HR191 / JOB DESCRIPTION /

NOTES

·  Forms must be downloaded from the UCT website: http://www.uct.ac.za/depts/sapweb/forms/forms.htm

·  This form serves as a template for the writing of job descriptions.

·  A copy of this form should be kept on file in your office.

·  For re-evaluations, this form must be sent to your relevant HR Advisor/Officer

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title (current title) / Deputy Director: Client Liaison Services
Status of Post (tick) / New Post / Re-evaluation / √
Job Grade (current grade) / 13 (Peromnes 5)
Department / Libraries
Section (if applicable)
Date of Compilation / March 2013
FOR OFFICE USE
Job Title
Date of Grading
Grading Result

ORGANOGRAM

PURPOSE

With the Executive Director: Libraries and a second Deputy Director (Technical Services Division), this post forms the senior management that plans and leads the strategic development of the UCT Libraries to advance the goals and priorities of the institution. The main purpose of this position is to provide leadership for the staff of the Division: Client Liaison Services; plan, lead strategic development and innovate in delivering library information and reference services to support research, teaching and learning; provide special collections and archival services; provide access services (circulation, short-loan, interlibrary loans and stock management) and actively engage and advance scholarly communication librarianship; ensure strategic plans are implemented by the section managers and effectively monitored; identify and obtain resources required to implement strategies; evaluate processes, workflows and reports from section managers to plan and direct services; oversee expenditure of the annual operating budget for the Division.
As a member of the Library Management Team and Exco, the incumbent participates in library-wide planning and decision-making and provides leadership in developing strategic and divisional operational plans. As part of Exco, the incumbent develops the annual budget for presentation to University Executive; provides leadership in policy framework development; participates in high-level decision-making on policy and resources for the Libraries, including fiscal resources; provides leadership in prioritizing services and activities and aligns activities with fiscal resources; implements the UCT Libraries approved strategies.
The incumbent takes leadership positions in developing strategies to advance research and scholarship by delivering innovative and relevant user-centred services to researchers at all stages of the research life cycle from idea creation to research process, dissemination and presentation of knowledge; partnering and engaging with researchers and scholars in the production, dissemination and presentation of knowledge; facilitating repository development, building and sharing expertise in the dynamic arena of data management and curation, scholarly publishing models and research management tools to support organizing, sharing and collaboration. In support of enabling student retention and success, the incumbent takes leadership positions on providing innovative and relevant user-centred services to support effective instruction, outreach programmes, information services and content provision integral to teaching and learning activities. The incumbent works closely with the Technical Services Division to ensure that appropriate information systems support, including hardware and software, is provided to make accessible and visible both the services and scholarly content integral to UCT’s teaching and research activities. The incumbent establishes and maintains effective communication channels within the Division, between the Technical Services Division and Directorate and with relevant campus stakeholders.
The incumbent monitors, identifies and analyses strategically significant trends in the Higher Education and LIS sectors and aligns the service strategies accordingly. The incumbent represents and stands in for the ED: Libraries as required; attends the Senate Library Working Group; liaises formally and informally with the Libraries’ user community within and beyond the University as well as external organizations, nationally and internationally. The incumbent is professionally active in the library and information services sector.

