Associate Director

The Big Ten Academic Alliance, a consortium of Big Ten universities, is seeking an Associate Director for its Center for Library Programs. In partnership with the Director of Library Initiatives, the Associate Director will provide both programmatic and operational leadership for the Center by guiding day to day decision-making, overseeing project management, and driving execution, excellence, and success across the Center's portfolio of programs, services, and initiatives. The Associate Director is responsible for articulating goals and outcomes across the portfolio. They coordinate distributed staff, consultants, contractors, and teams of Alliance library community members involved in designing, administering, and implementing these activities, including direct supervision of core staff. The Associate Director plays a key role in nurturing and advancing a knowledge commons for Big Ten universities that is centered in principles of equity, justice, accessibility, and openness with respect to scholarship, culture, workflows, policy, and content.

The Center for Library Programs is a small team responsible for moving forward a tremendous vision on behalf of the research libraries of the Big Ten, which are uniting their individual collections-both print and digital-into one shared, fully networked collection: the BIG Collection. This integrated collection will be the third largest in the world, providing universal access to content for the entire Big Ten community. The CLP team serves as a central hub for collective action and co-investment for the networked collection of resources, services, programs, and expertise that are offered by the libraries.

The Big Ten Academic Alliance is the nation's preeminent model for effective collaboration among research universities. The Alliance cultivates a culture of inclusion for all employees and community members that respects individual strengths, views, and experiences. We believe that our differences enable us to be a better team and a better community - one that makes better decisions, embraces innovation, and delivers better solutions to meet the demands of the complex ecosystem of higher education. For more information on the Big Ten Academic Alliance, visit http://www.btaa.org.

Duties & Responsibilities -

Operational Excellence -

• Leads the daily operations of the Center for Library Programs team
• Promotes team integration as well as cross-functional communication and collaboration
• Bridges strategic and operational levels by overseeing large, cross-functional projects or initiatives that span multiple teams and leadership areas
• Directly supervises full time staff and coordinates the work of a number of contractors and consultants
• Mentors staff and supports their professional development
• Assists with recruiting, contracting, and hiring staff and consultants

Programmatic Leadership -

• Serves as a thought partner and strategic advisor to the Director of Library Initiatives, standing in on meetings, challenging ideas and offering different perspectives
• Provides analysis, recommendations, and options to the Director of Library Initiatives regarding high impact decisions
• Provides leadership for transforming ideas into reality, identifying/establishing functional outcomes and metrics, and monitoring progress
• In collaboration with the Director of Library Initiatives, designs and frames the multi-year strategic Roadmap for the BIG Collection; administers execution of the Roadmap in alignment with the principles and agreements established by the Library Deans / University Librarians
• Acts as primary coordinator for assessing progress toward objectives, including reporting on outcomes and rhythmic annual adjustments to the strategic Roadmap
• Analyzes high priority initiatives to forecast potential obstacles/risks and adapts plans accordingly

Community Success -

• Acts as lead facilitator for BIG Collection pilots, facilitating the complete process for generating pilots from early concept to final proposal to the BIG Collection Steering Committee
• Provides leadership and guidance for online and in-person community programming and conversations around BIG Collection initiatives, including workshops, meetings, and online forums
• Provides leadership and guidance for community collaboration and collective action to advance BIG Collection work through systemic leadership development and recognition and appreciation efforts

Communication -

• Lead communicator for the BTAA library community, acting as an information hub, filter, and facilitator with both internal and external stakeholders
• Responsible for promoting, reporting, and communicating on impact, metrics, and progress
• Fosters a culture of recognition and celebration for accomplishments, achievements, and gains throughout the BTAA library community network

Working Conditions/Physical Demands -

• Frequent travel will be required of this position to visit member libraries, attend meetings, workshops, and professional conferences.
• The preferred location for this position is in either Champaign, Illinois or Ann Arbor, Michigan.
• The position is designed with flexibility in the terms of employment in order to attract top tier candidates who function at the height of the research library field. Actual terms of employment will be negotiated at time of hire.

Required Qualifications -

• Bachelor's degree in library science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• A total of three (3) years (36 months) in education, training and/or work experience in organizational management and/or leadership. (Note: Master's Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience.
• Demonstrated experience in planning and/or leading strategic programs or initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications -

• Master's degree in Library Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Experience with the practical application of principles of equity and justice within workflows, policies, and agreements, especially with respect to access and resources
• Experience working with program management, large-scale complex systems, systemics and complexity theory, facilitation, group dynamics, and community organizing
• At least two years additional experience with leadership of collaborative projects, programs, and/or large events, especially in a higher education context
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in an organizationally complex and culturally diverse setting
• Experience with distilling and translating complex information for a variety of audiences
• Oral and written communication skills.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5003 - Program Director position. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. The budgeted salary for this position is $90-104k. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on March 10, 2025. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. Application materials should include a cover letter, current resume (including month/year employment dates), at least three professional references, and proof of degree(s).

In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact Jennifer Steiling at [email protected]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing [email protected].

Requisition ID: 1028508

Job Category: Professional and Administrative

Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. The administration, faculty and staff embrace diversity and are committed to attracting qualified candidates who also embrace and value diversity and inclusivity.