Senior Program Officer, resource Sharing & SHARES

OCLC•Dublin, OH

7h•Hybrid

About The Position

This role provides strategic leadership for OCLC’s Research Library Partnership (RLP) in interlibrary loan, collective collections, and resource sharing networks. The Senior Program Officer will lead and grow the RLP’s SHARES partnership, an international network of over 75 libraries committed to sharing materials and operational expertise. This involves setting a clear, future-oriented agenda, defining scope and priorities, and designing and driving a focused portfolio of initiatives. The position translates community insights into synthesized recommendations and measurable outcomes to strengthen field practice and inform OCLC’s resource sharing product strategy. This includes purposeful programming like SHARES Town Halls and working groups structured to produce tangible outputs such as recommended practices, trend reports, and prioritized areas for action. The role aims to help SHARES members and OCLC anticipate and respond to emerging changes, including evolving e-content models, cross-border sharing, and technology-enabled “smart fulfillment” with AI, ensuring OCLC’s continued leadership in the resource sharing landscape. It offers a platform for an innovative resource-sharing leader to have a global impact by shaping cooperative borrowing, lending, and shared collections across research libraries.

Requirements

7+ years of experience managing or leading interlibrary loan, document delivery, or resource sharing operations in a library, consortium, or similar environment.
In-depth understanding of current ILL systems (especially OCLC’s WorldShare Interlibrary Loan and either ILLiad or Tipasa) and awareness of other systems like Rapido, ReShare, or Autographics and of evolving practices in resource sharing and access services.
The ideal candidate will have played a significant role in advancing resource sharing at their institution or beyond, e.g., implementing a notable new service or policy that improved efficiency or user experience.
The successful candidate will be a well-known figure in the resource sharing community with a strong professional network.
Active participation in groups such as ALA RUSA STARS (e.g., committee leadership or award recognition), regional resource sharing consortia, or other collaborative library initiatives is expected.
Demonstrable standing might include serving on the executive committee of a resource sharing group or winning a professional award (for instance, the ALA RUSA Virginia Boucher–OCLC Distinguished ILL Librarian Award).
Candidates should be comfortable being the “face” of the RLP resource sharing community: public speaking and engagement skills are essential, as is the ability to inspire a sense of camaraderie and shared purpose among globally distributed colleagues.
Proven ability to think strategically and drive programmatic growth.
Ability to identify trends and opportunities in resource sharing and act on them.
An entrepreneurial mindset and creativity in problem-solving are key.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with a track record of building strong relationships and coordinating teams or working groups.
Experience negotiating or managing partnerships is a plus (for example, establishing consortial agreements or coordinating multi-institution projects).
Adept at communicating value propositions and program impact to stakeholders at all levels, from front-line ILL staff to library deans and directors.
Strong writing skills are also important (e.g., the ability to produce clear reports and concise policy documents).
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).
The ability to manage by influence, coordinating working group members and balancing input from various sources, is critical, as much of the work of this role happens through community committees and consensus-building rather than direct management.
Master’s degree in Library/Information Science or a related field, or equivalent experience.
A demonstrated commitment to ongoing professional development in areas related to resource sharing, library technology, or management is highly valued.

Nice To Haves

Certifications or training in project management or Lean process improvement are a bonus.
Additional relevant credentials (e.g., certificates in project management or data analysis, participation in leadership institutes) should be noted.
Top candidates for this role will have visible achievements such as chairing a national ILL or resource sharing committee; receiving a major industry award; spearheading a transformative project in resource sharing (like a new shared lending platform or a cross-consortium initiative); or authoring influential publications/presentations on interlibrary loan trends.
For instance, perhaps you led your library to become one of the highest lending institutions in the OCLC network, or you introduced new policies that set a model for others (such as pioneering a free lending model or new approaches to sharing special collections).

