Head of Special Collections

Career Guide

A Head of Special Collections leads the care, growth, and public use of rare and unique materials such as manuscripts, rare books, archives, photographs, and institutional records. The role balances preservation with access by setting collection strategy, managing staff and budgets, partnering with donors and researchers, and ensuring materials are discoverable and usable through responsible handling and clear description.

Browse All Roles

Key Responsibilities

Set the vision and priorities for special collections and archival programs
Oversee acquisition and collection development, including appraisals and selection
Build and manage donor and community relationships to support gifts and funding
Ensure preservation planning for physical and digital materials
Direct processing, arrangement, and description to improve access
Lead reading room services, reference support, and researcher experience
Create public programming such as exhibitions, talks, and classes
Manage digitization initiatives and online access strategies
Establish policies for handling, reproduction, and permissions
Oversee staff hiring, coaching, performance, and team workflows
Manage budgets, vendors, and grant funded projects
Coordinate security, risk management, and emergency response planning
Partner with faculty, curators, and administrators to align services to institutional goals
Track usage, outcomes, and operational metrics for reporting and planning

Top Skills for Success

People Leadership

Strategic Planning

Stakeholder Management

Budget Management

Project Management

Public Speaking

Writing

Fundraising

Donor Relations

Grant Writing

Collection Development

Archival Processing

Archival Description

Reference Services

Preservation Planning

Digital Preservation

Digitization Planning

Rights Management

Exhibition Curation

Instruction and Outreach

Collection Security

Metadata Quality Control

Career Progression

Can Lead To

Library Director

Associate Dean for Libraries

Director of Archives

Director of Special Collections

Chief Curator

Director of Cultural Heritage Programs

Director of Collections

Transition Opportunities

Development Director for Cultural Institutions

Records and Information Governance Lead

Digital Assets Program Director

Research Services Director

Museum Collections Director

Common Skill Gaps

Often Missing Skills

FundraisingGrant WritingDigital PreservationChange ManagementData ReportingCollection SecurityRights Management

Development SuggestionsBuild a portfolio that shows measurable outcomes such as improved processing backlogs, increased discovery, successful gifts, or program attendance. Pair archival expertise with leadership training and practical experience in budgeting, donor engagement, and digital program delivery.

Salary & Demand

Median Salary Range

Entry Level$75,000 to $95,000

Mid Level$95,000 to $125,000

Senior Level$125,000 to $170,000

Growth Trend

Steady demand. Openings are driven by retirements, expanded digitization, and increased focus on community engagement and ethical stewardship. Competition can be strong at well funded universities and major museums.

Companies Hiring

Major Employers

Universities and collegesResearch librariesPublic library systems with special collectionsMuseums and historical societiesGovernment archivesReligious archivesCorporate archives in media, technology, and manufacturingMedical and legal institutions with archival holdings

Industry Sectors

Higher EducationLibrariesMuseumsGovernmentNonprofit Cultural HeritageCorporate Archives

Recommended Next Steps

Create a one page collection strategy that covers acquisition priorities, preservation needs, and access goals

Audit current workflows for processing, description, and reference to identify quick improvements

Define a simple set of service metrics such as researcher visits, instruction sessions, digitization outputs, and backlog reduction

Strengthen donor pipeline by mapping existing supporters and planning quarterly outreach

Document a digital preservation baseline that covers storage, file checks, and retention rules

Build cross campus partnerships with faculty and communications teams to expand teaching and public visibility

Prepare leadership stories for interviews that show team coaching, conflict resolution, and successful change delivery