Manager Wartenweiler Library (Ad.06.3)

Wits University; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 1,100,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Wits University in Johannesburg seeks a senior leader to drive the faculty library’s research, teaching, and innovation agenda. You will tailor library services to institutional priorities, lead strategic planning, and collaborate with diverse stakeholders to enhance the user experience.

The role demands extensive LIS experience, strong leadership, and a proven record in budgeting, policy compliance, and open scholarship initiatives.

Qualifications

• At least six years in an academic or research library, incl. three years in a management role.
• Master’s degree in LIS with at least five years in an academic/research library, incl. two years in management.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to advance research, teaching, and innovation in the faculty library.
• Customise and implement Library service strategies aligned to faculty and institutional priorities.
• Contribute to tactical and strategic planning within the Library and communicate faculty developments into the Library strategic plan.
• Collaborate with Library stakeholders to ensure seamless faculty services.
• Enhance and evaluate the quality of the library user experience.
• Provide professional leadership and manage the faculty library in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Establish direction and vision for the Wartenweiler Library and manage staff, resources, and services.
• Ensure provision of user training for students and academic staff using appropriate methods and technologies.
• Strengthen faculty engagement and communication with internal and external stakeholders.
• Manage faculty library budgets and related funding.
• Identify opportunities for service and environment improvement and implement enhancements.
• Plan and participate in Library and faculty marketing and outreach initiatives.
• Perform all human resource management functions for reporting staff (performance management, leave, development, job descriptions).
• Establish faculty communication channels for collection development and information resource management.
• Contribute to digital curation of faculty-level archives and special collections.
• Support ORCID adoption and integration into research support systems.
• Contribute to research metrics and publication analysis services.
• Design and deliver workshops on open licensing, copyright, and scholarly publishing.
• Manage the Technical Services interface and implement collection development policy

Skills

Research processes

Information retrieval

Information organisation

Interpersonal communication

Emotional intelligence

Stakeholder management

Education

B.Bibl or B.Inf + LIS postgraduate

Master’s degree in LIS

Tools

Information technology systems

Microsoft applications

Digital literacy

Administrative systems

Copyright & policy knowledge

Job description

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership to advance research, teaching, and innovation in the faculty library
• Customise and implement Library service strategies aligned to faculty and institutional priorities
• Contribute to tactical and strategic planning within the Library and communicate faculty developments into the Library strategic plan
• Collaborate with Library stakeholders to ensure seamless faculty services
• Enhance and evaluate the quality of the library user experience
• Provide professional leadership and manage the faculty library in accordance with policies and procedures
• Establish direction and vision for the Wartenweiler Library and manage staff, resources, and services
• Ensure provision of user training for students and academic staff using appropriate methods and technologies
• Strengthen faculty engagement and communication with internal and external stakeholders
• Manage faculty library budgets and related funding
• Identify opportunities for service and environment improvement and implement enhancements
• Plan and participate in Library and faculty marketing and outreach initiatives
• Perform all human resource management functions for reporting staff (performance management, leave, development, job descriptions)
• Establish faculty communication channels for collection development and information resource management
• Contribute to digital curation of faculty-level archives and special collections
• Support ORCID adoption and integration into research support systems
• Contribute to research metrics and publication analysis services
• Design and deliver workshops on open licensing, copyright, and scholarly publishing
• Manage the Technical Services interface and implement collection development policy

Minimum Requirements

• B.Bibl or B.Inf degree or Bachelor’s degree plus Postgraduate Diploma in Library and Information Science (LIS) and/or Honours in LIS, with at least six (6) years’ experience in an academic or research library, of which three (3) years must be at a management level
• Master’s degree in Library and Information Science (LIS), with at least five (5) years’ experience in an academic or research library, of which two (2) years must be at a management level

Competencies (Knowledge, skills and behavior)

• Subject knowledge and understanding of research processes and methodology
• Knowledge of information sources in multiple formats and information retrieval strategies
• Knowledge of information organisation tools and systems
• Strong interpersonal, communication, and negotiation skills across diverse contexts
• Emotional intelligence and conflict management
• Stakeholder engagement and relationship management

Technical Competencies

• Relevant information technology (software and hardware)
• Marketing methods and procedures
• Administrative systems, policies, and processes
• Copyright and legal requirements relating to information distribution
• Financial and project management
• Facilitation and presentation skills
• Space, asset, and risk management
• Microsoft applications and digital literacy
• Scholarly communication advocacy