Head of Acquisitions
- Employer
- Clemson University
- Location
- Clemson University
View more categoriesView less categories
- Employment Type
- Full Time
- Institution Type
- Four-Year Institution
Job Details
Head of Acquisitions
Clemson University: College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences: Agricultural Research
Location: LIBRARY DEPOT (EMERGING TECHNOLOGY CENTER (ETC))(001271) BLDG001271
Open Date: Aug 18, 2026
Description
Clemson Libraries seeks a collaborative, dynamic, and collegial Head of Acquisitions to provide leadership and expertise for a department that manages the acquisition, analysis and maintenance of library subscriptions, and the purchase of library monographs. This position provides oversight for a collections budget of $9.5 million and leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment, and management of print and electronic resources, including individual and package subscriptions, e-books, demand driven acquisitions, open access resources, streaming resources, and continuing resources. Clemson Libraries migrated to Alma/Primo VE in June 2020 and is part of a statewide Network Zone that includes 54 other institutions in the Partnership Among South Carolina Academic Libraries (PASCAL) consortium. The Head of Acquisitions will be actively involved in shared collection development decisions and licensing negotiations facilitated by PASCAL, as well as other consortia such as the Carolina Consortium and the Association of Southeastern Research Libraries (ASERL). Clemson Libraries faculty are members of the academic community, with responsibilities in the areas of librarianship, research, and service. This is a 12-month tenure-track faculty position and works under the direction of the Associate Dean for Collections and Discovery. Responsibilities include: Leads, plans, and oversees acquisitions operations and processes for materials in all formats acquired for University Libraries. Manages and coordinates operations for the Acquisitions team, composed of approximately 8 faculty and staff. Directs the efficient, appropriate, and timely expenditure of the Libraries' $9.5 million collections budget, which includes both targeted and untargeted gifts and endowments. Supervises day-to-day acquisitions processes. Develops fund allocations for collection development areas. Chairs the Collections Strategies Cross-Functional Team.Collaborates with colleagues in Metadata Services, User Services and Teaching and Learning to establish and refine interdepartmental workflows. In collaboration with the eCollections Access and Licensing Librarian, leads efforts related to the procurement, assessment, and management of electronic resources, including contract negotiations, renewals, and e-resource workflows. Provides oversight and strategic direction for individual subscription renewal assessment. Develops policies and procedures related to collection development and acquisitions. Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Develops a focused program of high-quality research and creative accomplishments, consistent with professional responsibilities and the Libraries' mission and goals. Service Actively participates and demonstrates leadership in professional responsibilities that serve the Libraries, university, profession, and community. Salary and Benefits Salary is dependent upon several factors, including, but not limited to, a candidate's experience, knowledge, skills, and rank at appointment in accordance with Clemson's compensation guides. Various medical plans, dental plans, and retirement plans are available. 18 days annual leave, 15 days sick leave, 13 paid holidays, and liberal professional development leave are provided. Library faculty receive an individual stipend for travel or other professional development activity. Location Clemson University is a major, land-grant, science and engineering-oriented Carnegie Research One university in a college town setting along a dynamic Southeastern corridor. Clemson is an inclusive, student-centered community characterized by high academic standards, a culture of collaboration, school spirit, and a competitive drive to excel. Centrally located in the beautiful foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Clemson is in one of the fastest-growing areas of South Carolina, and a two-hour drive from Charlotte and Atlanta.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- An ALA-accredited graduate degree in librarianship or a relevant accredited graduate degree in another scholarly field as deemed appropriate by the Libraries.
- A minimum of 3 years of professional experience in acquisitions, electronic resources, or collection development in an academic library or a large, multi-branch public library.
- Previous management/supervisory experience.
- Experience with strategic collection development and/or budgeting.
- Demonstrated skills in oral and written communication and creative problem-solving.
Preferred Qualifications
- Demonstrated ability to foster an environment of collegiality, respect, trust, and teamwork.
- Experience with reviewing and negotiating license agreements pertaining to electronic resources.
- Experience with assessment of print and electronic resources (usage reports, overlap reports, cost per use, etc.).
- Experience working with publishers and/or vendors of electronic resources.
