Web Services Coordinator

Description

Responsibilities: Reporting to the Head of Web Services, this position will play a key role in coordinating the development and management of the library website and other web-based applications, sites, and services.  The successful candidate for the position will:

• Participate on a team that oversees the direction of the websites and services across the Libraries’ web presence
• Serve as a liaison to committees and departments within the Libraries to understand their needs and focus their ideas into potential web projects and services
• Recommend improvements to websites and applications based on assessment, user data, analytics, and cutting-edge web design and content strategy trends
• Manage the Libraries’ web user experience program and work closely with stakeholders
• Assess and further develop a content strategy across the Libraries’ web presence
• Develop and maintain a high degree of knowledge of emerging web technologies and user testing methodologies ensuring that colleagues are kept appropriately informed
• Conduct training on the Libraries’ web technologies and applications

The Web Services Coordinator is a librarian position.  Librarians hold academic rank pursuant to the University of Houston Librarians’ Bylaws Document.  They are expected to develop a record of service, scholarship, and professional involvement.  The UH Libraries support the ongoing professional development of librarians and our goal is to recruit librarians committed to continuous learning.

Qualifications:

Required –

• Master’s degree from an ALA accredited program
• Degree, significant coursework, or work experience in computer science, user studies, instructional technology, or human-computer interaction
• Significant experience working with web applications and conducting user studies
• Demonstrated ability to initiate, track, and manage complex projects to completion and assess their success
• Ability to work productively as part of a team, maintaining key working relationships
• Experience with and demonstrated knowledge of web development, design trends, and content management systems

Preferred –

• Experience with HTML5, PHP, CSS, JavaScript, as well as software frameworks and RESTful web services
• Ability to analyze and problem solve, to assimilate concepts and details of complex systems quickly, and to explain technical ideas in a simple and concise way to others with less technical knowledge
• Experience or interest in technology training
• Experience with Drupal, ExLibris products, and SpringShare products
• Experience of agile methodologies, in particular Scrum

Salary:  $56,000 – $58,000 expected hiring range, depending on qualifications. Comprehensive benefits package; choice of retirement programs including TIAA-CREF; tax-deferred annuity program available; release time to take a class up to 3 hours/week; no state or local income tax.

Department Information:  The Web Services Department is a group of 2 librarians and 4 professional staff that develops, integrates, and maintains many of the Libraries' web applications.  This includes multiple websites, digital asset management systems, research guides, room and event booking systems, and mobile interfaces.  Web Services values accessible services, collaboration, evidence-based decision making, innovation, openness and transparency, and clean system integration.

Library Information:  The UH Libraries are a member of the Association of Research Libraries, the Greater Western Library Alliance, the Hathi Trust, the Council on Library and Information Resources, the Digital Library Federation, and the Texas Digital Library.  The campus libraries provide access to over 3.1 million volumes.  Total staff includes 69 professionals and approximately 135 support staff.  Additional information about the University Libraries is available at: http://info.lib.uh.edu/about/employment.

The UH Libraries’ Strategic Directions document focuses on targeting services to specific user groups, reimagining library spaces, improving outreach, and increasing national recognition.  Further information and the complete document are available at: http://info.lib.uh.edu/about/strategic-directions .  The Strategic Directions support an ambitious set of goals adopted by the University and further the Tier One effort (http://www.uh.edu/about/initiatives/).  We seek to recruit librarians who can relate their work to these strategies and understand their role in advancing these strategic imperatives.

General Information:  The University of Houston campus comprises 13 colleges and schools offering close to 80 degree programs with an enrollment of about 40,000 students, 7,200 of whom are enrolled in graduate studies.  Reflecting the multicultural community of metropolitan Houston, UH is one of the most ethnically diverse research university campuses in the nation.

Houston, the fourth largest city in the United States, offers all the cultural and recreational opportunities of a great city and is within easy reach of the Gulf of Mexico.  It enjoys a very reasonable cost of living and was selected by Forbes as topping the list of America’s coolest cities.

For additional information, including information about Houston's flourishing arts scene and entertainment offerings, please see:  http://www.visithoustontexas.com/.  For information about housing and living in Houston see:  http://www.houston.org/living/index.html.

Application Deadline:  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Send letter of application, names of 3 references, and resume to Damon Camille, Training, Assessment, and Statistics Coordinator, University of Houston, 114 University Libraries, Houston, Texas 77204-2000.  Applications may also be submitted by email to:  dcamille@uh.edu.

Potential applicants seeking further information should contact John Lehner, Associate Dean for Personnel, Planning, and Systems, at 713-743-9801 or jlehner@uh.edu.

THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. MINORITIES, WOMEN, VETERANS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES ARE ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.

Permalink:  http://info.lib.uh.edu/p/wsc2014