Reading Lists & Acquisitions Manager United Kingdom
Job description
Full-time, permanent position.
The University of Warwick Library are recruiting a Reading Lists & Acquisitions Manager to join our Resource Acquisitions & Digital Access (RADA) team. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead and develop the Reading Lists process within the Library, ensuring that the right Library materials are available for our students when they need them.
The successful candidate will have recent procurement or acquisitions experience, preferably within an academic environment as well as managing a budget. They will directly manage a small team of Reading List / Resources Officers and indirectly further staff within the team, plus others from across the Library during busy periods, therefore experience of managing and developing staff is essential.
They will work closely with other teams within the Library such as Academic Support Librarians, Metadata Librarians and the Scanning and Collections teams, so interpersonal and communication skills are key as well as the ability to work both independently and collaboratively.
The RADA team is currently working on a hybrid basis (minimum 40% onsite).
As a member of staff at Warwick you can enjoy a wide range of competitive benefits, along with excellent learning and development opportunities. We respect and reward achievement and recognise the importance of a flexible total reward package. Opportunities include our world class Sports & Wellness Hub, our nursery, which was recently rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for the third consecutive time and the USS pension scheme. We value our staff and aim to support your Wellbeing at Warwick by providing access to an Employee Assistance Programme and medical provisions, amongst other offerings.
We will consider applications for employment on a part-time or other flexible working basis, even where a position is advertised as full-time, unless there are operational or other objective reasons why it is not possible to do so.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss this opportunity please do get in touch with James Fisher, Resource Acquisitions & Digital Access Manager ([email protected], 02476 528155).
Interview Date: 26 June 2023.
Job Description
To manage and take responsibility for the delivery of the reading list service and oversee the process for the timely acquisition of materials (print/electronic books, multimedia/DVD/streamed video, etc.) required to support the University’s teaching, learning and research agenda.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1. Service Delivery
To take responsibility for the delivery of an efficient and effective reading list service overseeing the reading list review process and the purchasing of Library resources ensuring that relevant and appropriate items are identified, ordered and added to stock in a timely and responsive manner.
To manage the service and operational activity from start to finish ensuring the delivery of a seamless, responsive, efficient and effective service, including, but not limited to:
- the collection and processing of Reading Lists – including the publication of lists on the Library’s Reading List system, working collaboratively with relevant Library teams to encourage the buy-in and adoption of the Library’s Reading List system and thus publication of reading lists.
- the timely acquisition of required Library resources (print/electronic books (monographs & textbooks), multimedia/DVD/streamed video, etc.) required to support the University’s teaching, learning and research agenda.
- provision of expert guidance and support to Library staff and customers as required and/or undertaking procurement activities as/where required, for example, unusual or complex orders, orders for specialist material.
- work in conjunction with other teams to improve data available on Library resources available within various systems, e.g. to ensure the Library’s stock holding is accurate and representative.
2. Service Administration & Budget Management
- To oversee relevant operational budgets ensuring funds are effectively allocated and spend is maintained within agreed budgets. Achieve best value and ensure accessibility aspects are considered in procuring goods or services in line with university requirements, monitoring and reporting on financial activity and performance as required. Maintain accurate records of all acquisition’s activity, reporting issues to the Resource Acquisitions and Digital Access Manager as appropriate.
3. Service Development
- To monitor and develop/improve service delivery, benchmarking/reviewing performance against agreed local and (if appropriate) national performance levels/standards. Actively deploy staff to meet workflow demands and to maintain/improve, where possible, lead turnaround times.
- To consider workflow demands and priorities of the team, developing policies and procedures to improve service delivery efficiency & effectiveness. Implement agreed developments, planning and managing the projects, collaborating with/involving wider Library experts/teams as appropriate.
- To identify and develop improvements/modifications to Library and other systems, for example, the Library Management System and Library’s Reading List system, to maximise efficiency and ensure these continue to support service delivery.
4. Staff Management
- To manage and develop the team, directly line-managing members of the team as assigned, working collaboratively with other line managers as appropriate. To undertake recruitment and selection, induction, training, performance management and annual Staff Development Reviews.
5. As required, undertake any other duties commensurate with the role.
For further information about the University of Warwick, please read our University Further Particulars.
For further information about the Client Services Division, please visit the website.
Warwick is committed to building an organisation of mutual respect and dignity, promoting a welcoming, diverse, and inclusive working and learning environment. We recognise that everyone is different in a variety of visible and non-visible ways, and that those differences are to be recognised, respected, and valued. Where possible, we go beyond legislation to provide a place where everyone can thrive, supporting all staff to achieve their full potential. We aspire to remove economic, social and cultural barriers that may otherwise prevent people from succeeding.
We therefore welcome and encourage applications from all communities regardless of culture, background, age, disability, sex/gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, religion/belief, or sexual or romantic orientation. To find out more about our social inclusion work at Warwick visit our webpages here.
The University of Warwick holds an Athena SWAN Silver award; a national initiative to promote gender equality for all staff and students. Further information about the work of the University in relation to Athena SWAN can be found at the following link: Athena Swan (warwick.ac.uk)
The University of Warwick is one of the six founder institutions of the EUTOPIA European University alliance, whose aim is to become by 2025 an open, multicultural, confederated operation of connected campuses.
Right to work in the UK
If you do not yet have the right to work in the UK and/or are seeking sponsorship for a Skilled Worker visa in the UK points-based immigration system please click on this link which contains further information about obtaining right to work in the UK and details about eligibility for sponsorship for a Skilled Worker Visa.
Benefits and Rewards
Please refer to this link for a full list of our employee benefits here at Warwick here.
