Job Title: / Head of Library Services
School/Dept./Institute & Centre: / Student Services Directorate
Reports to: / Director of Student Services
Grade: / 8 / Full Time
Appointment period: / Indefinite
Current Location: / Mile End but required to work at all sites
Job Context
QMUL Queen Mary University of London is dedicated to the public good, pursuing the creation and dissemination of knowledge to the highest international standards, thereby transforming wider society and the lives of our students and staff. We are recognised as a highly collegial and values-driven institution, intent on the achievement of an international stature in knowledge creation and knowledge dissemination. The Library Services support our strategic aims to achieve the highest standards in research and to provide our students with an education of internationally recognised quality.
Library Services is a major part of the Student Services Directorate with libraries located at 3 of QMUL’s campuses, the university archives and with a strong online presence. A staff of approximately 60 FTE offer customer focussed, professional services to staff, researchers and students including support for teaching and learning, information skills support for students and researchers, tracking and reporting of research outputs, archives, electronic and physical resources and a variety of managed study spaces. The Head of Library Services is responsible for a budget of over £4.2m.
This senior management position will lead the development of the Library Services in an ambitious and distinctive research intensive university. They will be expected to represent QMUL in the UK HE Library sector. They will also play a key role in the strategic management of the Student Services Directorate, which comprises Careers & Enterprise, Advice & Counselling, Learning Development, Disability & Dyslexia Support, Student Engagement, Retention & Success and Student Liaison and Service Development as well as Library Services.
Job Purpose
The post holder will strategically lead all aspects of the university’s library services across a variety of physical and virtual environments. They will deliver excellent, customer focused services to all members of the University.
They will work alongside other QMUL leaders, developing strategies in a rapidly changing environment. Key areas of focus are likely to be scholarly communication, trans-national education, digital engagement, curriculum development and personalised education.
The post holder will be a change agent, challenging the status quo and leading changes in people management, service delivery and technology that anticipate future developments in higher education.
They will have an innovative approach to developing inspirational library services of the highest quality, a helpful, knowledgeable and confident staff, use of a range of technology and a consultative and collegiate relationship with our users
As a member of the Senior Management Team, the post holder will contribute to the strategic leadership of the Student Services Directorate and will play a key role in implementing the Directorate’s strategy, working collaboratively with colleagues across the Directorate.
The post holder is expected to play an active role in the leadership of the wider academic library community and represent QMUL on relevant national and regional bodies.
Main Duties & Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- To play a leading role in delivering the University’s strategy and values.
- To strategically lead all aspects of the work of the Library Service. To be responsible for ensuring the effective strategic planning, monitoring and development of library and related services.
- To take lead the planning and implementation of innovation and change in furtherance of strategic objectives.
- To lead and manage the Library team, ensuring an appropriate and flexible staffing base and structure through ongoing workforce planning and the provision of training and development opportunities for all staff.
- To increase the diversity and wellbeing of the workforce.
- To promote and champion the Library’s role in supporting the university’s strategy.
- To take full financial and budgetary responsibility for allocated Library budgets, ensuring they are managed efficiently and in line with institutional priorities.
- To build and manage effective relationships with students and colleagues across the university to ensure an excellent overall experience for students and staff.
- To deliver measurable service improvements and ensure that all elements of the service represent the best value for money.
- To provide expert advice, based on national and international best practice on the development of the Library’s collections, services and premises.
- To contribute to the strategic leadership and management of Student Services Directorate as a member of the Senior Management Team.
- To engage in relevant partnerships with external organisations and ensure QMUL’s best interests are paramount.
- To represent QMUL Library Services on appropriate external and internal bodies and report back to enable QMUL to benefit from current thinking and innovations in the sector.
- To contribute to professional debate and to the wider academic library community.
- To pursue an active programme of self-development with a continuing updating of skills and understanding of new technologies and their relevance to libraries and other educational support services.
- To represent Student Services with delegated authority from the Director of Student Services as appropriate.
- To have overall responsibility for the University’s copyright compliance policies and procedures.
- Responsible for the Library’s compliance with university requirements in respect of health and safety, data protection, equality and diversity, risk management and other elements of the University governance framework.
This job description sets out the duties of the post at the time it was drawn up. Such duties may vary from time to time without changing the general character of the duties or level of the responsibility entailed. Such variations are a common occurrence and cannot in themselves justify a reconsideration of the grading of the post.
This table lists the essential and desirable requirements needed in order to perform the job effectively. Candidates will be shortlisted based on the extent to which they meet these requirements.
Requirements / Essential / Desirable
Qualifications / Good honours degree or equivalent / E
Qualification in librarianship/information studies or equivalent experience / E
Substantial and successful management of staff, services and budgets in HE library or information services / E
Demonstrable track record in leadership and management, strategic planning and of successfully delivering complex and challenging objectives / E
Knowledge, / Considerable experience of working at senior management level / E
Skills and / Strong customer focus – able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of customer needs to ensure that high levels of customer satisfaction are achieved / E
Experience / Clear understanding of the role of the library in supporting teaching and learning, curriculum design and student centred learning / E
Understanding of the research process and strategies to support publication and management of research data and outputs in compliance with funders’ requirements / E
Thorough understanding of library resources and collections management strategies, including technological innovation, collaborative initiatives and procurement frameworks / E
Strong interpersonal skills including motivational, negotiating, influencing and relationship building / E
Innovative and creative thinker, able to process complex information and present it clearly to a wide range of audiences / E
Collaborative and consultative, decisive when necessary / E
Committed toworkinginclusively in a culturally & socially diverse environment / E
E – Essential: Requirements without which the job could not be done.
D – Desirable: Requirements that would enable the candidate to perform the job well.