Executive Director

Executive Director

Association of Research Libraries (ARL)

                                                               Washington, DC

The Association of Research Libraries seeks an energetic and forward looking leader to advance the role of research libraries in higher education and the broader information environment.  The Executive Director will have a unique opportunity to influence public policy, reshape scholarly communication, and lead the transformation of research libraries through ARL’s strategic agenda. 

ARL is a non-profit, member-driven institutional organization representing 126 research and academic libraries in North America.  ARL’s mission is to influence the changing environment of scholarly communication and the public policies that affect research libraries and the diverse communities they serve.  The Association also provides leadership on new and expanding roles for ARL libraries to engage in the transformations affecting research and research-intensive teaching and learning.  

The Executive Director serves as the chief executive officer of ARL and is responsible for the administration of all operations and programs.  The ARL Executive Director also provides oversight and counsel to two affiliate organizations founded by ARL, the Scholarly Publishing and Academic Resources Coalition (SPARC), and the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI).   With an annual total budget approximating $6 million and 21 staff, ARL’s size and structure gives it the agility to respond to members’ needs and changing trends in the library and research worlds quickly and strategically.

The Executive Director should be an authority on the ways in which universities and other research institutions integrate, preserve, disseminate, and create knowledge, and be able to serve as an articulate and effective spokesperson for the public policy issues facing research libraries in the 21st century.  The incumbent must be well versed in the ways in which current and emerging digital technologies are changing the academy and the roles of research libraries. S/he not only must be ready to address the issues surrounding information production and access, but also must be a persuasive leader in the effort to build models of scholarly communication for the next century.  S/he must have a grounded understanding of the North American research library community and the role of the ARL in it.

Candidates should bring a substantive knowledge of higher education, the nature of research and scholarship, and the role of research libraries in the information environment.  The successful candidate will demonstrate a strong desire and commitment to engage in national and international public policy arenas.   Candidates should also have the ability to build strategic alliances and collaborations with a variety of relevant organizations; the expertise to advocate for ARL strategic agendas with diplomacy, political acumen, and a bias toward collaborative action; the proficiency to work with a member-elected Board of Directors and Executive Committee, and to engage members in substantive discussions about ARL’s programs and its future; an aptitude for comprehending the dynamics of an institutional membership organization; excellent interpersonal skills; a management style that is consultative and inclusive; demonstrated commitment to diversity in all its forms; and strong financial management skills.

The ARL Executive Director Search Committee has retained Isaacson, Miller to assist with this search.   To receive a full position profile, to apply, or to make a nomination, please contact: Alan Wichlei, Vice President & Director, and Beverly Brady, Senior Associate, Isaacson, Miller, 263 Summer Street, Boston, MA  02210 at ARLED@imsearch.com.  All communications will be held in the strictest confidence.

ARL is an Equal Opportunity Employer Committed to Diversity in the Professional Workplace.