Information Specialist

Direct Reporting Line

Head: Academic

About Varsity College

Varsity College is an educational brand of The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE), which is a leading private higher education provider in South Africa, registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and accredited by the Council on Higher Education (CHE).

Vacancy: Information Specialist

Duties and Responsibilities

Information Centre Administration

• Manage daily activities of the Information Centre in an academic environment.
• Oversee routine operations of inter-Information Centre loans and requests.
• Manage and control facility, computer usage, and administration of periodicals.
• Coordinate with departments to support academic activities efficiently.
• Build and maintain relationships with staff, students, and external suppliers.
• Prepare reports related to the Information Centre and services.
• Develop and maintain a hybrid information collection.
• Edit, classify, index sources, and distribute new materials for cataloguing.
• Supervise assistant staff and student helpers.
• Assist with digital information services and auxiliary services like copying and digitization.
• Maintain good conduct in learning spaces and monitor system performance.
• Coordinate with the Capacity Management and Timetabling Centre for academic materials.
• Ensure adherence to IIE policies and procedures.
• Report issues to the Information Centre Manager and Head: Academic.

Provision of Information Services and User Support

• Conduct class visits and interactive training for students and lecturers.
• Support learning by teaching information literacy skills in classrooms and online.
• Assist students with academic writing, referencing, and research skills.
• Train users on database usage (e.g., Ebscohost, Juta Law, HeinOnline).
• Deliver presentations during information sessions and briefings.
• Guide students on academic writing and referencing styles.
• Support staff with literature searches and research queries.
• Address user inquiries and stay updated with sector developments.

Research Output and Academic Support

• Measure research impact and develop best practices.
• Support postgraduate research and academic staff with resources.
• Assist students in finding research materials and support research activities.
• Engage in personal research and produce research outputs.

Marketing Resources

• Create posters and packs to promote resources.
• Organize monthly displays aligned with themes.
• Implement innovative marketing and awareness campaigns.

General Administration

• Maintain records of invoices and system performance.
• Update records for new books and manage resources.
• Recruit and train student assistants.
• Conduct bi-annual stocktaking and report findings.

Competencies Required

• Interpersonal and communication skills
• Coaching and mentoring abilities
• Problem-solving and time management
• Organized, accurate, and able to work under pressure
• Digital literacy and fluency with MS Office and library technology
• Innovative, energetic, and research-oriented

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Library and Information Science or equivalent
• At least 3 years in an academic library
• Professional registration with LIASA

Working Hours

• Monday to Friday, 8:00-17:00 or 07:00-16:00
• One Saturday per month, 08:00-13:00, with adjusted Friday hours

Salary and Benefits

• Competitive salary based on experience
• Benefits include LinkedIn Learning, discounts, bonuses, provident fund, birthday vouchers, and annual leave

Application Process

• Only suitable candidates will be contacted due to high application volume.

Technical Support

• For application issues, visit: https://hire.simplify.hr/ContactUs

Varsity College, IIE Vega, and IIE MSA are equal opportunity employers; preference may be given to underrepresented groups per the South African Employment Equity Act. The company may close or pause the vacancy at any time without notice.