Deputy Director, County Library

Description

The San Diego County Library (SDCL) is seeking applications and résumés from qualified individuals for Deputy Director – County Library.

The Deputy Director of the San Diego County Library will provide strategic leadership to the Chiefs of Library Branch Operations and Capital Projects, overseeing policy implementation, compliance, and alignment with SDCL’s mission and service models. They will direct capital projects, facility improvements, and major maintenance, ensuring timely and budget- compliant delivery while promoting equity and sustainability. Additionally, the Deputy Director will lead strategic planning efforts, fostering innovation in service models and technology, while supporting the Chiefs in staff development and performance management. They will also manage the library system’s budget, tracking expenditures and overseeing financial planning for capital projects, while engaging with diverse community stakeholders and representing the library at county events. Through change management and fostering high-performing teams, the Deputy Director will ensure the integration of new technologies, expansion of services, and the advancement of SDCL’s goals.

The ideal candidate for the Deputy Director of the San Diego County Library will be a visionary leader and strategic thinker with the ability to manage and oversee the operations of the Chief of Library Branch Operations, the Chief of Library Capital Projects & Facilities, and the Departmental Security Officer. This role requires an experienced individual who can balance high-level strategic planning with the practicalities of day-to-day management in complex and diverse library system. The Deputy Director will be a key leader in shaping the future of the San Diego County Library, ensuring that it continues to thrive as a vital resource for the community while navigating the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

In addition, the ideal candidate should have:

• Experience managing a large regional network of public libraries or parks or other government service.
• Be a big picture thinker with outstanding leadership and management skills who will bring new and fresh ideas to a changing organization.
• Executive-level experience managing many employees through several levels of management hierarchy.
• Excellent communication, talent management and presentation skills.
• Demonstrable experience creating and maintaining partnerships with many community partners such as non-profits, local government agencies, service organizations, Friends of the Library groups, school districts, elected councils, and similar organizations.
• Demonstrable experience engaging communities to achieve long-term and sustainable outcomes, processes, relationships, discourse, decision-making, or implementation. The candidate will have utilized a range of tools and strategies to ensure success and ensure inclusion and belonging.
• Experience working for, or with, local government jurisdictions such as counties or cities or school districts or similar and this experience will include communicating directly with the offices of elected officials and presenting at Board or Council meetings or similar.

Requirements

A master’s degree in Library Science or Library and Information Science from an accredited U.S. college or university or a certified foreign studies equivalency AND five years of experience that demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the classification. Experience must include three years of management level experience and at least one year of supervision.