The Serralves Foundation is Seeking a Registrars Team Coordinator
Application deadline: 27 June 2026
The Serralves Foundation’s mission is to stimulate interest in and knowledge of contemporary art, architecture, cinema, landscape, the environment and issues critical to society and its future amongst audiences of diverse backgrounds and ages, doing so in an integrated manner based on an exceptional heritage collection, notably comprising the Museum of Contemporary Art, the House, the Park and the Manoel de Oliveira Cinema House.
To join the Museum’s Management team, we are recruiting: REGISTRARS TEAM COORDINATOR
The main mission of this role is to ensure the management and coordination of the Serralves Museum’s team of Registrars, in addition to carrying out technical registrar tasks in the areas of inventorying, cataloguing and organising works for exhibitions and/or loans, ensuring the circulation of works and their associated museum documentation to high standards of rigour, security and traceability, in accordance with defined service levels.
Main responsibilities:
- Coordinate the team of registrars by planning, allocating and monitoring activities in accordance with current procedures, deadlines and the available budget.
- Collaborate with the curatorial team in the planning and execution of exhibitions, identifying in advance the technical, human and financial requirements, with a view to ensuring that projects are completed on schedule, to the required standard and within the defined budget.
- Coordinate the processes for the loan of works of art (incoming and outgoing), both nationally and internationally, including the handling and packaging process, ensuring compliance with legislation and technical and documentation standards.
- Ensure the registration, inventorying, cataloguing and updating of information on works of art, in both digital and documentary formats, and their movements, ensuring the reliability and integrity of the documentary records.
- Ensure up-to-date documentary traceability of works of art, including condition reports, photographic documentation and records of the works’ state of conservation, assisting, where necessary, with the preparation of technical and administrative dossiers for exhibitions, loans and the movement of works.
- Negotiate with shipping companies, in Portugal and abroad, and with customs agents, as well as overseeing customs procedures and administrative management relating to the transport of works of art.
- Plan and supervise the transport of artworks (collection and/or return), coordinating with external suppliers (art transport companies, technicians and/or couriers), ensuring best practices are followed in the handling, packing and installation of the artworks.
- Promote preventive conservation practices, monitoring the condition of the artworks on display, and coordinate the necessary conservation and restoration work (in-house and/or external) to maintain the artworks in good condition.
- Organise and ensure that insurance is taken out for the works of art, and, where applicable, follow up on any claims involving works of art for which the Serralves Foundation is responsible.
- Where necessary, accompany works of art in the role of courier, and supervise couriers from other institutions, ensuring compliance with established procedures and requirements during the installation and dismantling of exhibitions.
Profile:
We are looking for someone who can work independently within their area of expertise, upholding high standards of quality, rigour and compliance in registration processes, with the ability to work across departments and in an interdisciplinary manner, and who meets the following criteria:
- A degree in Art History, Museology, Restoration, Conservation or a similar field.
- At least 10 years’ experience in registration teams; experience in the functional coordination of teams is an advantage.
- Practical knowledge of the preservation, handling, storage and security of works of art.
- Knowledge of collection management techniques, museological methodology, cataloguing systems, insurance and customs procedures.
- Fluency in spoken and written Portuguese and English (essential).
- Availability to work irregular hours, including weekends.
- Driving licence.
- Proficiency in IT tools, particularly Excel.
If this sounds like a project that interests you, please send your CV and a motivation letter to recrutamento@serralves.pt
Image credits: Via Serralves website