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JOB CONTENT

Key Performance Areas (4 – 6) / % of time spent / Activities / Objectives / Tasks / Results / Outcomes / Competencies
1) Resource management: Staff of the Client Liaison Services are in specialist teams:
·  Special Collections and Archives
·  5 Faculty Liaison Teams including 7 branch libraries
·  Research Commons
·  Undergraduate Support Services
·  Access Services (circulation, short-loan, ILL and stock management) / 25% / Leads and manages directly the activities of 8 section managers and indirectly approximately 80 permanent staff positions in specialist teams and additional student assistants
Provides strategic direction and coordination of section managers’ work and activities through effective organizing, planning, facilitating and assigning responsibilities, workloads and special projects
Manages section managers’ performance, output and delivery aligned with Library and Divisional goals
Provides section managers with regular feedback about their performance in relation to agreed objectives
Reviews and evaluates workflow and reports from section managers to align services and activities with resources
Encourages skills development and professional development of all staff in the Division
Coordinates the Division’s staff training and skills development reports for the Libraries workplace skills plans
Ensures job descriptions for all staff in the Division are current
Contributes to the recruitment process for positions in own Division
Takes responsibility for new section manager induction and monitors induction for all new staff in the Division
Manages employment relations (grievance, discipline and conflict resolution)
Accountable for advancing and implementing the Libraries’ transformation strategies
Accountable for advancing and promoting open and collegial working relations within the Division and across the Libraries / All functions relating to the staff are carried out timeously and in accordance with UCT HR policy and relevant legislation
Relevant documentation is correctly completed, signed off and processed timeously
Staff members are trained and equipped to meet agreed performance standards and objectives
Effective operational coordination of staff performance and staff development with regard to professional competence
Staff members are highly motivated
Job descriptions are current and relevant
Personal development plans for all staff are in place, reflect appropriate levels of training and work-related learning requirements and are reviewed regularly
Division’s workplace skills development and learning plan is current and implemented
The successful implementation of the Libraries’ transformation strategies and the Division meets the employment equity targets
Staff working relations are collegial and professional at all times
Effective leadership and contributions to Libraries selection committees
Effective induction plans implemented
Demonstrates effective mediation skills and ability to lead University disciplinary committees / Leadership and able to influence others to strive for excellence
Verbal and written communication skills
Interpersonal skills
Ability to make well informed decisions
Ability to solve problems, determine relevance and accuracy of information to find a solution
Ability to determine training and work-related learning requirements
Ability to prioritise and manage timelines
High level of planning and organising skills
Ability to establish and maintain positive relations with staff
Lead change and demonstrate open-mindness to change
Adaptation of work habits to different conditions
Presentation skills with/without aid of technology
2) Strategic leadership role and responsibilities in the Libraries and Division / 20% / Participates in the development of the UCT Libraries strategic plan and leads the strategic and innovative development of the Division in terms of collections, information technology, access to scholarly content and management support services
Provides the leadership to accomplish the Libraries’ strategic goals and the Section’s functional objectives
Identifies and obtains resources to implement strategic plans
Ensures the strategic plans are integrated into the workflows of the section managers
Actively participates as a member of the Libraries’ Exco and Management Teams and collaborates with other managers to advance the Libraries' strategic goals and priorities
Identifies and analyses strategically significant trends in the higher education and academic library sector, both national and international, which may impact on the UCT Libraries’ user community. Where appropriate, advances new services and/or policies.
With the ED, participates in high-level decision-making on policies and resources for the library system, including fiscal resources.
With ED and deputy director, develops Libraries final budget for presentation to Executive and Senior Leadership Group.
With the ED, prioritises services and activities and aligns activities to budget and other resources.
Active and participative leadership on the LMT, Library Exco, Library cross-functional teams, project team
Supports the ED in building relation, partnerships and collaborations with key stakeholders across the campus to ensure delivery of appropriate and effective services eg ICTS, Research Office, PG Office etc
Any other tasks assigned by the Directorate / Policies and procedures are aligned with the strategic plans of the libraries and the University
Appropriate decisions are taken with regard to library priorities and strategic directions.
The internal library sections and the Libraries’ users are provided with relevant services and support based on best international benchmarks, and services are enhanced on an ongoing basis.
All areas of the Libraries have coordinated focus and understand roles and priorities.
Expert and specialist input is contributed at Library, University and community level
Understanding of reasons and strategies for developing collaborations and partnerships
Proactive engagement with partners and stakeholders on academic information services and supporting services / Knowledge and understanding of institutional strategies
Lead change in organisation
In-depth understanding of relationship and importance of the Division’s key focus areas to the Libraries’ strategic plan
Strong collaborative and leadership skills
Ability to advance strategic perspectives
Excellent organizational, communication and interpersonal skills
User-centred orientation and collegial, team-focused, management skills
Good general knowledge
Analytical and conceptual thinking
Technical competence
Organisation level awareness
Cross functional awareness
Learning and results oriented
Verbal/written /interpersonal communication
Team leadership
Ability to represent Libraries’ interests
Ability to set agendas and write minutes
Ability to chair committees
3) Providing leadership within the Division to ensure the delivery of relevant services / 35% / Provides the leadership to accomplish the Division’s strategic goals and operational objectives of the various sections
