Collections Strategies Unit Manager

Department:

University Library and Press | Learning & Access

Special Instructions to Applicants:

When applying you will be required to attach the following electronic documents:

1) A resume/CV; and

2) A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position.

Starting salary will be commensurate with skills, education, and experience.

For additional information please contact:

Lise Hull

[email protected]

541-737-3394

Job Summary:

The Oregon State University Libraries & Press: Learning & Access Division is seeking a Collections Strategies Unit Manager. This is a full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month, professional faculty position.

Reporting to the Associate Dean for the Learning & Access Division, the Collections Strategies Unit Head oversees the Collections Strategies Unit at the Oregon State University Libraries and Press. The Unit Head provides strategic planning and leadership for the unit with an emphasis on strategic thinking about the libraries’ collections, budget oversight for the unit and support for preparation of the division’s budget, and direct supervision for 3 unit employees. The Collections Strategies Unit Head convenes the Collections Council.

Key Responsibilities

• Shapes and implements strategic vision for library collections. Leads the development of workflows and processes for the acquisition and removal of print and electronic materials.
• Provides oversight and accountability for the general collection budget across the Libraries, making data-informed and user-centered decisions to shape annual allocation and spending decisions.
• Convenes Collections Council, a cross-division and multi-campus group to build a culture of collaborative policy development and decision-making.
• Negotiates contracts with vendors and publishers for new content access or renewal of existing content access.
• Collaborates effectively with units in all library divisions to advance unit goals and Strategic Action Plan activities. Actively participates in the Administrative Council for strategic planning, policymaking, and budget projections.
• Directly supervises all employees in the Collections Strategies Unit.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications:

• At least 3 years of progressively responsible collection strategies experience in an academic library. Progressive responsibility does not require changes in positional authority, but should include experience leading projects, developing services or designing workflows in areas relevant to the Collections Strategies Unit, including but not limited to acquisition of print and electronic materials, making data-informed and user-centered decisions to shape annual allocation and spending decisions, creating and applying collection development policies.
• Demonstrated ability to manage projects including assessing needs, gathering and analyzing data, identifying and working with stakeholders, meeting deadlines, managing resources, and measuring impact.
• Demonstrated experience advancing projects that require collaboration with other library units, or units within the broader university community.
• Demonstrated experience communicating with various groups (internal library employees and external campus community) through written reports, meetings, and presenting data.
• Demonstrated experience in contract negotiation and/or in establishing and maintaining effective relationships with vendors, consortia, and publishers.
• MLS/MLIS or Master’s Degree in Library Science or a related field.

This position is designated as a critical or security-sensitive position; therefore, the incumbent must successfully complete a criminal history check and be determined to be position qualified as per University Standard: 05-010 et seq. Incumbents are required to self-report convictions and those in youth programs may have additional criminal history checks every 24 months.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience supervising library employees in an academic library setting.
• Experience working on library-wide strategic planning teams or workgroups.
• Fluency in developments in the scholarly publishing landscape, especially in open-access publishing and efforts to make collections accessible to everyone.
• Experience working with subscription agents for large-scale renewals.
• Experience managing endowed or gift funds.
• Collections experience in a large academic library that supports undergraduate, graduate, and faculty researchers.
• Experience working in a liaison role. This could include but is not limited to presenting subject-specific workshops, helping faculty navigate the publication process, or consulting with students or faculty.
• Familiarity with aligning library collections with university affordability initiatives.

Working Conditions/Schedule:

Salary Range:

$70,000 - $85,000

Anticipated Start Date:

2027-01-04

Anticipated End Date:

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability, protected veteran, and other protected status.

OSU will conduct a review of the National Sex Offender Public website prior to hire.

OSU is a fair chance employer committed to inclusive hiring. We encourage applications from candidates who bring a wide range of lived experience including involvement with the justice system. If this position has “critical or security-sensitive” responsibilities and/or driving duties and you are selected as a finalist, your initial job offer will be contingent upon the results of a job-related pre-employment check (such as a background check, motor vehicle history check, sexual misconduct reference check, etc.). Background check results do not automatically disqualify a candidate. Take a look at our Background Checks website including the for candidates section for more details. If you have questions or concerns about the pre-employment check, please contact OSU’s Employee and Labor Relations team at [email protected].