We are seeking a strategic, collaborative, and technically confident leader to join our team as Manager, Collections & Systems. This role provides vision and direction for WPL’s physical and digital collections, technical services, and library systems to ensure excellent, equitable customer service across WPL.

Our ideal candidate excels in a multi-branch system, coordinating work across locations and building alignment across diverse stakeholders. They will bring both strong people leadership and the technical/analytical capability needed to steward core library systems and workflows.

Sound like your next chapter?

What You’ll Do:

• Set direction for WPL’s physical and digital collections and library systems so all customers can discover and use materials easily and equitably across the system.
• Lead, coach, and evaluate the Collections team staff to ensure effective performance and consistent, customer-focused access to collections across all branches.
• Direct core technical services work (acquisitions, cataloguing/metadata, processing, serials, authority control), improving workflows so materials are accurate, findable, and available in a timely way. Collaborate with teams across the system for process efficiencies and improvements.
• Oversee key Integrated Library System (ILS) functions that affect customer experience and staff efficiency (borrowing rules, item/record quality, acquisitions and related financial processes).
• Create and maintain system-wide collection policies and standards that support consistent service across locations, while responding to different community needs and reducing barriers to access.
• Manage collections budgets and vendor relationships (contracts, licensing, shared purchasing), using evidence to guide decisions and ensure responsible use of public funds.
• Act as Person-in-Charge (PIC) regularly at the Main Library and represent WPL in relevant partnerships.

What We’re Looking For:

• Master of Information and Library Science (MLIS) from an accredited institution.
• At least 5 years of library leadership experience, including direct staff supervision and responsibility for budgets and strategic planning and decision-making.
• Strong knowledge of collection development and technical services work (print and digital), with a commitment to improving access for people with different needs, languages, and ways of using the library.
• Experience working with an ILS and bibliographic/metadata standards (e.g., MARC, awareness of evolving standards such as BIBFRAME), and the ability to explain technical issues clearly to vendors and partners.
• Strong communication, relationship-building, and project management skills. Ability to bring people together, navigate differing views, and implement changes that work across multiple locations.
• Proven skill in budgeting, analysis, and resource planning, with sound judgement and transparency in decision-making. Experience managing large budgets (over 1M) is an asset.

Schedule

The regular schedule is Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Tuesdays 1:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. and alternating Fridays and Saturdays 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Schedules are subject to change. The ability to work at any library location is required.

Salary/Wage/Benefits

The starting wage is $58.34 per hour (level H)

Optional membership in OMERS pension plan is provided. Other entitlements include paid sick time, personal time and appointment time. WPL offers a casual work environment, support for professional development and your birthday off with pay!