Provides leadership to ensure relevant service delivery to the academic user community through organizing and planning the work of the section managers within the Division; through evaluating and reviewing existing services; through developing and implementing new services as appropriate
Provides leadership in designing relevant services to support all stages of the research cycle from creation of ideas to research process and publication of knowledge
Provides leadership to advance research and scholarship by partnering and engaging with researchers and scholars in the research life cycle
Provide leadership in designing relevant services to enable student retention and success
Provides leadership to incorporate mobility, social media and other emerging information technologies into service provision
Provides leadership in webpage content ownership as part of service delivery
Provides leadership in incorporating new developments to support digital resources, digital repositories and preservation in service delivery
Provides leadership in understanding legislation related to information services delivery eg IP and copyright issues
Establishes and maintains effective channels of communication within the Division and between the Technical Services Division and Directorate and with campus stakeholders
Manages the expenditure of General Operating Budget for approved operational equipment and supplies in the Division
Provides leadership in managing funded projects and has oversight of donor reports
Analyses statistical data collection to inform decision-making and generate both medium and long term plans for the Division / Clear policies and procedures for effective library support for research and academic activities in place
Service models align with user preferences for high quality mediated services and/or unmediated access and services
Partnerships and collaborations are built and maintained across the campus e.g. Research Office, Postgraduate Office, ICTS
Strengths of UCT’s collections are systematically assessed to align with existing and emerging academic and research needs (size and shape)
Information and reference services are relevant, innovative and value-add for students and scholars
Strategies implemented to connect and deliver services to multidisciplinary research communities eg UCT signature themes and SARChI research groups
Research support services are tailored to institutional disciplines and able to adapt to the dynamics of a changing research/information landscape
Innovative new services and programmes are implemented in response to changing ways users conduct research, teach and learn in the digital information environment
Staff expertise and awareness of tools to support management of research and help scholars organize, store, share and collaborate
Librarians able to support developing models of scholarly communication librarianship in all its forms
Library’s role and contribution in institutional teaching and learning activities is recognized
Information Literacy programmes are designed at appropriate levels for the academic community
Information Literacy programmes reflect understanding of learning models and practices
Strategies to partner with faculty to teach IL to students as part of curricula are implemented
Strategies to teach students about ethical use of information in a digital world are implemented
Demonstrated understanding of IP issues and legislation in library-related matters
Strong sense of ownership of webpage content
Effective administration systems and processes for circulation, short-loan, ILL and stock management systems
Services are marketed effectively to the academic and research communities
Accurate budgets are prepared
Effective working relations with other Library units, managers and staff
Projects are planned and managed with clear guidelines and deliverables and within agreed timelines and budgets / Knowledge and understanding of collection development in in relation to academic and research needs at UCT
Knowledge and understanding of principles of planning and budgeting in academic libraries
Knowledge and understanding of trends in scholarly communication system life cycle e.g. research data management, scholarly publishing
Knowledge and understanding or research management tools e.g. bibliometrics, webometrics, altmetrics
Knowledge and understanding of copyright and intellectual property and how relate to libraries
Techno-savvy with knowledge and capability in understanding of new and emerging information technologies, trends and issues
Knowledge and understanding of how scholars and students are adapting to new ways of research and learning in a changing digital information environment
Knowledge and understanding of principles of qualitative and quantitative research methods and research process eg problem statement, hypothesis formulation
Knowledge and understanding of major trends in evolving web technology including mobility, social networks
Knowledge and understanding of principles of webpage design and maintenance
Knowledge and understanding of the diverse range of formats and environmental conditions of collections and digital repositories
Knowledge and understanding of the basic structure, content and use of digital repositories
Basic understanding of how databases are structured and designed for information retrieval
Knowledge of digital library development, digital imaging technologies and Web-based applications
Knowledge and understanding of the campus learning management system eg Vula
Ability to be innovative to devise solutions to problems and design new methods when established ones no longer relevant
Exposure to and experience in project management and scheduling
4) Quality assurance and assessment / 10% / Provide leadership in designing a set of user-centred quality metrics for collections, technology and processing activities
Provide leadership in identifying and developing strategic performance indicators for the Libraries
Ensures that the Division’s services are benchmarked nationally and internationally / Services provided by the Division meet accepted standards which are benchmarked with similar institutions
Regular surveys to assess user satisfaction with service delivery
Results of benchmarking are incorporated in strategic planning and development reviews / Knowledge and understanding of quality assurance and assessment conventions and tools
5) Contribution to the profession and research / 10% / Knowledgeable of, and commits, to continuing professional development activities and research
Active participation in professional associations
Writes grant proposals to support projects and research / Contributions through conference presentations and publications
Teaching courses in librarianship or other academic disciplines
Active participation in professional associations
Active pursuit of grant funding to facilitate projects and research / Ability to write and publish scholarly content
Ability to write well motivated grant proposals
Ability to design course content with sound pedagogical deliverables

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