Collections Database Administrator

Who We Are

Founded in 1926, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a private, not-for-profit educational, historic, and cultural institution that owns and operates one of the largest and best-known museum complexes in the world. Our mission is “that the future may learn from the past” through preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia’s colonial capital. We engage, inform, and inspire people to learn about this historic capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape a new nation.  

Today, Colonial Williamsburg is the largest living history museum in the U.S. The Historic Area is the 301-acre restored colonial capital with 89 original buildings and 525 buildings reconstructed to how they appeared in the 18th century through extensive archaeological, architectural, and documentary research. The Historic Area is staffed by highly trained, historically dressed interpreters and expert tradespeople who bring the 18th century to life. The Foundation also owns and operates two world-class museums, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, The Bob and Marion Wilson Teacher Institute, and a renowned research library, the John D Rockefeller Jr Library.

Additionally, Colonial Williamsburg is home to five world class accommodations at the Williamsburg Inn, Williamsburg Lodge Autograph Collection, the Griffin Hotel, the Williamsburg Woodlands Hotels and Suites and the unique Colonial Houses in the Historical Area. Visitors may also indulge in food and drink at our many on site restaurants and taverns that blend a historically inspired dining experience with today’s evolved tastes. Each year over 5 million people visit Williamsburg and another 20 million engage with us digitally.

About the Position

The Collections Database Administrator manages the Foundation’s collections management systems, including TMS and EMu, ensuring accurate, consistent, and well-structured collections data. This role develops and maintains data standards, produces reports to support research, exhibitions, publications, and programs, and collaborates with curatorial and registration teams to improve access to collections information. This position also partners with IT on system upgrades,
integrations, and troubleshooting, and provides training and user support for staff.

***Must reside in or be ready to relocate to Virginia***

Main Duties:

• Manages data integrity and system functionality in The Museum System (TMS) and Axiell’s EMu.
• Verifies accuracy, completeness, and format consistency of collections data in alignment with industry standards and in collaboration with collections staff.
• Develops, maintains, and updates data entry style guides for use by registrars, curators, and conservators.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for database standards, protocols, and user support; provides onboarding and refresher training for staff.
• Coordinates database upgrades and maintenance with IT and external vendors.
• Collaborates with curatorial, registration, conservation, and other departments to integrate system modules into workflows, cataloging projects, inventories, and exhibition processes.
• Performs data searches, location updates, and generates system reports as needed.
• Assists the Registrar with inventory projects and database security settings, including user permissions and access controls.
• Oversees departmental volunteers and interns involved in collections information work.

Required Education and Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Experience working in a museum setting and knowledge of museum operations, policies, and standards.
• 3–5 years of experience working with a museum collections management database (e.g., TMS, EMu, or comparable CMS).
• Experience creating, managing, or maintaining collections data, including data cleanup, data verification, and system configuration.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree in art history, history, museum studies, material culture, library science, information science, or a related field.
• Proficiency with Crystal Reports and SQL.

Key Skills / Competencies:

• Strong understanding of data structure, metadata standards, and data nomenclature to ensure accurate records and optimized search and retrieval within the collections database.
• Proficiency with The Museum System (TMS) and EMu and Excel.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple, ongoing projects; excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate well both orally and in writing and train users with limited technical knowledge.
• Ability to establish priorities, meet priorities, work independently and as part of a team, work under pressure, and be well organized.
• Knowledge of best practices in museums collections management and data standards.

Typical Work Schedule:  8:30am - 5:00 pm Monday - Friday