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The Senior Program Officer, Metadata Leadership & Innovation for the OCLC Research Library Partnership (RLP) serves as a thought leader and program manager guiding OCLC’s engagement with the global library metadata community. In this role, you will lead the OCLC RLP’s Metadata Managers Focus Group and related initiatives, convening metadata experts from over 100 leading research libraries. Your charge: identify significant patterns and emerging needs in metadata management (e.g., in areas like linked data implementation, metadata automation with AI, inclusive and reparative description practices) and help OCLC and its partners proactively respond. You will design and deliver high-impact community programs (virtual and in-person meetings, working groups, and publications) that foster collaboration among metadata specialists and inform OCLC’s research and product development strategies. This is a unique opportunity for a recognized metadata expert with a strategic mindset and a passion for community building to shape the future of library metadata on a global scale, driving innovation in how libraries describe and provide access to collections.
Key Responsibilities:
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Lead Community Engagement for Metadata Experts: Plan, facilitate, and grow the RLP’s Metadata Managers Focus Group, a long-standing forum for senior metadata practitioners from partner institutions. Organize regular virtual meetings, webinars, and occasional in-person convenings that enable peers to share insights on the latest challenges (for example, implementing new standards like RDA LRM or BIBFRAME, leveraging machine learning for metadata enrichment, and improving metadata for diversity and inclusion). Frame emerging challenges into actionable problem statements and options. Maintain a clear pipeline of priority topics and time-limited initiatives, making explicit choices about scope, sequencing, and resourcing. Cultivate a welcoming, productive environment that encourages open dialogue and knowledge exchange among international experts.
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Strategic Program Development: Develop an annual program plan for metadata-focused community activities. This includes identifying priority topics through consultation with partners (e.g., via surveys or advisory groups) and creating programming to address those topics. Launch and manage ad hoc working groups or pilot projects as needed – for instance, coordinating a working group on “AI in Metadata Workflows” to produce recommendations for the community and for OCLC (building on recent RLP efforts in this space). Ensure that program outcomes (reports, best practice guidelines, etc.) are disseminated widely and have lasting impact.
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Thought Leadership & Advocacy: Represent OCLC and the RLP in external forums related to metadata and cataloging. This includes presenting at major conferences (ALA, IFLA, DCMI, etc.), participating in initiatives like the Program for Cooperative Cataloging (PCC), and contributing to professional literature (white papers, blog posts on Hanging Together, etc.). Ensure that OCLC’s perspectives on “next-generation metadata” (such as the shift toward linked data and the integration of AI and machine learning in cataloging) are visible and influential in the community. Act as a spokesperson for OCLC’s work in this area, highlighting the synergy between the RLP’s community-driven insights and OCLC’s product/services evolution.
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Partner Engagement & Support: Provide expert guidance to RLP partner libraries on complex metadata issues and initiatives. Respond to inquiries from partners seeking advice or best practices (for example, how to approach metadata migration to new standards or how to implement inclusive description policies). When appropriate, coordinate with OCLC’s consulting and support teams to ensure RLP members have the help they need in implementing new OCLC metadata services or standards. Your ability to connect partners with one another (mentoring, peer exchanges) is critical—e.g., helping a library embarking on a linked data project find others who have done similar work. By acting as a trusted consultant and connector, you will strengthen the RLP network and the value partners derive from OCLC affiliation.
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Community Platform Stewardship: Support the implementation and ongoing improvement of the OCLC Community Center experience for the RLP metadata community to enable asynchronous engagement. In partnership with the Community Center team, help create lightweight structures that support peer exchange, knowledge capture and reuse, onboarding of new participants, and continuity between live programming (meetings, webinars, working groups) and ongoing discussion. Use engagement signals and community feedback to inform outreach, programming priorities, and continuous improvement.
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Internal Collaboration: Serve as a key internal advisor on metadata trends and needs. Monitor the evolving metadata landscape (standards development, open-source tools, vendor solutions, and policy changes) and proactively brief OCLC colleagues in Research, Product Management, and Engineering on potential impacts or opportunities. Advocate for necessary policy or technology changes, e.g., enhanced support for identifiers/URIs and support for new data models, to maintain OCLC’s leadership in metadata services.