Responsibilities

Lead and Expand the SHARES resource sharing network: Provide strategic, outcomes-oriented leadership for SHARES (75+ libraries across North America, the UK, Europe, and beyond). Set the annual/biannual agenda in partnership with the SHARES Executive Group, making explicit choices about priorities and scope.
Design and lead SHARES Town Halls and time-limited working groups with clear charters, deliverables, and decision points, ensuring convenings produce usable outputs (e.g., recommended practices, policy updates, and pilot proposals) rather than open-ended discussion.
Manage SHARES policies and core documentation, including periodic updates to reflect emerging practices and agreed-upon decisions.
Develop and execute strategies to increase engagement and strengthen the network (e.g., targeted outreach, improved Community Center programming, and occasional in-person convenings aligned to specific outcomes).
Strategic Program Development: Craft and execute a focused strategy for the RLP’s resource sharing program portfolio, maintaining a bounded set of priority initiatives (e.g., 2–4 active workstreams) and a clear pipeline.
Identify and frame emerging challenges and opportunities (e.g., streaming media and licensed e-content, cross-border sharing, policy and trust frameworks, data-informed fulfillment, and next-generation “smart fulfillment” capabilities) into actionable problem statements and options.
Set measurable goals and success metrics (e.g., improved turnaround time, higher fill rates, reduced staff effort, expanded participation, new partnerships) and drive work to completion—launching pilots where appropriate and sunsetting initiatives that are not delivering value.
Thought Leadership & Advocacy: Serve as a recognized champion for the future of library resource sharing on behalf of OCLC and the RLP program.
Represent OCLC and the RLP at major forums (ALA RUSA/STARS, IFLA Document Delivery & Resource Sharing, regional consortium meetings, etc.) and use those engagements to surface emerging signals and shape directional guidance for the field.
Produce a clear synthesis from SHARES and external engagement, identifying patterns, implications, and recommended actions for members and for OCLC (e.g., position briefs, presentations, white papers, and blog posts).
Advocate for cooperative sharing as a core strategy for equitable access while emphasizing pragmatic recommendations that move practice forward.
Partner Engagement & Support: Drive high RLP partner satisfaction and measurable program performance.
Act as the primary relationship manager for SHARES participants and other RLP partners involved in resource sharing to prioritize outreach and support.
Diagnose barriers for under-engaged institutions and implement targeted interventions (e.g., onboarding improvements, peer mentoring, skill-building clinics).
Develop and promote assets that translate SHARES learning into practice (e.g., toolkits, webinar series), and communicate program impact through concise reporting and member success stories that reinforce the value of participation.
Community Platform Stewardship: Serve as the strategic owner for SHARES’ presence in the OCLC Community Center, ensuring the platform supports purposeful work, not just discussion.
In partnership with the Community Center team, develop a platform that enables onboarding, knowledge reuse, and continuity between live programming and asynchronous work.
Use engagement metrics and recurring themes to synthesize what matters, propose priority topics, and steer programming and working group charters.
Establish lightweight norms for capturing outputs (summaries, decisions, next steps) so learning persists beyond individual meetings.
Internal Collaboration: Collaborate closely with OCLC’s Resource Sharing Product, Product Marketing, Support, and Research teams to ensure SHARES insight results in action.
Function as a two-way conduit by (1) translating community input into synthesized, prioritized product and strategy recommendations (not just raw feedback) and (2) closing the loop with SHARES on what changed, what is next, and why.
Coordinate structured feedback and validation activities (e.g., targeted user sessions, prototype reviews, and pilot cohorts) to advance specific decisions about resource sharing workflows and next-generation capabilities, including smart fulfillment and AI-enabled services.

Benefits

Competitive compensation that reflects your unique contributions—performance, experience, and skills
Exceptional benefits, including best-in-class health coverage
Retirement plans with generous company contributions
Commitment to your overall well-being
Free use of our on-site fitness center, gym sports, group exercise classes, and game room
Onsite catering and cafeteria subsidized by OCLC
Health and wellness events
Paid parental leave and adoption assistance
Tuition reimbursement
Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility
Company-subsidized pricing on local tickets and memberships