Platform Manager

Jobtailor; Beltsville (MD); On-site; USD 95,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Beltsville, MD seeks a senior Ex Libris Alma Administrator to manage Alma components, metadata configurations, and integrations. You will monitor data workflows, troubleshoot ingest/indexing, and ensure credential security and auditability.

In an Agile setting, you will participate in sprint planning, change management, and documentation, with occasional travel to Beltsville. Familiarity with security standards is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Information Science, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Library/Information Science, or a related technical field.
• Experience administering Ex Libris Alma, including roles/permissions and metadata configuration.
• Experience with Python-based workflow automation and external-system integrations.
• Experience diagnosing data-flow, indexing, and schema issues in relational or cloud databases.
• Experience in Agile/Scrum teams and change-control processes.
• Familiarity with MARC/Dublin Core/RDA/MODS or similar metadata standards.

Responsibilities

• Administer and maintain Ex Libris Alma, including system components, user roles and permissions, profiles, metadata configurations, normalization rules, integrations, authentication/SSO, audit logs, and related configurations
• Monitor and troubleshoot Alma jobs and data workflows affecting ingest, indexing, publishing, preservation, and other processes
• Maintain and enhance Python-based data pipelines for automated ingestion, transformation, indexing, synchronization, error handling, and secure credential management
• Execute change-management activities including impact analysis, sandbox testing, deployment planning, validation, post-deployment verification, and rollback procedures
• Participate in Agile/Scrum activities including sprint planning, backlog refinement, user stories, acceptance criteria, and retrospectives
• Maintain operational monitoring and service-management capabilities, dashboards, incident management, and secure data handling

Skills

Python-based workflow automation

Agile/Scrum participation

Change-control governance

Metadata standards familiarity

Alma metadata tools

Data workflow troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Information Science, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Library/Information Science, or a related technical field

Tools

Confluence

Git

Alma APIs

Issue-tracking tools

Job description

• Administer and maintain Ex Libris Alma, including system components, user roles and permissions, profiles, metadata configurations, normalization rules, integrations, authentication/SSO functionality, audit logs, and related configurations
• Monitor and troubleshoot Alma jobs and data workflows affecting ingest, indexing, publishing, preservation, and other mission-critical processes
• Maintain and enhance Python-based data pipelines for automated ingestion, transformation, indexing, synchronization, error handling, and secure credential management
• Execute change-management activities including impact and dependency analysis, sandbox testing, deployment planning, validation, post-deployment verification, documentation, rollback planning/execution, and emergency-change procedures
• Participate in Agile/Scrum activities including sprint planning, backlog refinement, user stories, acceptance criteria, story pointing, remediation activities, and retrospectives
• Maintain operational monitoring and service-management capabilities, including dashboards, job monitoring, least-privilege access, audit-log review, incident management, and secure handling of data and pipeline outputs
• Support business continuity and release management, including backup/restore readiness, recovery procedures, configuration-drift remediation, failed-import and indexing recovery, freeze periods, and Ex Libris release windows
• Diagnose and resolve cross-system metadata and data-flow issues involving Alma, metadata schemas, upstream ingestion scripts, indexing processes, databases, and downstream preservation synchronization
• Collaborate with agency librarians, technical information specialists, IT personnel, metadata and acquisitions teams, systems librarians, and external vendors
• Maintain technical and governance documentation, including runbooks, configuration snapshots, Change Request Logs, release notes, workflow documentation, and Confluence-ready artifacts
• Develop and report operational performance metrics, including job success/failure rates, MTTR, ingest quality, indexing latency, and incident trends
• Support biweekly, quarterly, and annual CCB reporting
• Support compliance with federal information security, data governance, privacy, accessibility, configuration management, and documentation requirements

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Information Science, Computer Science, Information Systems, Data Science, Library/Information Science, or a related technical field
• Demonstrated experience administering the Ex Libris Alma Library Services Platform, including roles and permissions, metadata configuration, job monitoring, and troubleshooting
• Demonstrated experience with Python-based workflow automation, including ingestion/transformation scripts and integrations with external systems
• Experience diagnosing data-flow, indexing, and schema issues in relational or cloud databases
• Experience participating in Agile/Scrum teams, including planning, standups, retrospectives, and work decomposition
• Experience applying formal change-control/governance processes, including change-lifecycle documentation and freeze/sandbox requirements
• Familiarity with library and information metadata standards, including MARC21, Dublin Core, RDA, MODS, and/or comparable schemas
• Strong understanding of Alma metadata tools, including normalization rules, templates, and mapping tables
• Ability to diagnose cross-system problems involving metadata, upstream ingestion scripts, indexing behavior, and downstream synchronization
• Experience with configuration management, version control, security controls, log auditing, credential management, and configuration-drift detection/remediation
• Experience executing technical change lifecycles involving impact analysis, sandbox testing, validation, rollback, documentation, backup/restore readiness, and recovery procedures
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and work collaboratively across organizational teams and external vendors
• Ability to successfully complete a background investigation and required security/privacy training
• Ability to work during required Eastern Time coverage hours and travel periodically to Beltsville, Maryland
• Preferred: 5+ years of progressively responsible library systems, library technology, systems integration, or comparable technical experience, with substantial hands-on Alma administration experience
• Preferred advanced degree such as an MLS/MLIS, MS in Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, or related discipline
• Preferred experience as an Alma Systems Administrator, Alma Platform Manager, Library Systems Engineer, Systems Librarian, or similar role
• Preferred advanced Python proficiency, Alma APIs, Git or comparable version-control systems, Confluence, issue-tracking tools, high-availability production systems, federal government or regulated environments, and enterprise information-system integrations
• Ability to sit and work at a computer for extended periods
• Ability to communicate effectively in person and virtually
• Ability to travel periodically to Beltsville, Maryland and navigate a professional office environment

Core Competencies

Demonstrates expertise in administering Ex Libris Alma, including user roles, metadata configurations, and job monitoring, while effectively managing Python-based data workflows and adhering to change-control processes. Proficient in Agile methodologies and capable of producing clear technical documentation to support cross-functional collaboration.

Highest-signal resume keywords

• Ex Libris Alma Administration
• Python-Based Workflow Automation
• Agile/Scrum Participation
• Change-Control Governance
• Metadata Standards Familiarity

Hard Skills

• Alma Metadata Tools
• Data Workflow Troubleshooting
• Configuration Management
• Version Control
• Job Monitoring
• Data Ingestion
• Schema Diagnosis
• Change Lifecycle Documentation
• Backup/Restore Procedures
• Incident Management

Soft Skills

• Effective Communication
• Collaborative Teamwork
• Problem Solving

Industry Keywords

• Library Services Platform
• Metadata Standards
• Data Governance
• Information Security
• Accessibility Compliance

Tools & Technologies

• Confluence
• Git
• Alma APIs
• Issue-Tracking Tools