Director of Library Technical Services

Harvard Radcliffe Institute; Cambridge (MA); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous PTO

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

Retirement plan

Wellbeing resources

Family support

Tuition assistance

Commuter benefits

Job summary

The Schlesinger Library at Harvard University invites applications for the Head of Technical Services. This leadership role unifies archival processing, cataloging, acquisitions, and metadata management across formats, leading a reimagined unit for current needs and future growth.

Reporting to the Library’s Executive Director, you will guide strategic direction, implement new tools, foster collaboration, and build scalable workflows while mentoring staff and advancing access to the Library’s

Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library/information science or related field required.
• Six years of progressively responsible professional experience in a large academic or special collections library.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management for a department responsible for archival processing, cataloging, acquisitions, and metadata across formats.
• Lead the development of an integrated end-to-end approach to technical services across departments to reduce silos.
• Set priorities for archival processing and cataloging, develop scalable workflows balancing description, preservation, and access.
• Oversee policy development and maintenance for technical services including metadata creation and workflow improvements.
• Refine organizational structure to optimize workflows and align with shifting priorities.
• Foster experimentation, continuous improvement, and adoption of new methods to scale technical services.
• Lead archival metadata program coordinating creation, reuse, and management of metadata across systems (Aeon, ArchivesSpace, Alma, Connexion, JSTOR Forum).
• Lead cross-departmental projects with backlog reduction, resource allocation, and objective completion.
• Use data/assessment tools to evaluate activities and inform decisions.
• Collaborate with curatorial, Research Services, Digital Collections and Services, and other units.

Skills

Leadership

Project management

Strategic planning

Staff development

Collaboration

Education

Master’s degree in library/information science or related field

Tools

ArchivesSpace

Ex Libris Alma

JSTOR Forum

Aviary

MARC/DACS/EAD

Job description

The Schlesinger Library at Harvard University invites applications for the Head of Technical Services. This leadership role unifies archival processing, cataloging, acquisitions, and metadata management across formats, leading a reimagined unit for current needs and future growth.

Reporting to the Library’s Executive Director, you will guide strategic direction, implement new tools, foster collaboration, and build scalable workflows while mentoring staff and advancing access to the Library’s