- Experience in coordination or management of library services platform functions in a consortial environment, including experience with Ex Libris' Alma and Primo VE.
- Knowledge of current, evolving, and innovative models of collection development, including open access and scholarly communications.
- Ability to present budgetary and open access information to a variety of audiences, including non-library campus partners.
Application Instructions
Application Process
Applicants should electronically submit all applications and related materials via Interfolio: https://apply.interfolio.com/191772. Required materials include a cover letter addressing the qualifications for the position, a professional curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of three (3) professional references.
- Applications Open: Submit applications by September 18, 2026.
- Review and Selection: Application reviews, first-round interviews, and the selection of finalists will take place between September 21 and October 7.
- On-site Interviews: On-site interviews will take place between October 26 and November 6.
- Final Decision: The committee will review feedback and develop its hiring recommendation between November 16 and 20.
For more information and to apply, visit https://apply.interfolio.com/191772
Clemson University is an EEO/AA employer. Employment decisions are made without regard to characteristics protected by applicable law including disability and protected veteran status.
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Organization
Working at Clemson University
Clemson is a dynamic research university located in Upstate South Carolina at the center of the booming I-85 corridor between Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, Ga. One of the nation’s most selective public research universities according to U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review, Clemson University is the school of choice among top students in South Carolina and is increasingly competitive for the best students in the region and the nation. More than 17,100 students select from 70 undergraduate and 100 graduate degree programs through five academic colleges: Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences; Architecture, Arts and Humanities; Business and Behavioral Science; Engineering and Science; and Health, Education and Human Development.
Clemson’s transformation into a leading research institution — currently attracting in excess of $140 million in externally funded research and sponsored program awards per year — is based upon an academic plan that identifies eight emphasis areas in which the University has opportunities to increase education and research, to align with South Carolina’s economic development needs and to draw upon faculty strengths. Emphasis areas include automotive and transportation technology, advanced materials, biotechnology and biomedical sciences, leadership and entrepreneurship, sustainable environment, information and communication technology, family and community living, and general education.
Major economic development initiatives that have emerged from the academic plan include the Clemson International Center for Automotive Research — a 250-acre campus in Greenville, which has generated more than $225 million in public and private commitments in just four years; an advanced materials initiative at the Clemson Research Park, which includes a new LEED Silver-certified facility; and the South Carolina Health Sciences Collaborative — an initiative of the state’s three research universities and major health-care systems.
As the state’s land-grant university, Clemson reaches out to citizens, communities and businesses all over South Carolina. The Public Service Activities division includes the county-based Cooperative Extension Service, five off-campus research and education centers through the Clemson University Experiment Station and critical regulatory responsibilities for plant and animal health.
The University boasts a 1,400-acre campus on the shores of Lake Hartwell within view of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Surrounding the campus are 18,000 acres of University farms and woodlands devoted to research. A warm campus environment, great weather and recreational activities offered by proximity to both the natural surroundings and large cities are part of the Clemson Experience.
Points of interest at Clemson include the following:
The Clemson Conference Center and Inn is a state-of-the-art facility for symposia, meetings, seminars and special events. The complex includes the Madren Continuing Education and Conference Center, the Walker Golf Course and the Martin Inn.
The South Carolina Botanical Garden, a 295-acre public garden, features several thousand varieties of ornamental plants and a unique collection of nature-based sculptures.
The Robert Howell Brooks Center for the Performing Arts brings an exciting array of concert, theater, dance, comedy and other live performances to the community.
The Robert Campbell Geology Museum at the Botanical Garden displays meteorites, minerals, dinosaur fossils and the largest faceted-stone collection in the Southeast.
The T. Ed Garrison Livestock Arena is a showplace for livestock activities in the state and has hosted horse and livestock shows, rodeos, sales, 4-H activities, educational programs, and industrial and agricultural exhibitions.
Fort Hill, the home of John C. Calhoun and later of his son-in-law, University founder Thomas Green Clemson, is a registered National Historic Landmark located in the center of campus.
The Class of 1944 Visitors Center is the front door to Clemson — a friendly place to get tours, information, assistance and an introduction to this beautiful, historic university and community.
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