Executive Director: Libraries

Unitalentza; Cape Town; Sur place; ZAR 1 500 000 - 2 100 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

The University of Cape Town invites applications for an Executive Director of UCT Libraries, a strategic pillar for teaching, learning and research. The role requires visionary leadership to integrate physical and digital environments, support scholarly work, and foster innovative information services across campuses.

You will lead a senior management team, manage budgets and risk, build partnerships locally and internationally, and advance digital transformation and responsible technology.

Qualifications

• Master’s in Library and Information Science or equivalent.
• Experience in higher education leadership.
• Strong knowledge of digital information services.
• Proven strategic planning and people management.

Responsabilités

• Set strategic direction for UCT Libraries.
• Lead teaching, learning, research and internationalisation.
• Oversee finance, facilities and risk.
• Drive digital transformation and AI adoption.
• Represent Libraries in university governance.

Connaissances

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder engagement

Change management

Formation

Master's degree in Library and Information Science

Description du poste

Executive Director: Libraries

The University of Cape Town seeks an accomplished academic leader to serve as Executive Director of UCT Libraries, a strategic pillar of the institution's academic and knowledge infrastructure. This executive management position offers the opportunity to shape the future of scholarly services across multiple campuses, integrating physical and digital environments, research support, and innovative information services to enable teaching, learning, research excellence, and institutional impact. The successful candidate will provide visionary leadership in an environment of significant transformation, where digital innovation, responsible technology adoption, and inclusive practice are central to advancing the University's strategic mission.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic direction for UCT Libraries and align strategy, priorities, culture and resources with the University's institutional and academic objectives
• Lead the Libraries' contribution to teaching and learning, research and internationalisation, innovation and entrepreneurship, and societal and social responsiveness
• Exercise executive leadership of Libraries personnel and senior management team, including organisational capability, transformation, talent and leadership development, performance and succession planning
• Provide strategic oversight of collections and knowledge assets, scholarly information resources, research and learning services, scholarly communication and publishing, digital systems, and physical and digital library environments
• Lead service innovation and responsible digital transformation, including the strategic adoption of emerging technologies and artificial intelligence to enhance access, discovery, research support, and user experience
• Exercise executive accountability for financial and resource planning and stewardship, including budgets, facilities, infrastructure, technology investment, governance, compliance, risk, resilience and business continuity
• Build and sustain strategic relationships and partnerships—institutional, national, African and international—including identifying funding and collaboration opportunities
• Provide thought leadership and represent UCT Libraries within University leadership and governance structures and relevant national and international academic and professional forums

Minimum Requirements

• A Master's degree (NQF Level 9) in Library and Information Science; OR a Master's…