U.S. Public Library Services Consultant- Central Region

Job description

Together we make breakthroughs possible. At OCLC, we build technology with a purpose: to connect libraries and make knowledge accessible worldwide, because we believe that what is known must be shared. Our teams work with complex global datasets, AI and machine learning, hybrid cloud solutions, and other technologies that connect people and organizations to the information they need. We value the power of unique perspectives and experiences to unlock innovation. At OCLC, your ideas matter, whether you have two years of experience or 20. You’ll learn, create, and problem-solve with technologists, product developers, librarians, researchers, marketing pros, and support teams around the world. Why join OCLC? OCLC is consistently recognized as a best place to work by several independent programs. We recognize and reward people and results with a comprehensive Total Rewards package. This means competitive compensation that reflects your unique contributions—performance, experience, and skills—along with exceptional benefits, including best-in-class health coverage, retirement plans with generous company contributions, and a commitment to your overall well-being. Tuition reimbursement and Public Service Loan Forgiveness eligibility Paid parental leave and adoption assistance Fitness facility reimbursement benefit Join us in transforming how people everywhere access information and be part of a mission-driven team that makes a global impact. The job details are as follows: The Public Library Services Consultant is a field-based, consultative sales role responsible for driving new business, renewals, retention, and account expansion for OCLC products and services within an assigned territory of public libraries in the United States. This role owns the full sales lifecycle for assigned prospects and members, including territory planning, prospecting, discovery, solution development, proposal preparation, negotiation, contracting, renewal management, and account growth. The Public Library Services Consultant partners with internal OCLC teams to help member libraries achieve their strategic, operational, and community-service goals. The successful candidate will understand public library operations, technology environments, purchasing processes, and stakeholder needs. They will position OCLC’s portfolio of library technology and cooperative services—including library services platforms, discovery, cataloging and metadata, resource sharing, interlibrary loan, digital collections, and related services—to help libraries improve patron experiences, streamline workflows, increase access to collections, and demonstrate value to their communities. Responsibilities Sales and Territory Management Meet or exceed annual new business, renewal, retention, and expansion revenue goals within an assigned public library territory. Own the complete sales cycle for new and existing OCLC members, including prospecting, qualification, discovery, solution development, proposal creation, negotiation, contracting, closing, and transition to implementation or customer success teams. Develop and execute territory, account, and opportunity plans that identify new business prospects, renewal risks, expansion opportunities, competitive situations, and stakeholder engagement strategies. Build and maintain a healthy sales pipeline; maintain accurate opportunity information, activity records, account plans, and forecasts in Salesforce. Provide reliable and timely sales forecasts, pipeline updates, and market intelligence to sales leadership. Proactively manage member renewals by engaging members in advance of contract expiration, reinforcing realized value, addressing concerns, mitigating retention risks, and identifying appropriate growth opportunities. Consultative Solution Selling Conduct consultative discovery with public library leaders and staff to understand organizational priorities, strategic plans, workflows, technology environments, service models, budgets, funding sources, procurement requirements, and community needs. Align OCLC solutions and services to customer objectives and clearly articulate business, operational, patron-service, and cooperative value. Develop a strong working knowledge of OCLC’s public library solutions and services, including applicable library services platform, discovery, metadata, cataloging, resource-sharing, interlibrary loan, digital collections, and related offerings. Deliver compelling virtual and onsite presentations, solution demonstrations, and executive or board-level discussions tailored to library needs. Coordinate internal specialists and cross-functional partners—including product management, solution consultants, implementation, customer success, legal, finance, marketing, and leadership—to develop and deliver effective customer solutions. Member Relationship Management Establish and maintain trusted relationships with library directors, executive leaders, IT leaders, technical services and collections staff, public services staff, procurement contacts, and other library stakeholders. Serve as a strategic partner to assigned libraries, maintaining an understanding of the library’s goals, technology landscape, adoption, satisfaction, challenges, and future needs. Identify customer concerns, renewal risks, implementation challenges, and service issues early; coordinate appropriate internal resources and communicate proactively with customers. Identify opportunities to expand customer use of OCLC products and services where they