About this position
Temporary FT Registrar or Associate Registrar
VANCOUVER ART GALLERY
1-Year Maternity Leave Contract
The Vancouver Art Gallery believes creativity is fundamental to an open and engaged world. Bring your experience in Registration and exhibitions to one of Canada’s leading arts institutions in the heart of downtown Vancouver.
Reporting to the Director of Museum Services, the Registrar – Exhibitions & Loans is a leadership role within the Registration Department. Working collaboratively with the Registrar of Collections, this position oversees all registration activities related to exhibitions, touring exhibitions, and incoming loans.
The Registrar – Exhibitions & Loans is responsible for the safe, timely, and professional coordination of the movement, documentation, insurance, and care of artworks both locally and internationally. The role works closely with Curatorial, Conservation, Preparation, and external partners to ensure the highest professional standards are met.
WHAT YOU WILL DO
Exhibitions
- Plan, coordinate, and oversee all logistical arrangements for artworks associated with exhibitions, incoming loans, and touring exhibitions
- Prepare and administer all incoming loan documentation, including loan agreements, approvals, correspondence, estimates, invoices, crate lists, and shipping and customs documentation
- Coordinate packing, shipping, courier, and customs arrangements with lenders, shippers, and external partners
- Oversee condition reporting, artwork monitoring, and damage management in collaboration with Conservation
- Act as a courier or escort for shipments and as needed, travel to tour venues to oversee installations
- Collaborate with exhibition teams on the planning and delivery of in-house and touring exhibitions
- Provide and assist with workflow direction and supervision of exhibition installation teams
- Prepare and manage exhibition budgets, including tracking costs related to crating, shipping, loan fees, couriers, and invoice processing
Registration
- Supervise Registration staff, interns, and volunteers
- Support collection-related registration projects as required
- Contribute to the development and implementation of integrated registration policies, procedures, and information management systems
- Serve as backup to the Registrar of Collections during short-term absences
This role contributes to the overall success of the Museum Services team and ensures alignment with the Gallery’s strategic goals.
WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE
As a successful candidate you hold a university degree in Art History or Museum Studies, preferably at the master’s level, plus a minimum of three (3) to five (5) years of senior-level registration experience in a medium to large art gallery or museum. You have demonstrated experience managing incoming and outgoing loans and exhibitions at local, national, and international levels and have related supervisory experience leading teams. In addition, you bring:
- Thorough knowledge of professional registration standards, collections management, preventive conservation, and art handling
- Expertise in art transportation, shipping regulations, insurance, and customs processes
- Proficiency with collections databases, integrated information management systems, and Microsoft Office
- Strong budget management and financial tracking skills
- Excellent organizational, communication, and problem-solving abilities
- Ability to manage multiple complex projects under tight deadlines and strong ability to work effectively under pressure and with minimal supervision
- Proven leadership skills, including staff supervision, and team coordination
- Strong research skills and working knowledge of art history, contemporary art, and museum practices
- Ability to model respectful and inclusive workplace behaviour through a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion, including Indigenous ways of being, ensuring these principles are embedded in all the work we do
COMPENSATION AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
Job title and salary will be commensurate with education and experience, at either the Registrar or Associate Registrar level.
Registrar Salary
Pay Grade 26; $37.25 - $43.63 per hour
Associate Registrar Salary
Pay Grade 23; $33.11 - $38.76 per hour
Schedule: Monday to Friday, Nine-Day Fortnight; 8:30am to 5:15pm
This is a unionized position and falls under the jurisdiction of CUPE Local 15 – VMECW. This is an in-office position at the Gallery’s downtown Vancouver location. The anticipated duration of the position is for one (1) year, or until the return of the incumbent.
TO APPLY
Please submit your application through our careers portal by March 16, 2026 at 11:59pm.
Please note that only applicants with Canadian citizenship, permanent residency or a valid work permit will be considered.
WHAT WE PROVIDE FOR YOU
The Art Vancouver Gallery wants you to be your best. We provide our full-time and regular part-time employees with extended medical and dental coverage, long-term disability and life insurance, joint employer/employee pension contributions and generous vacation entitlements.
Our Values
The Vancouver Art Gallery commits to five core values that guide all that we do:
- We are respectful of the unceded Indigenous territory upon which we are situated
- We are committed to creating an inclusive and respectful environment
- We believe that curiosity is a pathway to innovation
- We establish clear goals and expectations to cultivate a culture of accountability
- We foster successful collaboration through thoughtful communication and active listening
The Vancouver Art Gallery is situated on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəyəm (Musqueam), Sḵwxwú7mesh (Squamish) and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil- Waututh) Nations. We offer a welcoming, team-based office culture, and we are committed to providing equitable access to everyone. We actively support accessibility, anti-racism, LGBTQ2S+ inclusion, and encourage diversity in our staff, volunteers, visitors, and programming. We cultivate a safer space where all voices are heard, valued and represented.
More About the Vancouver Art Gallery
Founded in 1931, the Vancouver Art Gallery is recognized as one of North America’s most innovative visual arts institutions. The Gallery’s celebrated exhibitions, extensive public programs and emphasis on advancing scholarship all focus on historical and contemporary art from British Columbia and around the world. Special attention is given to the accomplishments of Indigenous artists, as well as to those of the Asia Pacific region—through the Centre for Global Asias (formerly the Institute of Asian Art) founded in 2014. The Gallery’s exhibitions also explore the impact of images in the larger sphere of visual culture, design and architecture.
The Gallery’s new Art of Wellbeing lab furthers its commitment to community by promoting the role of art in fostering health and wellbeing. Developed in collaboration with healthcare professionals, researchers and Indigenous Elders, the lab creates opportunities for individuals to engage with art in ways that support mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.
The Vancouver Art Gallery is a charitable not-for-profit organization supported by its members, individual donors, corporate funders, foundations, the City of Vancouver, the Province of British Columbia through the BC Arts Council and the Canada Council for the Arts.