Director, Digital Services

Library of Congress; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Library of Congress seeks highly talented professionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on the Library and its users well into the future.

Competencies required for this position include knowledge of modern librarianship in the digital age, coalition-building, leadership of a cultural heritage workforce, transformational leadership, and strong written and oral communication skills.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of the principles, concepts and techniques of modern librarianship, including digital services and metadata workflows.
• Ability to build coalitions and professional networks with scholars, donors, and library partners.
• Ability to supervise, develop and lead a cultural heritage workforce, with mentoring and performance management.
• Experience applying transformational leadership in digital/information technology domains.
• Strong ability to communicate in writing and review others’ writing, including proposals, policies, and reports.
• Strong oral presentation skills for briefings and consultations.
• Ability to communicate effectively in person and across audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead and advance digital library programs and services in a research library setting.
• Cultivate professional networks and represent the institution at association meetings.
• Oversee staff development, performance evaluations, and succession planning.
• Drive change through systems-thinking and coalition-building to achieve strategic goals.
• Prepare and review complex documents and communicate recommendations clearly.

Skills

Modern librarianship

Coalition building

Cultural heritage leadership

Transformational leadership

Written communication

Verbal communication

Agency collaboration

Job description

The Library of Congress shares its vast collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, maps, audiovisual materials, and priceless artifacts to cultivate curiosity and spark imagination. We engage, inspire, and inform Congress and the American people with a universal and enduring source of knowledge and creativity.

We seekhighly talentedprofessionals to join a vibrant and collaborative community. Your work here will have lasting impact on theLibraryand its users well into the future.

The competencies below are required for this position. Those marked with a double asterisk (**) are considered the most critical competencies for this position.

A candidate's resume must show a proven record of accomplishment that clearly demonstrates he or she has:

1. (1) Knowledge of the principles, concepts and techniques of modern librarianship as it relates to new and emerging information technologies**: The successful candidate has applied professional knowledge of library and information management principles, concepts and techniques to manage library functions and envision digital services to support library programs in a research library setting; has knowledge of various format and content needs related to the creation, description, organization, and provision of access to digital collections. Knowledge of and experience with systems, workflows and services that address the following: 1) metadata for digital collections; 2) evaluation of workflows and strategies to organize and make digital content accessible at scale; 3) digitization of cultural heritage collections; and 4) providing leadership for digital content management.
2. (2) Ability to build coalitions and professional networks**: The successful candidate has identified, built and maintained relationships and professional networks to gain support and commitment from scholars and other learners; the publishing and creative community; and colleagues in the library and archival field. This includes: 1) participating in and representing the institution at professional association meetings; 2) working collaboratively with other departments, agencies and organizations to further agency goals and objectives; 3) establishing cordial relationships with donors and potential donors to obtain additions to Library collections; and 4) working with the archival and research library community to identify trends and issues related to the collections and services of the Library.
3. (3) Ability to supervise, develop and lead a cultural heritage workforce**: The successful candidate has supervised and managed a workforce including: 1) establishing realistic yet challenging goals and standards; 2) supplying regular, constructive feedback, mentoring to assist staff in attaining their goals; 3) incorporating active participation of staff in planning, decision making and team building; 4) identifying skills and abilities of staff and any skill gaps in the workforce for current and future needs; 5) providing opportunities for training and career advancement; 6) hiring staff; 7) addressing performance and disciplinary matters; 8) communicating performance expectations; 9) conducting timely and periodic performance evaluations; 10) ensuring tasks are appropriately delegated and satisfactorily completed; and 11) creating and embracing an environment fostering fairness, integrity, and honesty focused on ongoing improvement to self and others and to customer service.
4. (4) Ability to apply transformational leadership skills: The successful candidate has experience as a transformational leader in a digital or information technology domain who identifies problems and opportunities with others and builds coalitions and teams to execute the work to affect change. This includes 1) using systems-thinking to identify potential focus areas and accomplishing objectives, 2) breaking down the goal to actionable tasks, and 3) building the coalitions and teams necessary to execute.
5. (5) Ability to communicate in writing and review and assess the writing of others: The successful candidate has prepared a variety of clear, cogent, accurate, well-organized, and understandable complex and specialized documents related to the work of the position, such as: 1) funding proposals, 2) policies, 3) program goals and objectives, 4) business plans, 5) budget justifications, 6) research papers, 7) performance management documents/evaluations, and 8) other reports. This includes the ability to target an audience and shape communications so that they are appropriate and specific to technical and administrative activities.
6. (6) Ability to present information orally through briefings, consultations, and other presentations: The successful candidate has the ability to convey analysis and information orally through briefings, consultations and other presentations, in both planned and extemporaneous situations. This included shaping the appropriate amount, form, depth and level of detail, and content of information to the needs of the receiver/audience.
7. (7) Ability to communicate effectively other than in writing: The successful candidate has effectively expressed ideas and recommendations other than in writing in various settings to peers, staff, managers, supervisors, and external audiences to both provide and seek information. This includes actively listening to or understanding communicated information and answering questions thoughtfully and completely.