Head of Acquisitions & Collections Strategy

ELUNA Content Working Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision benefits

Retirement plan matching 8%

Tuition waivers for employees and dep

Job summary

DePaul University is seeking a leader for its Acquisitions & Collections Strategy Department. The successful candidate will oversee library acquisitions, develop collection strategies, and manage a team dedicated to fostering a culture of improvement and growth.

This role requires a Master’s degree and significant experience in academic libraries, with strong leadership and communication skills. The position offers comprehensive benefits, including medical coverage and retirement matching.

Qualifications

• Minimum 6 years of academic library experience, with at least 3 years in acquisitions or collection development.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and direct the work of others.
• Ability to communicate effectively across cultural identities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic oversight and leadership for the ACS team.
• Coordinate the materials acquisitions lifecycle across various formats.
• Collaborate with librarians to advance collection strategies.
• Supervise a team including one full-time librarian and two staff members.
• Prepare the collections budget in collaboration with administration.

Skills

Leadership

Communication skills

Project management

Budget management

Data analysis

Education

Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program

Tools

Alma/Primo

Open Athens

Springshare

Job description

What You’ll Do:

1. 1. Leadership of Acquisitions & Collections Strategy Department.

   • Provide strategic oversight and leadership for the ACS team, establishing priorities and aligning departmental activities with library goals and university needs.
   • Support, develop, and empower ACS staff and fosters a culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, innovation, and professional growth.
   • Develop, implement, and evaluate policies and procedures related to acquisitions, collection strategy, and library resources; review existing policies to ensure accuracy, currency, effectiveness, and alignment with evolving practices.
   • Identify opportunities to improve acquisitions and collection-related workflows, systems, services, and organizational practices. Serve as a library leader and contributes to strategic planning and decision-making across the library.

2. 2. Acquisitions.

   • Coordinate and provide strategic oversight of the full materials acquisitions lifecycle across print, electronic, continuing, and other resource formats and procurement models.
   • Administer library purchasing systems and monitors spending throughout the year, identifying trends and opportunities to maximize the impact and sustainability of collection acquisitions.
   • Coordinate and customize tools and workflows to support materials acquisition across a range of procurement and licensing models.

3. 3. Collections Strategy.

   • Collaborate with the AUL and liaison librarians to shape and advance collection strategies, including development, implementation, and ongoing assessment.
   • Serve as an ex-officio member on the Collections Steering Committee, which is responsible for setting collection priorities and making major purchase, renewal, and cancellation decisions.
   • Identify emerging collection needs, opportunities, and challenges and recommend strategies to the Collection Steering Committee to address them.
   • Develop and use data, usage statistics, cost information, assessment findings, and other evidence to inform collection decisions and evaluate effectiveness, impact, and sustainability of collection resources.
   • Coordinate the acquisitions budget with the AUL and Director of Business & Administration, ensuring expenditures reflect established collection priorities and strategic goals.

4. 4. Professional Development.

   • Maintain an awareness of best practices in academic librarianship through engaging with scholarly and professional literature, participation in relevant conferences, workshops, and professional development programs, and applies lessons learn.

5. 5. Directly supervise one full-time librarian, two full time staff, and indirectly supervises a student employee.

6. 6. Prepares collections budget in collaboration with the Director of Business and Administration and Associate University Librarians and recommends full-time and part-time salary/wage, technology, supplies, and other acquisitions to support the work of staff in assigned units.

What You’ll Need:

Required:

• Master’s degree from an ALA-accredited program, required.
• Minimum, 6 years of academic library experience, of which at least 3 years must include working with acquisitions, collection development, or related areas.

Preferred:

• Knowledge of Alma/Primo, Open Athens, and Springshare.
• Experience working with academic library consortia.
• Effective written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Excellent planning, project management, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated knowledge of library budgeting and financial management.
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and direct the work of others.
• Demonstrated ability to collect, organize, and interpret relevant statistical information and data.
• Ability to communicate and effectively interact with people across cultural identities and foster an inclusive, equitable, and welcoming environment.

The anticipated hiring range for this position is: $64,662 to $77,224.46.

The salary range provided in this posting reflects what we reasonably expect to pay for this position. Actual compensation offered or earned is dependent on experience, education and other factors including departmental budget.

Perks:

• Working for a stable and well-known University.
• Top choice medical, dental, and vision benefits.
• Retirement plan matching contribution of 8%.
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents.
• Generous paid time off, sick time, holidays, floating holidays, and more!
• Full-Time Benefits

Vincentian Mission:

Guided by an ethic of Vincentian personalism and professionalism, DePaul compassionately upholds the dignity of all members of its diverse, multi-faith, and inclusive community. We seek to hire collaborative, open-minded, and dedicated professionals who are committed to advancing our university mission to making education accessible to all, with special attention to including underserved and underrepresented communities. Successful candidates thrive in an environment where ideas and perspectives representing a wide variety of cultures, backgrounds and experiences are welcome and supported.

Required Background Check:

Employment at DePaul University is contingent on passing a background check. Only final candidates who are extended an offer of employment will undergo a background check.

DePaul University is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, protected veteran status, genetic information or any other legally protected status, in accordance with applicable federal, state and local EEO laws.