Senior Manager, Special Collections Acquisitions Operations
Application Deadline: 11 January 2026
Department: Collections
Employment Type: Full Time
Location: Stephen A. Schwarzman Building
Reporting To: Jason Baumann
Compensation: $100,000 - $115,000 / year
Description
Overview
The New York Public Library (NYPL) has been one of the world's great public research libraries for more than 130 years. Its research centers provide opportunities for engagement with in-depth and unique collections, inspirational reading rooms, exhibitions, programs, and a range of research services. The Collections and Research Services division encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanded access to our collections, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of the collections lifecycle.
NYPL's special collections are among the most significant and distinctive in the world. They include original manuscripts, organizational records, prints, photographs, rare books, sound recordings, and many other formats documenting history, literature, art history, performing arts, and Black studies - materials that preserve the record of human experience and achievement.
NYPL seeks a proven and collaborative leader to oversee the acquisitions workflow for its special collections, ensuring accountability and chain of custody, while supporting curators across the Humanities and Social Sciences Research Library, the Library for the Performing Arts, and the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.
We are looking for someone we can count on to:
Own :
Special collections acquisitions operations, ensuring that curators are informed, supported, and aligned around the Library's business, legal, and acquisition processes
Teach :
Awareness of best practices in special collections acquisitions in collaboration with curators, including professional ethics, donor and vendor management, business accountability, provenance research, and responsible stewardship
Learn:
The range of NYPL's special collections and its evolving collection development goals
The systems supporting special collections acquisitions at NYPL, including Sierra, Workday, and other databases
Improve :
Policies, workflows, and procedures for special collections acquisitions and strengthen communication to enhance staff knowledge and collaboration
Some expectations for this role are that within:
1 month , this person will:
Understand their responsibilities, current NYPL policies and procedures, projects and assessments already underway to improve workflows and documentation
Gain competency with key systems, including Sierra, WorkDay, ArchivesSpace, and SPEC
Meet special collection curators and other key collaborators and stakeholders across NYPL
3 months , this person will:
Manage the business and operational processes for special collections acquisitions, including supporting site visits, approval process, proposals, budgets, and legal agreements
Contribute to committees and strategic planning efforts, especially related to workflow optimization, the update of NYPL's Collection Development policy, and the refinement of the total cost of stewardship models
6 months and beyond , this person will:
Build strong working relationships with curators, the Legal team, Finance, and other stakeholders
Identify gaps in policies and procedures and develop a preliminary plan for aligning curators around a shared vision for managing special collections acquisitions
Responsibilities
Manages the acquisition operations for newly acquired special collections, including partnering with curators in their assessments and site visits and ensuring processes and procedures are aligned with the Library's business requirements
Manages acquisitions budgets, verifying available funds and providing regular updates to curators and other stakeholders
Shepherds purchase agreements and deeds of gifts through their development, review, and approval, coordinating with curators and the Legal team
Oversees the tracking and reporting of the total cost of stewardship and contributes to its refinement in partnership with other key stakeholders
Reviews acquisition proposals and partners with curators to resolve issues related to provenance, format, materials, size, and preservation concerns
Develops acquisition checklists, procedures, and training materials in partnership with curatorial leadership and provides regular training sessions
Coordinates the preparation of acquisitions proposals for Trustee committee review and approval in collaboration with curators
Oversees and manages the central archive for special collection acquisitions documents
Provides statistics on special collections acquisitions, tracking rates of collection growth, spend, and collection development targets
Oversees the work of the Administrative Coordinator in their work distributing agreements and other documents to donors and vendors
Coordinates with BookOps Acquisitions staff on the preparation of acquisition records, and with Collection Management on acquisitions pick-ups and deliveries
Monitors and stays abreast of new developments and trends in special collections collection development, aligning the Library with best practices in the field
Represents the Library in relevant conferences and professional organizations
Effectively manages organizational change, strengthening the alignment of people and processes
Performs other duties as assigned
Required Education, Experience & Skills
Required Education & Certifications
ALA-accredited MLS or Master's degree and relevant, substantial research library experience in special collections and acquisitions logistics
Required Experience
7+ years of experience working with special collections, including experience with collection development practices, knowledge of the marketplace, and library acquisition processes
Demonstrated experience managing budgets and resource allocation
Demonstrated knowledge of standard acquisition business and legal practices in a library setting and the related tracking systems and tools
Demonstrated experience conducting research on provenance
Demonstrated experience in analyzing workflows, developing procedures, and implementing change to promote alignment and greater efficiency of operations
Demonstrated experience in resource management, problem-solving, and decision-making in a collaborative and coordinated work environment; a proven team player
Required Skills
Facility managing projects, with multiple timelines and stakeholders
Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem solving skills
Strong negotiation and influencing skills
Demonstrated ability to build consensus and promote productive teamwork
Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities
N/A
More...
Core Values
All team members are expected and encouraged to embody the NYPL Core Values:
Be Helpful to patrons and colleagues
Be Resourceful in solving problems
Be Curious in all aspects of your work
Be Welcoming and Inclusive
Work Environment
Office
Hybrid
Physical Duties
Light lifting up to 30 lbs required
Pre-Placement Physical Required?
No
Union/Non Union
Non-Union
FLSA Status
Exempt
Schedule
M-F, 9-5; Hybrid schedule, 3 days required in the office, 2 days remote
This job description represents the @types and levels of responsibilities that will be required of the position and shall not be construed as a declaration of all of the specific duties and responsibilities for the role. Job duties may change if Library priorities change. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description as needed.
The New York Public Library Salary Statement
At the Library, we believe that pay transparency and pay equity are important to ensuring we source the best candidates and keep the best employees. When making a determination as to the appropriate salary for a candidate, we consider a variety of factors such, including, but not limited to, the position requirements, the skills, prior experience, and educational background required or preferred for the job, the scope and impact of the role within the organization, internal peer equity, and the candidate's specific training, experience, education level, and skills. No single factor is conclusive; the Library reserves the right to consider any and all relevant factors and make a decision consistent with its policies.
Union Salaries are determined by collective bargaining agreement(s).
