Deputy Director of Libraries

Multnomah County Library is seeking its next Deputy Director of Libraries.

Multnomah County Library is seeking a visionary, authentic executive level leader with strong emotional intelligence and a passion for library services at a critical inflection point for how the library serves its community. The successful candidate will work in partnership with the Director of Libraries to provide leadership, vision, planning, direction and accountability for the Multnomah County Library system. As a library executive, this person will lead, partner with and support other members of the executive leadership team in collectively managing and executing our library’s vision.

Provide Senior Leadership

In partnership with the Director of Libraries, you provide senior level, systemwide leadership which includes:

• Working with the Executive Management Team to develop policies, strategic direction and objectives in alignment with the Multnomah County Library District Board’s priorities, county, state and community processes and priorities, and the library’s overall strategic direction.
• Centering racial equity when working with the Executive Management Team on systemwide priorities as well as setting expectations for the team.
• Leading the department’s Executive Management Team in setting strategic priorities, prioritizing and sponsoring projects, leading and delegating authority to sub-teams, and executing the library’s strategic plan.
• Leading the prioritization of service needs based on library policies and objectives, available resources, and the changing landscape of library services in the 21st century.
• Working closely with the Library Advisory Board, the Friends of the Library, and The Library Foundation to articulate and address strategic or operational issues and opportunities.
• Responding to and resolving difficult and sensitive issues with community organizations and library patrons.
• Assuming a top leadership role for special strategic initiatives and projects assigned by the director.
• Representing the Director before the Board of County Commissioners and other groups as needed.
• Serving as spokesperson for the library on a wide variety of issues.
• Serving as acting Director in the Director’s absence with full authority to make commitments.

Set Strategic Direction

• Working with the Director of Libraries, public services directors, and library managers to develop vision, goals and objectives for public services locations and programs as well as library policy.
• Assessing the long-term library service needs of the community and engaging the community in the library's vision, which includes building community support for library services within county government and externally in the corporate, nonprofit, educational, cultural and civic community.
• Evaluating operations and activities of libraries and programs to manage and improve the workflow, including materials movement; recommend improvements and modifications to material movement and operational practices and procedures.
• Serving as the Library’s security liaison countywide and working with County Workplace Security to address Library security needs.
• Managing the application of the Multnomah County Library Rules, enforcement of those rules, and the exclusion process.
• Consulting with the County Attorney’s office to advise on legal matters pertaining to security, library rules, and exclusion process
• Resolving public service and operational issues by developing and implementing policies and practices based on professional ethics, customer service principles, county values and responsible stewardship of resources.
• Directing and overseeing the implementation and evaluation of library programs.

Oversee Assigned Workgroups

• Providing leadership to the public services executive management team and the library policy staff. Public Services leadership includes working with three division directors to provide oversight of Location Services at 19 libraries; Community Services including Youth Development, Community Information, Events and Reader Services, and Community Engagement; and Integrated Services which includes Access Services, Technical Services and the Sort Center.
• Modeling excellent coaching and communication skills and encouraging those skills in others.
• Demonstrating equity in action through accountability, cultural humility, trust-building, and engagement with the community and staff.
• Developing performance measures and ensuring staff and resources are available to meet performance standards.
• Working closely with the managers to ensure excellent customer service and the smooth functioning of public services locations and programs.
• Directing, mentoring, coaching and collaborating with managers to effectively carry out daily operations and provide quality public service.
• Providing leadership and stewardship for maintaining the integrity of the library buildings, collections and the capacity of its public services.
• Cultivating teamwork and collaboration with public service and systemwide executives, managers and staff.
• Supporting and serving as a resource to managers through coaching, counseling, advising and researching issues that arise while referring to other resources as needed.

This position is an unclassified/executive position and serves at the pleasure of the Director of Libraries and may be subject to discharge at any time. This salaried executive position is not eligible for overtime.

The library is open and welcoming to all members of our community, including individuals who may be encountering hardships or challenges that affect their behavior and interactions. This position requires someone with the ability to work respectfully and capably with people from all backgrounds and age groups. You must demonstrate a positive attitude, excellent interpersonal skills, cultural sensitivity and a sense of humor while working with customers, co-workers and community. Your ability to exercise quick and mature judgment in dealing with emergencies is crucial.

Multnomah County Library is committed to supporting our communities of color and other communities subjected to marginalization by centering race and intersectionality in the services we provide. As a member of our team, all staff are expected to act as allies to library staff and patrons from communities of color and other groups subjected to marginalization by:

• Speaking up to support staff and patrons subjected to marginalization
• Speaking out against racism and oppression
• Demonstrating behavior that is culturally aware and sensitive

Learn more about the library’s services on our website.

To Qualify
We will consider any combination of relevant work experience, volunteering, education, and transferable skills as qualifying unless an item or section is labeled required. Please be clear and specific about how your background is relevant.

Minimum Qualifications/Transferable Skills:

• Three to six years of relevant experience in public library operations and administration
• Experience in a senior level leadership role in a unionized environment
• Ability to pass a criminal records check, should a job offer be extended. Results of the records check will be reviewed on an individualized basis. A conviction is not an automatic bar to employment.

Preferred Qualifications/Transferable Skills: You do not need to have the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills to qualify. However, keep in mind we may consider some or all of the following when identifying the most qualified candidates. Please clearly explain on your application how you meet any of the following preferred qualifications/transferable skills.

• Master's degree in Library Science, Public Administration or other related field
• Experience overseeing security in a large organization
• Experience supervising senior level managers
• Strong emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills
• Ability to communicate effectively in front of the public, elected officials and staff audiences
• Strategic leadership skills including experience leading strategic planning efforts
• Demonstrated commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion
• Experience leading organizations through significant change