Library Chief Technology Officer
University of Cincinnati Job Location: Ohio Date Created: 03-29-2016
The University of Cincinnati Libraries seeks a self-motivated, strategic-thinking, innovative, risk-taking, and adaptable leader to fill its newly created senior chief technology position. The Library Chief Technology Officer (LCTO) will join an outstanding leadership team and will play a leadership role in continuing the evolution of the research library at the university. As a member of the Dean’s Cabinet (Dean’s executive management team) and the Management Council, the Library Chief Technology Officer works collaboratively to further articulate the UC Libraries ambitious vision and strategic directions. The LTCO champions the execution and implementation of UC Libraries’ innovative digital and technologies deployments and solutions.
The Library Chief Technology Officer has programmatic, strategic, budgetary, managerial and operational responsibilities for the units of Digital Collections and Repositories and Library Technology Services division. The division takes leading responsibilities in implementing UC Libraries digital and technology solutions. Other management portfolios may be assigned per organizational needs. The Library Chief Technology Officer will develop overall technology and digital strategies, programs and initiatives, as well as collaborative partnerships within and beyond the organization to move UC Libraries toward its goals.
RELATIONSHIP AND AUTHORITY
The Library Chief Technology Officer reports directly to the Dean and University Librarian. S/he has responsibility and authority for the Digital Collections and Repositories and Library Technology Services division.
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI LIBRARIES
The University of Cincinnati Library system consists of 13 libraries with a total of over 4.4 million volumes, over 150,000 serial subscriptions, thousands of full-text articles online and over 1.3 million e-books. UC Libraries is a founding member of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and an active partner in regional, national and international academic and research library communities including OhioLINK, ALA/ACRL, SLA, AHSL and IFLA. UC Libraries has an annual operating budget of $22 million and includes 110 FTE positions. The Libraries’ rapidly expanding information technology infrastructure and digital-centric academic programs include: an open-source institutional repository using the Hydra/Fedora platform; a partnership with APTrust digital preservation consortium; the Innovative enterprise library system, Sierra; Serial Solution’s Summon discovery platform; Adobe’s CQ Web content management system; a robust Word Press blogs platform; a suite of STEM-centric support programs led by the informationist team; as well as library-lead Digital Humanities/Digital Scholarship programs done in close collaboration with academic departments from humanities and social sciences.
The mission of the University of Cincinnati Libraries is to empower discovery, stimulate learning and inspire the creation of knowledge by connecting students, faculty, researchers and scholars to dynamic data, information and resources. In May 2014, UC Libraries launched its Strategic Plan, which outlines bold ambitions organized under four pillars of: Digital Technologies & Innovation, People, Space, and Data to Information to Knowledge. Activities and successes derived from the four pillars will enable UC Libraries to achieve its vision to become “the globally engaged, intellectual commons of the university—positioning UC Libraries as the hub of collaboration, digital innovation and scholarly endeavor on campus.” Through the work of the Strategic Plan, and with the realization of the mission and vision, UC Libraries supports the six key focus areas outlined in the university’s Third Century initiative and reflected in the UC2019 Academic Master Plan:
- Optimizing our enrollment strategy
- Building the resource base
- Investing in faculty
- Leveraging our research
- Re-imagining the student experience
- Excelling in e-Learning
The University of Cincinnati is a public research university with an enrollment of more than 43,000 students. Since its founding in 1819, UC has been the source of many discoveries creating positive change for society, including co-op education and the development of the first antihistamine and oral polio vaccine. The University’s mission is to serve the people of Ohio, the nation, and the world as a premier, public, urban research university dedicated to undergraduate, graduate, and professional education, experience-based learning and research.
The University of Cincinnati embraces diversity and inclusion as core values that empower individuals to transform their lives and achieve their highest potential. UC Libraries’ commitment to promoting diversity an inclusion is incorporated and embraced by the 11 tenets embedded in our Strategic Plan.
Further information about the Libraries strategic plan may be found online at http://www.libraries.uc.edu/about/strategic-plan.html.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
- The LCTO plays a leadership and expert role in forming and executing the vision of UC Libraries’ digital future. The LCTO complements UC Libraries’ senior management team by serving the role as chief technology strategist, chief information and digital architect, and chief technology operational manager.
- The LCTO takes full ownership and responsibility for executing and implementing the UC Libraries strategic plan in the areas of his/her responsibility. The Library Chief Technology Officer works with the dean and cabinet, as well as division faculty and staff to define needs, set priorities and to establish goals, objectives, action plans, budgets, and resource allocation.
- The LCTO builds strategic and collaborative partnerships within the University of Cincinnati community (including IT@UC and college/departmental IT units) and beyond. The LCTO represents UC Libraries at regional, national and global professional engagements in digital and technology development with the expectation of raising UC Library’s visibility and reputation as an innovative research library.
- The LCTO recruits, develops, and retains top caliber team members and creates a team and culture that is able to quickly and effectively identify, test, implement and deploy new and innovative digital technologies.
- The LCTO manages financial and other resources in his/her area of responsibilities to meet the goals and objectives of organizational efficiencies and effectiveness.
- The LCTO fosters an atmosphere of collegiality and innovation and promotes and encourages a work environment that is recognized for the respect shown toward faculty and staff. S/he maintains effective communication within and beyond the division and promotes and sustains effective working relationships within a diverse and multicultural working environment.
- The LCTO evaluates the division’s success in meeting goals and objectives. S/he oversees the division’s activities with other units of the Libraries, ensuring professional customer service and responsiveness. S/he implements changes to create improved operations and outcomes.
- The LCTO keeps abreast of national developments in transformational change in the information services and information technology industries at large and academic and research libraries in particular.
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer or Information Science, Technology Management, Information Architecture, Informatics, Data, or a related field.
- A track record of knowledge and excellent understanding of higher education and its emerging trends, as well as experience in leading digital and information technology innovations in relevant sectors.
- Ability to lead effectively across organization lines and in collaboration with a variety of individuals and groups, and produce measurable outcomes in an intensive milestone-driven working environment.
- Ability to initiate transformational change, anticipate changing needs and priorities, and lead the through changes in order to position the division as one of the most innovative and productive technology units within the UC campuses and beyond.
- Superior interpersonal and communication skills, especially in understanding and communicating the needs of library users. Strong written, oral, and listening skills needed to persuasively communicate technical issues to faculty, staff, and students and to communicate the needs of faculty, staff, and students to a wide range of IT and library personnel.
- Demonstrated analytical and problem-solving skills. Management skills in coordinating internal and externally-funded projects. Commitment to high quality and responsive service.
- Demonstrated ability to cultivate and advocate for an environment of diversity and inclusion.
- Experience investigating, analyzing issues, and finding successful and creative solutions to assure programs and initiatives meet established library goals.
- Well-developed managerial, financial management and problem-solving skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Graduate degree in Computer or Information Science, Technology Management, Information Architecture, Informatics, Library/Information Science, or a related field.
- Progressively greater leadership and management experience, including at least five (5) years of relevant technology or digital management experience, preferably in the higher education and information technology industry.
- Evidence of previous scholarly activities including successful grant proposals, publications, creative works, presentations, or professional association participation.
- Experience managing the full lifecycle of a portfolio of technical infrastructure, programs and services including desktop and mobile technology deployment, computation and storage, online and digital services and software development and deployment.
- A track record of contributions and extensive knowledge and understanding of academic/research libraries and information technology operations, their evolving roles in higher education and scholarly research, and with leadership and expert experience in digital and technology initiatives such as digital repositories, courseware and contentment management systems, open source and commercial software development, innovative hardware architecture, data design, data analytics, and library management systems.
