Chief of Youth & Family Engagement

Position Overview Under the general direction of the Director of Library Services, provides leadership to youth library services across the system and in the neighborhoods, including community outreach, educational initiatives, early literacy, school support, web-based content, and related programs and services for Children, Teens, caregivers, and families, within the Boston Public Library Strategic Plan established by the Board of Library Trustees.

Reports to Director of Library Services

Supervises Youth Services Staff

Responsibilities Leads the evaluation, development, and oversight of in-house, online, and off-site library services to children and teens. Takes a leadership role in identifying, planning, and coordinating new services and programs for youth. Sets standards, goals, and benchmarks for youth services staff system-wide.

Regularly evaluates ongoing youth programs to determine effectiveness.Leads the library in developing a vision for Youth Services system-wide and is responsible for sharing, encouraging, and supporting that vision with staff. Works to provide leadership and unity for the youth and family services staff across the system.

Works with the Director of Library Services, Manager of the Central Library, and Branch Managers to provide innovative and service-oriented public services, programming, outreach, and scholastic support for youth and families system-wide.

Works with Chief of Collections to ensure a collaborative working environment between front-line youth services staff and the development and maintenance of collections geared toward youth and families system-wide.

Provides leadership over collaborations with schools, city agencies, civic and cultural institutions, and community groups to strengthen and expand services and programs to the city’s diverse youth population. Serves as library liaison to the Boston Public Schools as well as to several city-wide committees on issues around youth (Countdown to Kindergarten, Community Learning, Boston After-School and Beyond, and others).

In collaboration with the Neighborhood Services Managers, Central Youth Services Team Leaders, and Branch Librarians, coordinates and participates in the recruitment, selection, and training of youth services staff. Acts as a resource in the development and evaluation of youth services staff.

Works closely with Boston Public Library Leadership and the Boston Public Library Fund on fundraising initiatives, especially as they relate to educational programming for Children and Teens.

Works with Boston Public Library Leadership on grant-writing and funding requests as needed.

Oversees and plans meetings of the Children and Teen Services Librarians system-wide and attends other system-wide meetings, including Branch Librarians, Managers, and Central Department Heads.

Ensures successful and informative orientation of new youth services staff system-wide. Is responsible for building a collaborative youth services team including mentoring and acting as a resource for youth services staff.

Keeps informed and educated about the latest developments in social and emotional learning, infant brain development, and other areas of concern with regard to youth development and shares this knowledge with youth services staff as appropriate.

Collects and analyzes statistical and other information to assess the effectiveness of the Library’s youth programs and services and recommends actions for further development of those services. Prepares and maintains records and reports on children and teen services.

Establishes and cultivates partnerships with corporations, schools, cultural heritage institutions, and private individuals as appropriate to support and enhance the role of the Library’s teen and children’s programs and services within the larger community.

Works with Leadership to develop policies and fosters an environment to enable a “one library” philosophy for service delivery across the system. Serves and makes presentations on behalf of the Library to community organizations, schools and universities, professional conferences, and other groups as appropriate.

Collaborates with peer institutions and researches best practices to continually evaluate and enhance the delivery of service and programs to youth in an urban public library. Represents the Boston Public Library at conferences and other meetings.

Assumes responsibility for supervising, developing, and evaluating staff.

Participates in collective and impact bargaining with Unions.

Performs other related and comparable duties as assigned. Qualifications

Minimum Entrance Qualifications

Education – Bachelor's degree from a recognized college or university and a master's degree in library and information science from an ALA-accredited library school. Additional education in the field of Education is desirable. Relevant subject knowledge and/or specialized training required. In exceptional instances, training and/or experience may be substituted for part or all of the educational requirements. 

Experience – Requires a minimum of seven (7) years of professional library experience, including four years of work in youth services at a supervisory a d/or management level. Experience in the development of strategic partnerships is essential. Significant programming and partnership experience in children's and teen programming. Knowledge of broad-based library programming practices, including current trends in youth and teen services. Successful experience in serving diverse populations and having productive collaborations with a significant number and variety of community groups and organizations, including public and private schools. Specific experience and broad knowledge in related collection development, technology, public programming and services, and staff development.

Strong and proven commitment to serving urban youth and demonstrated skill in working with children, teens, and their caregivers.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking, editorial, and formal writing abilities.

Significant experience in conceiving, developing, and delivering creative educational programming designed to engage a broad and diverse range of families and youth.

Demonstrated understanding of current trends in services to children and teens in libraries.

Ability to act as a team leader and work collaboratively in a team environment.

Exceptional planning and organizational skills. Demonstrates strict attention to detail and successful time and budget management.

Ability to plan and supervise the work of others.

Demonstrates initiative and independent decision-making skills.

Communicates effectively and presents ideas clearly.

Ability to think creatively and innovatively.

Demonstrates flexibility and the ability to adapt to change.

Ability to collaborate with library staff, external partners, and resources.

Demonstrated ability to coordinate and implement complex projects involving several diverse resources and stakeholders.

Familiarity with technology and information literacy principles, standards, and modes of teaching.

High degree of comfort with computer hardware, operating systems, software applications, and Internet searching and browsing principles.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office. Familiarity with and interest in a broad range of social networking and online collaboration tools.

Sense of humor and ability to meet inflexible deadlines gracefully under pressure.

Requirements

Technology skills are appropriate for performing the duties of the job.

Proven ability to work with staff to analyze workflow and implement changes to improve service delivery.

Residency – Must be a resident of the City of Boston upon the first day of hire.

CORI – Must successfully clear a Criminal Offenders Record Information check with the City of Boston.

BOSTON RESIDENCY REQUIRED 

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Terms:

Union/Salary Plan/Grade:  Non-Union/PM-7

Hours per week:   35

The City of Boston is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment. Therefore, qualified applicants will be considered regardless of their sex, race, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, military and veteran status, or other protected category.

The City of Boston has played a role in causing and perpetuating the inequities in our society. To break down these barriers, we are embedding equity and inclusion into everything we do.

We define equity as ensuring every community has the resources it needs to thrive in Boston. This requires the active process of meeting individuals where they are. Inclusion is engaging every resident to build a more welcoming and supportive city. We are building a city for everyone, where diversity makes us a more empowered collective.

Full/Part Time

Full Time

Education

MLS/Masters

Salary Range$99,468.58 - $134,093.80  / year

Closing Date

How to Apply

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