Director of Collections Strategy and Discovery

PeopleAdmin, Inc.; Chapel Hill (NC); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill invites applications for a Director of Collections Strategy and Discovery to guide the Library’s general collections from selection to discovery, and to establish a new analytics unit. The role leads two departments and shapes research library resources through data-driven decision making.

Reporting to senior library leadership, this position emphasizes strategic budgeting, licensing negotiations, and inclusion while coordinating with technology and

Qualifications

• ALA-accredited master's degree in library or information science.
• Minimum of 5 years progressively responsible leadership experience in an academic or research library.
• Broad knowledge of acquisitions and cataloging, e-resource lifecycle, licensing and discovery.
• Strong understanding of scholarly publishing, open access models, and the lifecycle of electronic resources.
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Commitment to professional growth and development.

Responsibilities

• Lead holistic development, implementation, and evaluation of the Library’s collection strategies across formats.
• Manage implementation of discovery and content management aligned with licensing, open access, and metadata standards.
• Oversee hiring, mentoring and professional growth of staff in purchasing, licensing, collections analysis, and metadata.
• Foster relationships with library vendors and partners.
• Coordinate standards for collection and usage data across formats.
• Serve on relevant library committees (Collections Steering Committee, Cataloging and Metadata Policy WG).
• Collaborate with leadership to drive the Collections Strategies and Services division.
• Build collaborative relationships across the Library, UNC System, and regional/national consortia.
• Represent the University Library in conversations on acquisitions and resource descriptions.

Skills

Leadership experience

Interpersonal skills

Oral and written communication

Strategic planning

Team mentoring

Education

ALA-accredited master's in library/information science

Advanced degree in related discipline

Tools

Tableau

PowerBI

Excel (advanced)

Job description

Director of Collections Strategy and Discovery

Please see Special Instructions for more details.

For a more detailed vacancy announcement, please visit:

A minimum of three references are required upon application submission.

Posting Information

Posting Information

Department

Department Lib-Administration-553010

Career Area Libraries

Posting Open Date

Posting Open Date 09/16/2026

Application Deadline

Application Deadline 10/14/2026

Open Until Filled No

Position Type

Position Type Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Working Title

Working Title Director of Collections Strategy and Discovery

At the University Library, you are part of a welcoming, open library community that advances research, teaching, healing and creativity on campus and far beyond. Here, we strive to create an environment of respect and collaboration, where vision and innovation can flourish.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

The University Libraries aspires to set the standard for public university research libraries in the digital age.

As one of the premier libraries in the South, we are an essential partner in the research, education, clinical care, and public service missions of UNC -Chapel Hill. The library system includes 10 on-campus Libraries, with nearly 10 million volumes, rich archival collections, and a growing investment in digital collections.

The University Libraries serves campus and broader communities that reflect the socioeconomic, ethnic, and religious diversity of the state of North Carolina, and we maintain a welcoming, inclusive, and open educational and workplace climate for all. We strive to create an environment of respect and collaboration where vision and innovation can flourish. Learn more about our Strategic Framework — including our pillars, values, and priorities by visiting https://library.unc.edu/about/strategic-framework/'

Position Summary

This position may be eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that may include a partially remote work location, consistent with System Office policy. UNC Chapel Hill employees are generally required to reside within a reasonable commuting distance of their assigned duty station.

Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Collections Strategies and Services, the Director of Collections Strategy and Discovery provides vision, direction, and leadership for the Library's general collections from selection to discovery and the infrastructure that supports it. The Director leads two established departments — Resource Acquisitions and Management ( RAM ) and Resource Description and Management ( RDM ) — with 26 FTE and will be charged with creating a third department focused on collection analysis and strategy. The Director is part of a deeply engaged team of library professionals committed to the responsible management of resources through thoughtful decision-making, licensing, description and access, and in support of a world-class research library.

Collection development and management

The Director uses data-informed assessment to shape the Library’s collection development and management strategies, help manage the multi-million-dollar materials budget, support complex vendor agreement negotiations, and respond to emerging trends in scholarly publishing, open access and accessibility.

