Manager, Vendor Digitization Services

Code4lib; New York (NY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The New York Public Library seeks a Manager to oversee vendor digitization services for outsourced projects, guiding end-to-end processes from RFP to final asset delivery. You will manage budgets, contracts, and a team responsible for preserving fragile materials.

This leadership role requires a strong background in digitization standards, metadata, and cross-functional collaboration with internal stakeholders to advance NYPL’s digital collections initiative.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Library/Information Science or related field with preservation focus.
• 5+ years in cultural heritage digitization or preservation and project management.
• Experience managing external vendors, procurement/contracts, and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary liaison for outsourced digitization projects with internal and external partners.
• Oversee vendor contracts, MSAs, and OTPS budgets related to outsourced services.
• Lead, train, and evaluate the Media Preservation Coordinator.
• Ensure secure transport of fragile materials and maintain rigorous asset tracking.
• Develop RFPs and procurement templates; improve vendor communication protocols.
• Maintain documentation for workflows, asset tracking, and metadata schemas.

Skills

Vendor management

Contract negotiations

Budget management

Project leadership

Supervisory experience

Communication skills

Stakeholder management

Digital preservation

Metadata standards

Education

MLS or equivalent

Digital preservation focus

Tools

BagIt tooling

Metadata management

AMI/IS standards workflows

Job description

Position Overview

For more than 125 years, The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been an essential provider of books, information, ideas, and education. With collections numbering more than 56 million items and serving more than 16 million patrons in person each year and millions more online, NYPL’s reach is both local and global. Our mission is to inspire lifelong learning, advance knowledge, and strengthen our communities.

The newly formed Digital Collections Operations (DCO) department supports the stewardship, long‑term preservation, and accessibility of NYPL’s digital collections. In this role, the Manager, Vendor Digitization Services directs the end‑to‑end lifecycle of outsourced digitization projects for the Library’s Research Libraries, serving as the primary liaison between internal stakeholders and external service providers. The manager establishes the logistical and administrative framework necessary to safely scale NYPL’s digital reformatting efforts through strategic outsourcing.

Key Responsibilities

Own:

• The end‑to‑end management of vendor‑based digitization projects, from initial RFP development and scoping to final asset delivery, ensuring that all vendor deliverables are technically, descriptively, and administratively prepared for preservation, digital asset management, and access systems.
• The oversight and professional development of the Media Preservation Coordinator.
• The administration of vendor contracts, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and significant OTPS/grant budgets related to outsourced services.
• The logistics for secure transport of collection materials to and from external facilities.

Teach:

• The Media Preservation Coordinator and wider team about effective vendor management, contract compliance, and technical quality control standards.
• Library partners about the technical requirements, timelines, and logistical constraints of outsourced digitization.

Learn:

• The technical nuances and FADGI/AMI specifications required for diverse formats, ranging from motion picture film and magnetic media to manuscripts and specialized photographic materials.
• NYPL’s internal procurement and financial systems to ensure seamless invoice processing and budget tracking.
• Evolving industry standards for metadata and file packaging to ensure vendor deliverables are repository/DAMS ready.

Improve:

• The scalability and speed of the vendor digitization pipeline through refined project tracking and automated QC workflows.
• Communication protocols between the Library and external vendors to minimize errors and expedite project completion.
• Procurement and RFP templates to better reflect the changing technological landscape of the digitization field.

Performance Milestones

• 1 month: Audit all active vendor contracts and project timelines to understand dependencies, pain points, and resource needs; meet and form relationships with internal teams across the Library to understand current strategic objectives for digitization.
• 3 months: Take full ownership of vendor communications, budget tracking, and the quarterly planning process for outsourced initiatives; contribute to committees, working groups, and strategic planning efforts to align vendor digitization with larger institutional goals; refine logistical workflows for transport of materials, ensuring that safety and tracking protocols are consistently met.
• 6 months and beyond: Lead the development of new RFPs for large‑scale imaging and AMI projects; develop a long‑term roadmap for sequencing and implementing large‑scale reformatting improvements.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary point of contact for external labs; manage RFPs, negotiate quotes, and ensure strict adherence to contract terms, deadlines, and technical specifications.
• Lead, train, and evaluate the Media Preservation Coordinator; manage daily task assignments and performance goals.
• Facilitate the secure movement of diverse and fragile collection materials; partner with internal stakeholders on transit protocols and maintain rigorous tracking for all assets throughout the vendor reformatting lifecycle.
• Manage large‑scale budgets for outsourced services; review and authorize vendor invoices and monitor spend against grant or institutional funds.
• Establish and oversee QC benchmarks for all vendor deliverables (AMI and image); resolve technical discrepancies and metadata errors.
• Maintain comprehensive documentation for vendor workflows, asset tracking, and technical specifications.
• Work closely with other teams (Collection Management, Conservation, Special Collections Processing) to ensure collection safety and project alignment with institutional priorities.
• Maintain clear communication with department leadership and stakeholders about project progress.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Required Education & Certifications

• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science, Museum Studies, or a related field with a focus on preservation or digital reformatting.

Required Experience

• 5+ years of professional experience in cultural heritage digitization or preservation, with a focus on project management.
• Demonstrated experience managing external vendors and navigating complex procurement/contracting processes.
• Prior experience managing project costs and large‑scale budgets.
• Proven experience in a supervisory or team‑lead role, ideally in a production or preservation environment.

Required Skills

• Exceptional ability to manage multiple high‑volume projects simultaneously, including budget tracking and timeline oversight.
• Strong working knowledge of both AMI preservation standards (IASA, AES) and image digitization standards (FADGI, ISO).
• Understanding of the risks and requirements associated with transporting rare, archival, and fine‑art materials.
• Familiarity with checksum validation, file packaging (BagIt), and metadata schemas used in digital preservation workflows.
• Superior negotiation and interpersonal skills; ability to resolve technical or contractual disputes with external partners diplomatically.

Managerial / Supervisory Responsibilities

One direct report, overseeing the Media Preservation Coordinator.