Director, Digital Collections Operations

(January 14, 2026)

Position Title - Director, Digital Collections Operations

Supervisor Title (All entry and mid-level position supervisors should be qualified, professional archivists.)- Astor Director for Collections and Research Services

Position Type - Full-time, permanent

Benefits - Yes

Salary Range - $116,000 or more

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. Collections and Research Services division encompasses several departments focused on managing the ongoing development of our exceptional research collections, advancing unified discovery and expanding access, both in-person and online, and ensuring stewardship of the collections at every stage of their lifecycle.NYPL seeks a proven and strategic leader to oversee a newly formed department that will advance its digital asset management and operations strategy, leveraging technologies to preserve and enhance access and use of its digitized and born-digital collections. The Director is responsible for unifying and aligning staff, building a culture of collaboration and innovation to ensure that digital assets are not only preserved but made easily accessible in support of the strategy to expand discoverability for patrons anywhere.

The position, as part of the management team in the Collections and Research Services Division, provides oversight and leadership for the teams responsible for a newly implemented DAMS, Preservica, our preservation repository, the in-house digitization and audio and moving image reformatting labs, vendor digitization, rights clearance, and metadata. The Director contributes to shaping policies and priorities, fostering cross-divisional alignment, and ensuring that digital asset management, from access to preservation, is fully integrated into NYPL’s long-term vision.

The Director serves as a close collaborator and partner with the Digital Product Management team on projects that aim to align and improve workflows and modernize technology systems to enable efficient, seamless, and scalable access, and with IT on digital storage and cybersecurity.

We are looking for someone we can count on to:

Own:

• Preserve, manage, and provide seamless access to the breadth of our digital assets, articulating and refining policies and priorities for the Library’s five-year strategy focused on digital preservation and patron-centric modes of access and discovery, including implementation of a DAMS.

Teach:

• Priorities and progress across the Library and with external partners
• And foster awareness of new developments, tools, and systems to support the access and preservation of digital collections.

Learn:

• The scope of NYPL’s research collections, the workflows and systems that support digital collections, the workflows of staff who acquire and describe these collections, the uses made by researchers and creators, and the challenges and opportunities in discovering and accessing digital collections for a public research library.
• Insights from patron research, and platform usage data to shape our goals and projects.
• The challenges and opportunities with AI in relation to the Library’s digital collections.

Improve:

• Workflows across a renewed digital infrastructure
• A culture of engagement and inclusivity within the Digital Collections Operations team and with stakeholders across the Library.

Some expectations for this role are that within:1 month, this person will:

• Understand their teams' roles and responsibilities, especially in light of new strategic objectives, the scope of grants and projects underway, and dependencies with other departments
• Meet key partners in various departments, including the Research Centers, Digital, and IT.

3 months, this person will:

• Be a contributing member of key committees and strategic planning efforts, especially cross-department projects to modernize the Library's digital infrastructure.
• Gain a better understanding of their departments and staff roles, responsibilities, and objectives, team building and recruitment needs, and begin prioritizing and scoping projects and new performance goals.
• Understand gaps in resources, workflows, and technology solutions and develop a preliminary plan for aligning research staff around a shared vision for digital collections.

6 months and beyond, this person will:

• They should have a clear sense of the long-term roadmap for digital collections and digital preservation, a broader understanding of their role in contributing to this work, near-term goals, and outstanding resource needs.
• Build partnerships across the Library and with external stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Oversees the systems, technologies, policies, and workflows that manage and preserve the Library’s digital assets, ensuring they are secure and accessible
• Oversees and develops strategic goals for the digital production operations, aligning resources to achieve efficiencies and strategic priorities
• Oversees the Library’s digital preservation strategy
• Partners with IT stakeholders on networking and digital storage capacity planning
• Oversees rights management for the library’s digital assets, working towards providing the broadest access possible; implements innovative access approaches, including a virtual reading room
• Effectively manages organizational change, strengthening the alignment of people and processes to deliver the best possible experience to patrons
• Defines success metrics for digital access, discoverability, and preservation, and reports progress transparently
• Benchmarks NYPL’s practices against national and international standards, ensuring the Library remains a leader in digital stewardship and access
• Develops and supports staff to achieve excellence, fostering inclusion, professional growth, and a collaborative culture
• Represents NYPL in consortia and conferences, advancing its role as a leader in digital collections access and preservation
• Performs other related duties as required

Required Education, Experience & Skills

Required Education & Certifications

ALA-accredited MLS and substantial research library experience or Master’s degree and relevant, substantial experience

Required Experience

• 10+ years of experience in an academic or research library setting, with increasingly responsible managerial responsibilities
• 7+ years of successful people management experience
• Successfully demonstrated experience in the management and preservation of digital assets
• Successfully demonstrated experience in strategic planning, technology projects, resource management, problem-solving and decision making in a collaborative and coordinated work environment; a proven team player
• Demonstrated experience in analyzing workflows, developing policies, and implementing organizational change to promote alignment and greater efficiency of operations
• Demonstrated experience leading multiple large and complex initiatives
• Demonstrated experience evaluating the effectiveness of products and systems
• Experience setting clear and attainable performance goals

Required Skills

• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Strong leadership and project management skills, including negotiation and influencing skills
• Excellent analytical skills and ability to lead complex projects
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus and promote productive teamwork
• Knowledge of current issues and emerging trends in research library services and systems as well as emerging technologies

Managerial/Supervisory Responsibilities

Oversees a staff of approximately 30 FTE with three to four direct reports

https://nypl.pinpointhq.com/postings/f745087e-9f4c-449b-8640-eb6e1f5288f0