Access and discovery

Working collaboratively with Library and Information Technology (Infrastructure Management Services, User Experiences and Repository Services), the Director ensures that the technical workflows of acquisition, licensing, and metadata creation are optimized to provide seamless, user-centered discovery, and accessibility of library resources. Additionally, the Director works closely with User Experience to license and describe content that is fully accessible.

Collection analysis

The Director will form and lead a new unit focused on collections analysis, assessment, and planning. This unit will support evidence-based decision-making by developing and applying metrics, dashboards, and reporting tools to evaluate collections use, cost effectiveness, overlap, gaps, and alignment with institutional priorities. The unit will also monitor trends in scholarly communication, licensing models, and user needs to inform strategic planning and guide future collections investments.

Responsibilities include:

• Lead the holistic development, implementation, and continuous evaluation of the Library’s collection strategies across formats.
• Manage implementation of innovative and creative approaches to discovery and content management in keeping with emerging trends in collection development, purchasing licensing, open access, and metadata standards.
• Overall management of functions and employees in units responsible for purchasing and licensing, collections’ analysis, and metadata, including oversight of hiring, mentoring and professional growth of librarian and professional staff.
• Seek out and foster relationships with library vendors and partners.
• Coordinate the creation of standards for the collection and analysis of usage data across formats.
• Serve on relevant library committees such as the Collections Steering Committee and the Cataloging and Metadata Policy Working Group.
• Collaborate with colleagues on the Collections Strategies and Services Leadership Team to lead the Collections Strategies and Services division.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with stakeholders across the Library.
• Build strong collaborative relationships with partners and stakeholders on the Chapel Hill campus, the UNC System, and the Triangle Research Libraries Network.
• Represent the University Library and actively participate in emerging conversations and projects related to acquisitions and resource descriptions in regional national and international consortia and professional associations.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Relevant post-baccalaureate degree: relevant undergraduate degree with 5 -7 years of related professional experience may be substituted for the advanced degree.

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• ALA -accredited master's degree in library or information science and/or an advanced degree in a related discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years progressively responsible leadership experience in an academic or research library, with responsibilities in collection strategies, purchasing, licensing or description.
• Broad knowledge of acquisitions and cataloging procedures and principles, including an understanding of the e-resource lifecycle, current issues in licensing and discovery, purchasing models, emerging metadata standards and bibliographic utilities.
• Strong understanding of current developments in scholarly publishing, open access models, and the lifecycle of electronic resources
• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills, including the ability to foster productive communication among team members and lead, motivate, and manage staff through organizational change.
• Demonstrated commitment to professional growth and development.

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

• Minimum of 3 years demonstrated experience supervising or managing a large or complex team
• Ability to holistically approach workflows, analyze connections and iterate processes
• Familiarity with integrated library systems.
• Experience using data visualization or advanced assessment tools (e.g., Tableau, PowerBI, advanced Excel).
• Demonstrated experience in regional, national, or global standards development and adoption.
• Experience creating welcoming and inclusive work environments.

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Not Applicable.

Special Instructions

For a more detailed vacancy announcement, please visit:

A minimum of three references are required upon application submission.

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]

Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter
• List of References

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that describes your level of education that best or mostly closely satisfies the education requirements for this position.
  • Bachelor’s degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Bachelor's degree in any field/discipline
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in any field/discipline
  • None of the above
• * Do you have an ALA-accredited master's degree in library or information science and/or an advanced degree in a related discipline?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a minimum of 5 years progressively responsible leadership experience in an academic or research library, with responsibilities in collection strategies, purchasing, licensing or description?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a broad knowledge of acquisitions and cataloging procedures and principles, including an understanding of the e-resource lifecycle, current issues in licensing and discovery, purchasing models, emerging metadata standards and bibliographic utilities?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Do you have a strong understanding of current developments in scholarly publishing, open access models, and the lifecycle of electronic resources?
  • Yes
  • No