintain museum security, greet patrons, conduct tours, answer questions, and create social media posts.
• Directs tours, creates and leads instructional sessions, gives presentations, and hosts events.
• Plans, develops, and implements museum services, collections, and programs that best serve the institution's community.
• Organizes outreach and educational programs such as workshops and lectures.
• Partners with campus and community organizations to expand content using creative and innovative approaches.
• Tracks visitor statistics and applies creative methods to develop new audiences.
• Participates in public relations and marketing of museum.

Exhibitions/Content Generation

• Oversees exhibit spaces and research collections to curate rotating exhibitions as well as digital content.
• Conducts extensive evaluations and assessments of outdated exhibition spaces and develop new approaches to interpreting and sharing collection content.
• Makes selection decisions for exhibit displays, designs labels and displays, and oversees the installation of exhibits.
• Develops publications, guidebooks, and online content related to the collections.
• Ensures accessibility needs are met for ADA compliance, directional signage, and bilingual text.
• Updates content on website.

Collection Management

• Implements and enforces acquisitions policies, manages processes, and transmits legal paperwork.
• Assures the ethical integrity of the Museum's collection management policies and procedures.
• Maintains and manages the collection with regard to records, forms, legal documents, manual and computer files, technical photography and systems associated with acquisition, de-accessioning, lending, borrowing, packing, shipping (international and domestic), inventory storage customs, and traveling exhibitions.
• Conducts all accessioning for new collection objects as well as the backlog.
• Oversees the maintenance and cataloging of collection items.
• Digitizes collection objects and attaches images in database; promotes images on social media and website.
• Manages the physical care of preservation of the collections including rehousing, environmental monitoring, and storage assessments.
• Oversees staff and students to work on large-scale collection stewardship projects.
• Collaborates with UA Risk Management and the chemical safety program to dispose of hazardous materials and controlled substances that may be included with donated collection items.

Service

• May publish peer-reviewed scholarship on collections or professional practices.
• May participate in professional development activities.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Has a love of history, a knack for storytelling, and desire to education others.
• Energetic and enthusiastic; able to connect with diverse groups of visitors.
• Demonstrated knowledge of museum best practices and standards.
• Public outreach experience (e.g. classroom instruction, museum tours, presentations and workshops, gallery talks).
• Ability to create exhibits and develop marketing strategies to draw visitors to the museum.
• Artifact handling and collections management experience.
• Experience supervising staff, students, interns, and volunteer docents.
• Familiarity with technology commonly used in museums.

• Master's degree in a relevant field required or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience.
• Minimum of eight (8) years of relevant work experience.