Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Open Access service, ensuring high-quality support for researchers and driving service improvements.
- Company: Join a world-leading research-intensive university with a commitment to open research.
- Benefits: Enjoy a fantastic pension scheme, health services, generous leave, and local discounts.
- Other info: Flexible working options available; we value diversity and welcome all applicants.
- Why this job: Shape the future of Open Access while developing your leadership skills in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Professional qualification in librarianship or relevant experience in research support.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Are you an experienced Open Research professional ready to take on a leadership role in a dynamic, fast-moving service? We’re seeking an Open Research Librarian to provide interim coordination for the University’s Open Access service, ensuring high-quality support for researchers and helping shape service developments during a key period of transition.
About the Role
As Interim Open Research Librarian, you will play a central role in the coordination, management and delivery of the University’s Open Access service. Working within the Office for Open Research, you will provide day-to-day leadership for service operations and team members, while also contributing to strategic planning, service improvement and the Library’s wider research support goals.
- Provide interim coordination and operational oversight of the Open Access service, ensuring consistent, high-quality delivery of processing, enquiry handling, and compliance-related workflows.
- Support the Open Research Manager and Office for Open Research leadership in planning and implementing service improvements aligned with the Library’s strategic goals.
- Line manage Open Research Specialists, ensuring effective performance management, development, and staff empowerment.
- Oversee service performance, using data, benchmarks and KPIs to monitor quality, identify issues, and drive improvements.
- Build strong relationships across the Library and wider University, ensuring effective service resourcing and stakeholder engagement.
- Represent the Library at internal and external meetings, contributing to sector discussions and maintaining a strong professional profile.
- Support researcher-facing work, including advice on Open Access routes, compliance requirements, and scholarly communication processes.
This is a role for someone who can balance operational management, strategic insight, and confident communication, with a commitment to enabling open, transparent and responsible research.
About You
You will bring:
- A professional qualification in librarianship or significant relevant experience in a comparable research support environment.
- Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage staff, build relationships, and work collaboratively across teams.
- Proven ability to handle complex enquiries, particularly those related to Open Access or scholarly communication.
- Excellent communication skills, including the ability to present clearly to a range of audiences.
- Strong digital literacy and confidence working with systems, data and reporting tools.
- Experience analysing and interpreting complex data to inform service decisions.
- Project management skills and the ability to contribute to (and in some cases lead) strategic initiatives.
- Experience supervising staff or contributing to organisational change is desirable but not essential – you will be supported to grow into the leadership aspects of the role.
Why join us?
This is an exceptional opportunity to:
- Take on a leadership level role at a world leading research-intensive university.
- Shape the future of Manchester’s Open Access service delivery during a key transitional period.
- Develop your management and strategic leadership experience in a supportive environment.
- Contribute to the University’s commitment to open, equitable and responsible research practices.
You’ll be joining a collaborative, forward-thinking team at the heart of the University’s Open Research ambitions.
What you will get in return
- Fantastic market leading Pension scheme
- Excellent employee health and wellbeing services including an Employee Assistance Programme
- Exceptional starting annual leave entitlement, plus bank holidays
- Additional paid closure over the Christmas period
- Local and national discounts at a range of major retailers
As an equal opportunities employer we welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of age, sex, gender (or gender identity), ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation and transgender status. All appointments are made on merit. Our University is positive about flexible working.
Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.
Please note that we are unable to respond to enquiries, accept CVs or applications from Recruitment Agencies. Any recruitment enquiries from recruitment agencies should be directed to recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk. Any CV’s submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.
This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.
Open Research Librarian in Manchester employer: The University of Manchester
Contact Detail:
The University of Manchester Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Open Research Librarian in Manchester
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to current or former employees in similar roles, especially those in Open Research. They can give you insider tips and might even put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your knowledge of Open Access and current trends in research support. We want you to shine when discussing how you can contribute to the University’s goals!
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills during the interview. Share examples of how you've managed teams or projects in the past, and how you can bring that experience to the Open Research Librarian role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Open Research Librarian in Manchester
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the Open Research Librarian role. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your qualifications; demonstrate how your skills in managing staff and handling complex enquiries make you a great fit for our team. We want to see real examples of your achievements!
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that are easy to read. Avoid jargon unless it’s relevant to the role!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets to us without any hiccups. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need there!
How to prepare for a job interview at The University of Manchester
✨Know Your Open Research Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the latest trends and practices in Open Research and Open Access. Familiarise yourself with the University’s current services and any recent changes in policies. This will show that you're not just knowledgeable but also genuinely interested in contributing to their goals.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed teams or projects in the past. Highlight your ability to empower staff and drive service improvements. They’ll want to see that you can balance operational management with strategic insight, so be ready to discuss how you’ve done this before.
✨Communicate Clearly and Confidently
Practice articulating your thoughts clearly, especially when discussing complex topics like compliance and scholarly communication. You might be asked to present ideas or solutions during the interview, so being able to convey your message effectively is key.
✨Build Relationships in Your Answers
Think about how you can demonstrate your interpersonal skills during the interview. Be prepared to discuss how you've built strong relationships in previous roles, as collaboration is crucial in this position. Share specific examples of how you’ve engaged with stakeholders or worked across teams.