Qualifications:
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Extensive Metadata Domain Expertise: 7+ years of professional experience in library metadata management (cataloging/technical services/metadata strategy) in a research library or similarly complex information organization. The ideal candidate will have deep knowledge of current and emerging metadata standards and technologies—e.g., MARC and non-MARC metadata formats, Official RDA and BIBFRAME standards, authority control including NACO, linked data and identifiers, metadata automation and quality control, etc. Awareness of current and emerging metadata priorities, including AI, BIBFRAME, linked data, entity management, inclusive cataloging, metadata reuse, and metadata for open access, is essential. Familiarity with OCLC metadata tools and services. Evidence of expertise could include, for example, service on national or international standards-setting committees, leading a major metadata project or migration at your institution, or publishing research on metadata trends.
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Community Leadership & Visibility: A recognized leader in the library metadata community. The successful candidate will have a track record of active engagement and leadership in forums such as ALA (Core/ALCTS interest groups, committees), PCC, IFLA, or regional consortial groups. You should be comfortable facilitating discussions among expert peers and be seen as a credible voice on metadata issues. Examples of such standing might include presenting at national conferences on metadata innovations, chairing a committee or working group related to metadata standards or policy, or being cited by colleagues for contributions to the field. Our RLP partners value leaders who are “of the community,” able to empathize with and inspire practicing metadata librarians.
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Strategic Vision & Innovation: Demonstrated ability to think strategically about library technology and the future of metadata. We seek someone who can identify trends and “see the big picture,” then translate that into concrete action plans. Experience with introducing innovative metadata practices is highly desirable. For example, you may have initiated a project to integrate AI into metadata workflows, led your library’s implementation of a new metadata standard or platform, or authored a forward-looking article on metadata’s role in discovery. We value a visionary mindset coupled with a practical understanding of change management in libraries.
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Facilitation & Communication Skills: Outstanding written and verbal communication skills. Proven experience in leading group discussions or workshops, especially with diverse and senior-level participants. You will have a proven ability to synthesize complex discussions into clear outcomes and communicate those outcomes to broader audiences through concise, high-quality writing and presentations. You should be adept at moderating complex conversations, distilling input into clear outcomes or recommendations, and navigating differing viewpoints diplomatically. A track record of published writing or public speaking on professional topics is a plus (e.g., contributed to influential library literature, delivered key presentations/webinars)—these activities demonstrate the ability to articulate ideas and inspire an audience.
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Project & Program Management: Demonstrated success in managing complex projects or programs. This includes planning (setting goals, timelines, and deliverables), organization (keeping multiple activities on track), and assessment (using data to evaluate success and inform continuous improvement). Strong ability to build relationships and work collaboratively across institutions. This role requires “leading from the middle,” so skills in networking, partnership-building, and consensus-building are essential. Evidence of this might include leading a multi-institution task force, organizing a successful community initiative or training program, or holding an office in a professional organization where you coordinated volunteers. The ability to represent OCLC and the communities it serves with professionalism and empathy and to earn the trust of colleagues and partners is paramount.
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Education: Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (M.L.S./M.L.I.S.) or an equivalent advanced degree in a relevant field. Ongoing professional development, such as additional coursework/certifications (e.g., data science, project management, or organizational leadership), is beneficial and should be noted.
Examples of Demonstrated Professional Leadership: Candidates for this role will ideally have a combination of experiences that show both technical mastery of metadata and the ability to lead and influence in the wider community. For instance, perhaps you have served as the chair of a national cataloging standards committee, where you helped drive the adoption of new metadata practices; or maybe you organized a regional metadata symposium or webinar series that drew broad attendance and produced published best practices. You might have contributed to high-profile metadata projects (such as PCC Task Groups on URIs in MARC or BIBFRAME mapping) or published research on metadata topics in journals or conference proceedings. We encourage you to highlight such examples in your application to illustrate your thought leadership and community impact.
Working Conditions: Normal office environment.
ADA/EAA: The above statements cover what are generally believed to be principal and essential functions of this job. Specific circumstances may allow or require some people assigned to the job to perform a somewhat different combination of duties.
