Curator of Dr Williams's Library

Job reference: PSX-031102
Salary: £37,694 - £46,049 per annum, depending on relevant experience
Faculty/Organisational Unit: Professional Services
Location: John Rylands Library
Employment type: Fixed Term
Division/Team: Special Collections
Hours Per Week: 1 FTE
Closing date (DD/MM/YYYY): 06/05/2026
Contract Duration: 5 years
School/Directorate: The University of Manchester Library

The University of Manchester Library invites applications for a Curator of the Dr Williams’s Library, responsible for overseeing processing, access, and engagement with this major research collection.

The Dr Williams’s Library is one of the world’s foremost collections for the study of English Protestant dissent, comprising approximately 135,000 printed volumes and 90 major manuscript collections spanning the 16th to the 19th centuries. Its strengths include Christian theology, ecclesiastical history, Biblical and Byzantine studies, and substantial archives of autobiographical writing, correspondence, and records of major nonconformist institutions. Specialist holdings, such as the Walton Collection of English Protestant mystical writings, the Norman Baynes Library of Byzantine history, and early dissenting academy libraries, further underline its depth and scholarly value. In 2026, the library was deposited at the University of Manchester.

The successful candidate will be a graduate with a professional qualification in special collections librarianship or commensurate experience. They will possess expertise in special collections curation, with a background in book history, descriptive bibliography, and/or material culture; have experience of cataloguing and/or managing rare books cataloguing; have excellent communication and team-working skills; and be committed to the use of Special Collections for research, teaching and learning, and public engagement.

As a first element of the shortlisting process, we will assess candidate’s applications against the person specification in the job description. To make the most effective use of your application, please clearly state in the additional information section what experience you have for each element of the person specification, doing your best to evidence all the essential knowledge, skills and experience. If this is a new process for you, or you would like some advice, please do not hesitate to contact the email address below. 

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 – you can find out more here

Hybrid working arrangements may be considered.

Please be aware that due to the number of applications we are unfortunately not able to provide individual feedback on your application.

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 people.talent@manchester.ac.uk

Any CVs submitted by a recruitment agency will be considered a gift.

Enquiries about the vacancy, shortlisting and interviews:

Name: Heather Cole, Head of Collections, Teaching & Research

Email: heather.cole@manchester.ac.uk

General enquiries:

Email: recruitmentservices.people@manchester.ac.uk

Technical support: jobseekersupport.jobtrain.co.uk/support/home

This vacancy will close for applications at midnight on the closing date.

Please see the link below for the Further Particulars document which contains the person specification criteria.

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