Music librarian, BBC Scottish Symphony

Closing date for applications: 20 November 2025

Salary: £26,500 - £38,500 depending on relevant skills, knowledge and experience, the expected salary range for this role reflects internal benchmarking and external market insights

Location: City Halls, Glasgow

Contract type: Permanent, full-time

Department: BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra

Job band: B

Do you have excellent organisational skills and a passion for orchestral music? Take charge of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra's music library, sourcing scores and helping to deliver world-class performances.

As Scotland’s national broadcasting orchestra, the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra has been performing for audiences across Scotland, the UK and internationally since 1935. From Oban to Aldeburgh and London to Seoul (as part of BBC Proms Korea), the 2024/25 Season has been no exception. The orchestra’s live performances are regularly broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Radio Scotland and Sounds, as well as BBC Television and iPlayer. Opening eyes and ears with ambitious repertoire beyond any benchmark, the BBC SSO is Scotland’s leading champion of new music. Across nine decades, it has commissioned orchestral music by the most original voices of its time and hosts its annual Tectonics Festival of new and experimental music each spring alongside its Creative Partner Ilan Volkov.

With associate artist Lucy Drever, the orchestra runs projects that inspire creativity and connection with families, schools and communities across Scotland. Through a close association with the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, the orchestra mentors the next generation of conductors, composers and instrumentalists. The orchestra supports young musical talent in BBC Radio Scotland’s Young Classical Musician competition.

We have an exciting opportunity for a detail-orientated person to join the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra (BBCSSO) management team as music librarian. In this pivotal role, you’ll be responsible for managing the orchestra’s music library, preparing performance materials, and supporting the artistic team. You’ll ensure that scores and parts are accurately sourced, marked, and distributed, working closely with publishers, conductors, musicians, and administrative staff to deliver world-class performances.


Responsibilities

• Acquire music resources through BBC stock, hire, or purchase, ensuring efficiency, timeliness, and cost-effectiveness
• Print and assemble necessary music documents such as scores, parts, extracts, and booklets for production use
• Adhere strictly to copyright regulations in all music library services and material usage
• Work closely with BBC performing groups and production teams to meet their music material needs
• Maintain effective communication with publishers, arrangers, composers, and external performance groups
• Accurately update and manage entries in music catalogues and databases according to set standards
• Process payments for music hire and purchases, manage overdue/replacement costs, and charge services appropriately to production

Knowledge, skills & experience

• A degree in music or equivalent qualification/extensive experience in music librarianship or formal library training
• Deep understanding of orchestral repertoire and performance practices
• Exceptional organisational skills and meticulous attention to detail
• A collaborative mindset and strong communication skills
• Passion for orchestral music and commitment to supporting live performance

We want to attract the broadest range of talented people to join us. The more diverse our workforce, the better able we are to respond to and reflect our audiences in all their diversity. We welcome applications from individuals, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, socio-economic background, religion and/or belief.

Please state in your application that you found this role through Creative Access.