CEO/Head Librarian

City of Kenora; Northwestern Ontario; On-site; CAD 108,000 - 126,000; Full time

Job summary

City of Kenora invites applications for the CEO/Head Librarian to lead the Kenora Public Library. You will oversee operations, staff, budgeting, policy development, and strategic planning while serving as Board Secretary/Treasurer.

The role reports to the Kenora Public Library Board and represents the library to council and community. The successful candidate will manage fundraising, grants, and partnerships, ensuring safe facilities and excellent service delivery across branches.

Qualifications

• Master of Library and Information Science or related field.
• Minimum seven years’ relevant library experience including overseeing branches or departments, budgeting, staff supervision and planning.
• Minimum five years’ experience supervising staff in a library setting, including performance management.
• Experience with financial administration and secretary duties.
• Valid Ontario Class G driver's license and reliable transportation.
• Computer literacy with Microsoft Office and library systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication with all levels of staff and public.
• Experience in a unionized environment is a plus.
• Strong organizational and time management skills in a fast-paced environment.

Responsibilities

• Supervise library operations and staff with board‑directed powers.
• Formulate and review policies in line with the Board policies.
• Prepare and administer the annual budget.
• Pursue fundraising and grants; administer grants per guidelines.
• Collaborate on workforce planning, hiring, training, and discipline.
• Plan and evaluate programs and allocate resources for efficient service.
• Analyze operations and report monthly to the Board and City Council.
• Ensure safe working conditions and building maintenance with Facilities.
• Negotiate service contracts and respond to building emergencies.
• Coordinate with Communications and committees to raise public engagement.
• Serve as Board Secretary and plan meetings and notify members.
• Serve as Board Treasurer, handling financial administration and deposits.

Skills

Leadership

Verbal communication

Written communication

Strategic planning

Budget management

Public administration

Policy development

Team management

Education

Master of Library and Information Science

Tools

Integrated Library Systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

City of Kenora

Job Posting

Kenora provides a high quality of life for residents and unforgettable experiences for visitors by celebrating and embracing the community’s rich heritage, diversity, and natural environment.

Job Title: CEO/Head Librarian

Location: Kenora, Ontario

Type: Full Time | Permanent

Salary: LS-01 | $107,603.17 - $126,276.18

Closing Date: Open until filled

Please note that we encourage early applications as we may proceed with interviews and make offers to exceptional candidates before the closing date.

Reporting to the Kenora Public Library Board, the Chief Executive Officer of the library is responsible to the Board for the administration, organization and planning of all library operations and services in accordance with policies established by the Board; advises the Board and makes recommendations concerning new policies and services; serves as secretary-treasurer to the Board; serves as the Board’s representative to the community, to professional organizations, to city council, and to government agencies.

Primary Responsibilities

• Have general supervision and direction of the operations of the public library and its staff, with powers and duties assigned from the board.
• Formulate and review policies according to the Policy Review Schedule with recommendations for changes or additions from the Board.
• Directs, prepares, and administers the annual budget, based on established goals.
• Coordinates and assists in fundraising initiatives, and pursues alternative sources of funding and grants, and researches, acquires, and administers grants according to guidelines.
• Collaborate with Human Resources to formulate and administer workforce planning and staffing including hiring, training and development, and discipline and dismissal of staff, in accordance with provincial and federal legislation.
• Plans, organizes, directs, and evaluates library programs and services and allocates resources to ensure effective and efficient operation of the library.
• Analyses library operations and summarizes monthly reports to provide to the Board and City Council.
• Ensures safe working conditions for staff and public and works with Facilities team to ensure proper building maintenance.
• Collaborate with the Facilities team to negotiate service contracts that benefit the library and respond to building emergencies with necessary action taken.
• Collaborate with Communications department and relevant committees to enhance internal and external communications and public engagement while following the Corporate Communications Plan, Code of conduct, and City policies relevant to the use of social media.
• Serve as Board Secretary conducting official correspondence and plan for meetings and notifying board members of the time and location.
• Serve as Board Treasurer overseeing financial administration support, will perform the duties of Treasurer to the Board in accordance with the Public Libraries Act, receive and account for the Board’s money, and ensure that all money received on the Board’s behalf is deposited to the credit of the Board’s account or accounts.
• Works in collaboration with the Finance department to ensure the Board retains responsibility and oversight for its financial affairs in accordance with the Public Libraries Act.

Qualifications

• Master of Library and Information Science or related field.
• Minimum of seven (7) years’ relevant experience in a library setting, including overseeing library branches or departments, managing budgets, staff supervision and development, and strategic planning initiatives.
• Minimum five (5) years’ relevant experience supervising staff in a public, academic, or special library setting, including responsibility for employee performance and service standards.
• Experience with financial administration, secretary duties, program management, and personnel management.
• Valid Ontario Class ‘G’ driver’s license and access to reliable transportation.
• Computer literacy skills including Microsoft Office, Integrated Library Systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to communicate with all levels of staff, external contractors, and the general public.
• Experience in a unionized environment considered an asset.
• Well-developed organizational and time management skills with an ability to complete a high volume of work with accuracy and within prescribed deadlines in a fast-pace environment with flexibility to changing priorities and organizational needs.

Successful candidates will be required to submit professional references, driver’s abstract, and criminal record check.

The City of Kenora is an equal opportunity Employer and committed to building a workforce that reflects the rich diversity of the community we serve. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals including members of groups with historical and/or current barriers to equitable employment, including but not limited to, Indigenous Peoples, members of racialized communities or visible minorities, persons with visible and/or invisible disabilities, diverse sexual and gender identities, orientations and/or expressions, and others who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas.

The City of Kenora is committed to providing accommodation in all aspects of the recruitment and selection process in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you require an accommodation, please advise the Human Resources department in advance to ensure your participation in the recruitment and selection process.

Personal information is collected under the authority of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and is used to determine eligibility for potential employment.

We thank all candidates for their interest, however only those selected for an interview will be contacted.