Transform Your Career, Transform Lives
The Open University is the UK’s largest university and a global leader in flexible, part-time education. Our mission is to widen access to higher education and deliver research excellence, empowering individuals and enriching communities through learning. Discover more about our purpose by watching this short video (link directs to YouTube).
About the Role
This position is at the heart of ensuring that our library’s content and collections meet the evolving needs of students, course development, and academic research. You’ll provide expert advice and support in managing library resources while adhering to standards in copyright, licensing, and accessibility. Additionally, you’ll contribute to library projects by offering professional insights and collaborating with other teams to enhance current processes and inform future strategies.
Key responsibilities include managing the acquisition, licensing, and accessibility of online library content, as well as fostering productive relationships with suppliers to ensure resources are of the highest quality, cost-effective, and easy to access. As a member of our team, you’ll uphold a forward-thinking culture, demonstrate behaviors aligned with the university’s values, and operate within our policies.
Key Responsibilities
- Coordinate and manage library purchases and subscriptions, ensuring collections are high-quality, cost-effective, and meet the needs of students and researchers.
- Cultivate strong relationships with publishers and suppliers, negotiating contracts and licenses while advocating for The Open University’s interests.
- Provide guidance on the use of library resources to faculty and library teams, including advice on copyright, licensing, and Open Access standards.
- Proactively resolve access issues in collaboration with suppliers and internal technical teams to maintain seamless user experiences for staff and students.
- Analyze data related to resource usage and performance to inform purchasing decisions, support strategy development, and monitor value for money.
- Partner with the Library Research Support Team to evaluate “Read and Publish” agreements and Open Access initiatives, assessing their impact on library budgets and resources.
- Work alongside colleagues and external partners to optimize workflows within the Library Management System (Ex Libris Alma & Primo), identifying opportunities for improvement.
- Ensure accessibility requirements for the OU community are effectively communicated to publishers and suppliers.
- Provide line management for staff as required, supporting professional development and conducting performance evaluations in alignment with OU policies.
About You
Essential Criteria:
- Experience in library collection management and development, including resource evaluation, selection, metadata management, and use of library systems to build collections that deliver value for money.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively and advocate for organizational needs.
- Proficiency in working with library content, systems, and technologies related to e-resource acquisition, management, and discovery (experience with Alma and Primo is advantageous).
- Strong organizational skills with experience streamlining workflows and improving processes.
- Confidence in working with numerical and financial data, providing analysis to guide decision-making.
- A proactive problem-solver with keen attention to detail, capable of addressing complex issues with research and insight.
- Ability to perform the role in accordance with equality legislation and the university’s policies.
- Enthusiasm for ongoing professional development and openness to learning new skills while supporting the development of others.
Desirable Criteria:
- A qualification in librarianship or a related field.
- Demonstrable experience with ALMA and Primo systems.
- Experience managing staff.
- Awareness and understanding of key issues and opportunities in distance education.
Why Join The Open University?
At The Open University, we appreciate and reward hard work and talent. Our staff benefits package includes support for work-life balance, flexible working policies, and a range of rewards. For full details, visit our Staff Benefits page.
Flexible Working:
We are happy to explore a variety of flexible working arrangements, including job shares, part-time roles, compressed hours, or other formats that suit your needs. Reach out to discuss your ideal setup.
Working Location:
This role follows a hybrid working pattern with an expected one day per week on-site at our Milton Keynes office (typically Wednesday), though attendance may vary based on business needs. Candidates preferring to work full-time on-site are also supported. Please note that travel expenses to our Milton Keynes office are not reimbursed.
Application Guidance
How to Apply:
Please submit the following documents:
- A CV detailing your professional experience.
- A Supporting Statement (up to 1000 words). Use this to articulate your interest in the role and provide specific examples of how you meet the Essential Criteria.
All application communications and progress updates will be accessible via our recruitment system. If an email notification is not received, please check spam/junk folders for updates.
Additional Support
If you have any accessibility needs, questions, or require support during the recruitment process, please contact us at 01908 541111 or email [email protected], quoting the appropriate reference number.
Diversity and Inclusion at The Open University
The Open University takes pride in fostering an inclusive environment that reflects our mission to embrace diversity in people, places, ideas, and approaches. We value diverse perspectives and recognize that they contribute to our collective strength and innovation. We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups and strive to provide a supportive, inclusive workplace. Join us in pursuing an equitable community where everyone can reach their full potential.
Next Steps:
Interview dates are to be confirmed. Please note that the advert may close early if we receive a satisfactory number of applications—early submissions are strongly encouraged.
Embark on a meaningful career at The Open University—where you can change lives, including your own!