Senior Librarian

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in South Africa.

📋 Description

• Supervise the management and growth of digital library collections, encompassing e-books, journals, databases, and various online resources.

• Offer expert research assistance and support to both students and faculty, providing guidance on information literacy and academic integrity.

• Create and present online workshops and tutorials on library resources and research skills for faculty and students.

• Collaborate with faculty and the Learning Innovation and Development team to incorporate library resources into the curriculum and assist with course development.

• Oversee library systems and technologies to guarantee seamless access to digital resources.

• Establish and maintain relationships with publishers and other content providers to broaden and improve the library's resources.

• Ensure adherence to copyright regulations, intellectual property laws, and other pertinent legislation, while implementing best practices for digital content management.

• Lead the library's strategic direction within the institution, ensuring alignment with academic objectives and student requirements.

• Stay informed about trends and best practices in library science, particularly regarding online education.

• Assess and adopt new technologies and services to enhance the library's offerings.

• Oversee the management of the institutional journal, ensuring a smooth workflow from manuscript submission through to peer review and final publication.

• Coordinate with editorial board members and reviewers to ensure timely and ethical processing of research papers.

• Manage and update the journal’s online platform to enhance visibility, accessibility, and academic indexing.

• Promote the journal internally and externally to stimulate submissions and readership.

• Maintain and refresh the institutional library website with the latest research tools, guides, and relevant content.

• Develop a structured plan for content updates to ensure all resources, policies, and training materials remain current.

• Generate customized reports for each school (undergraduate, postgraduate, MBA, DBA) that detail library usage trends and engagement levels.

• Create a library analytics dashboard to monitor faculty and student interactions with digital resources.

• Present periodic insights to academic leadership, along with recommendations to enhance resource utilization.

• Provide targeted research support to faculty, assisting them in integrating high-quality academic resources into their courses.

• Develop specialized training sessions for faculty and administrators to maximize the utilization of library resources.

• Offer personalized research assistance for DBA candidates and faculty engaged in industry-focused research.

• Keep accurate records of all contracts with publishers, ensuring compliance and cost-effectiveness.

• Evaluate the relevance and impact of current journal and database subscriptions, making strategic recommendations for renewals or alternatives.

• Identify and negotiate new content acquisitions that align with the academic program's needs.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Master’s degree in Library and Information Science or an equivalent qualification is required.

• At least 8 years of experience in a library environment, with a minimum of 3 years in a senior or supervisory role, ideally focused on supporting postgraduate or online learners.

• Strong proficiency in managing digital resources, academic databases, and online library systems.

• Experience in negotiating contracts and fostering relationships with publishers, content providers, and database vendors.

• Ability to work independently and manage library services for undergraduate and postgraduate students in a remote, online environment.

• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to juggle multiple priorities.

• Comprehensive knowledge of digital library resources and technologies.

• Exceptional research and information literacy abilities.

• Experience in an online education setting is highly desirable.

• Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.

• Capability to work autonomously as well as collaboratively within a team.

• Commitment to ongoing professional development.

🏝️ Benefits

• Preference will be given to applicants from designated groups, with appointments made in accordance with our EE requirements.