Senior Collection Manager, Indigenous Restricted Collection

Museums Victoria is home to secret-sacred and culturally significant Ancestral material, and we're seeking a Senior Collection Manager, Indigenous Restricted Collection to care for it with the respect, protocol and diligence it deserves.

ABOUT MUSEUMS VICTORIA: 

Ever dreamed of working in a place where dinosaurs roam, stars explode, and the world's most intriguing stories come to life? Welcome to Museums Victoria (MV)—where every day is a new opportunity to create unforgettable experiences. As one of the southern hemisphere's largest and most iconic museum organisations, we're not just about exhibits; we're about engaging, immersive moments that spark curiosity, creativity, and connection. 

Home to the awe-inspiring Melbourne Museum, the culturally rich Immigration Museum, the mind-expanding Scienceworks, and the World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building, MV is a place where events transform spaces and stories into something truly unmissable. Join a passionate team that brings ideas to life and makes discovery part of everyday experience. 

Museums Victoria acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the lands and waters on which we work, and pays respect to their Elders past and present. We recognise the deep and ongoing connection First Peoples have to Country, culture and community, and we are committed to caring for Ancestors and cultural material in a way that honours that connection. 

 

ABOUT THE POSITION: 

As Senior Collection Manager, Indigenous Restricted Collection, you'll care for and manage Museums Victoria's Indigenous Restricted Collection—which includes Indigenous Ancestral Remains and secret-sacred material—so that the organisation remains fully responsive to the needs and aspirations of Indigenous communities, government and stakeholders. 

You'll be accountable for the management, documentation and care of the Restricted Collection, providing appropriate access and building strong relationships with Indigenous communities, government agencies and stakeholders. A central part of this role is facilitating the repatriation of Ancestral Remains and secret-sacred material to Australian and overseas Indigenous communities of origin — work that carries deep cultural and personal significance for the communities involved, and that we take great care to get right. 

 

Some of the key duties include: 

• Managing the Indigenous Restricted Collection according to best international practice — covering storage, movement, location control, health and safety, handling and conservation 
• Ensuring appropriate cultural protocols are observed at all times, including briefing and supervising other staff and visitors 
• Building and maintaining relationships with Indigenous community representatives, the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council, Aboriginal Victoria, the Commonwealth Indigenous Repatriation Program and other relevant agencies 
• Undertaking archival research and enhancing catalogue records and collection documentation 
• Working closely with senior curators on research, repatriation and consultation relating to the Restricted Collection 
• Preparing deaccession proposals and activity reports for Museums Victoria's Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee and the Victorian Aboriginal Heritage Council 
• Responding to enquiries from Aboriginal communities about the Restricted Collection 
• Conducting audits and reconciliations, and generating reporting statistics, on the Restricted Collection 
• Working alongside the repatriation program manager and team to help deliver Museums Victoria's repatriation program 
• Contributing to the development of policies and procedures relating to the Restricted Collection, and training and supervising staff and visitors 

 

The successful applicant will have: 

• Extensive experience managing restricted Australian Indigenous cultural collec tions in line with cultural protocols 
• Deep knowledge of collection management for Indigenous collections, including developing and applying policies and procedures 
• A demonstrated ability to communicate sensitively and effectively with Australian Indigenous communities on culturally significant matters 
• An understanding of the legal issues around the management, deaccession and repatriation of restricted Indigenous cultural material 
• Strong written skills, with experience preparing submissions and reporting statistics 
• Sound knowledge of collection management principles, including storage, packing and transportation 
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively across a networked organisation and with key stakeholder groups 
• A current Australian driver's licence 

 

OTHER INFORMATION 

This is a full time, ongoing position, classified at Grade 4, Value Range 1 ($100,894 to $114,476) under the Museums Victoria Cultural and Creative Agencies Enterprise Agreement 2025. Salary will be commensurate with this classification, plus superannuation. 

In accordance with VCAT exemption number A9/2010, applications for this position are restricted to male applicants only. This exemption exists in recognition of the cultural lore associated with the care of secret-sacred material held within the Restricted Collection. 

The successful applicant will be required to: 

• Undergo a National Police Records Check and be assessed as suitable (new employees are required to meet this cost) 
• Work across multiple Museums Victoria sites, including Melbourne Museum and the Moreland Collection Store Facility 

 

HOW TO APPLY? 

To view the full position description, visit Careers – Museums Victoria. From the Current Vacancies page, select "All Jobs" and click through to this job's listing.

To apply, please click "Apply for this Job" at the bottom of the job listing page.

For more information about this position, please contact Jade Hadfield at [email protected].

Please submit the following two documents with your application:

• Your Resume
• A 1–2 page cover letter addressing the Key Selection Criteria as outlined in the Role Statement (please refer to the attached document)

 

APPLICATIONS CLOSE: 18 SEPTEMBER 2026 (11:59pm)