provide meaningful value to the library and its community. Market, Industry, and Competitive Engagement Represent OCLC at library conferences, association meetings, regional events, customer visits, and other relevant industry activities. Maintain current knowledge of public library trends, including evolving patron expectations, digital equity, funding and budget pressures, staffing challenges, accessibility, privacy, collection access, resource sharing, and technology modernization. Gather, document, and communicate customer feedback, market needs, win/loss information, and competitive intelligence to product, marketing, and sales leadership teams. Represent OCLC’s mission and member-centered value proposition, communicating how OCLC services support both local library priorities and broader access to information and resource-sharing outcomes. Qualifications Qualifications Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant experience. Five or more years of successful consultative sales experience selling technology, software, services, or complex solutions to libraries. Demonstrated experience managing both new business development and renewals. Proven record of achieving or exceeding sales targets, building and managing pipeline, advancing complex sales opportunities, and forecasting accurately. Strong understanding of public library operations, organizational structures, funding and budget cycles, purchasing processes, and key stakeholder roles. Demonstrated ability to conduct customer discovery, develop value-based recommendations, and communicate the benefits of complex technology and service solutions. Excellent presentation, writing, negotiation, relationship-building, and interpersonal communication skills. Strong organizational, prioritization, territory-management, and follow-through skills, with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and customer relationships simultaneously. Proficiency with Salesforce or comparable CRM systems for opportunity management, account planning, forecasting, and activity reporting. Ability and willingness to travel within the assigned territory, including overnight travel, approximately 30–50 percent depending on territory and business needs. Working knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI) tools and emerging AI capabilities, with the ability to apply creative, practical ideas to improve customer service, sales effectiveness, productivity, and business outcomes while using AI responsibly and in accordance with organizational policies. Prefer direct experience selling an integrated library system (ILS) and discovery service. Core Competencies Consultative Selling: Uses discovery, active listening, and business acumen to understand customer needs and recommend solutions that deliver measurable value. New Business Development: Identifies, qualifies, develops, and closes new business opportunities within a defined territory. Renewal and Account Growth Management: Builds durable customer relationships, protects renewals, resolves risks, and identifies appropriate expansion opportunities. Public Library and Technology Knowledge: Understands public library missions, operations, workflows, governance, funding environments, and library technology needs. ILS and Library Services Platform Expertise: Demonstrates familiarity with the business and operational considerations involved in evaluating, purchasing, implementing, and using library management systems. Strategic Account Planning: Develops effective account plans, maps stakeholders, assesses competitive and retention risks, and prioritizes activities that advance revenue and customer goals. Executive Presence: Communicates clearly and credibly with library directors, executive leaders, boards, procurement teams, and technical stakeholders. Collaboration: Works effectively across internal teams to deliver coordinated, accurate, and customer-focused solutions. Business Acumen: Understands public-sector buying cycles, procurement requirements, budget constraints, return on investment, total cost of ownership, and competitive positioning. Adaptability and Resilience: Effectively manages complex, long-cycle sales opportunities, shifting priorities, and competitive situations while maintaining a high level of customer focus. Mission Alignment: Demonstrates appreciation for OCLC’s cooperative mission and the role of public libraries in strengthening communities and expanding access to information. Compensation Pay Range: $90,000.00 — $125,000.00 per year The pay range listed reflects the anticipated compensation for this position. Actual pay may vary based on factors such as work location, education, experience, skills, and certifications. Final compensation decisions also consider internal pay equity and market data. Our pay criteria are gender-neutral and applied consistently. Additional Compensation: This position is eligible for an incentive-based sales compensation plan tied directly to goals and metrics. This position is eligible to participate in our corporate benefits programs, which include: Health & Wellness: Medical, dental, and vision insurance options, alongside employee spending accounts. Retirement Savings: Retirement saving plans with a company matching contribution. Paid Time Off (PTO): Paid time off and observed company holidays. Income Protection: Life insurance, short-term disability, and long-term disability coverage. Additional Benefits: Other corporate programs, discounts, and wellness resources as applicable to employees. More specific information is available upon request.