Consortial Services Supervisor

Description

• Are you a natural leader who is energized by bridging diverse perspectives to build consensus and enthusiasm?
• Are you incredibly well organized with exceptional project management skills?
• Do you enjoy maintaining and enhancing effective daily operations as much as you enjoy planning and launching new projects?
• Are you an excellent communicator who is skilled at communicating effectively across multiple mediums, with stakeholders from different organizations, and with people at many different levels of expertise?

If you answered yes to all these questions, please consider joining our team!

The Reaching Across Illinois Library System (RAILS) has created a new Consortial Services Supervisor position to oversee a growing area of services to our member libraries. This position is responsible for RAILS-operated consortial and interlibrary loan services and platforms, including the operations of Find More Illinois and the development of a new initiative to provide catalog software and support to non-automated libraries. We're looking for a dynamic leader who has experience with and a deep understanding of shared ILS consortia to plan, execute, and lead a suite of services focused on bringing our member libraries together to share their collections and enhance the resources available to their patrons. You'll work closely with the Director of Technology services and other RAILS staff as well as vendors and member libraries to identify opportunities, make recommendations, and build strategies around new and existing services, and supervise the staff dedicated to day-to-day operations of these services.

You'll be joining a team of fun, creative, and dedicated co-workers who are committed to providing the best possible service to our 1,269 libraries of all types across a 27,000 square mile area and to making RAILS the best library system in the country.

Your responsibilities will include

• Overseeing the operation of Find More Illinois and other resource sharing services or platforms to provide and improve services to participating libraries, including but not limited to providing and ensuring appropriate handling of support, troubleshooting, reports, documentation, onboarding, implementation, security issues, and database and software maintenance
• Planning, development, and implementation of new consortial and resource sharing services
• Supervision of employees
• Working actively with relevant vendors
• Maintaining timely, transparent, and courteous communication with colleagues and member libraries through email, meetings, and other forms of communication
• Development, delivery, evaluation, and oversight of training to library staff
• Actively contributing to financial planning and budgeting for consortial services, as well as marketing and promotion of services to libraries
• Establishing and leading user groups of participating libraries to help guide the development, delivery, and enhancement of services
• Participation and leadership in RAILS board and advisory groups related to resource sharing and consortial services, along with broader professional involvement and pursuit of continuing education

What you'll need

Education -

• Bachelor's degree required; master's degree in library and/or information science highly preferred

Knowledge/Experience -

• Minimum 5 years combined library experience including public services; cataloging, technology, and/or integrated library system administration experience a plus
• Minimum 2 years of supervisory experience; technology or technical services supervision preferred
• Minimum 3 years of experience delivering front-line patron service in a library setting strongly preferred, but other relevant customer service experience will be considered
• Minimum 3 years of experience using integrated library systems and online public access catalogs (OPACs)
• Minimum 2 years of experience managing large projects with multiple stakeholders
• Experience working in or with library consortia required
• Experience offering training or workshops for individual and groups of adult learners
• Experience supervising staff members and coaching for peak performance
• Experience demonstrating a collaborative approach to problem solving with an emphasis on building consensus, relationships, and results
• Knowledge of library technology, terminology, and procedures
• Knowledge of association management and member relations management
• Extensive knowledge of office software

Skills/Abilities –

• Ability to delegate tasks, develop and implement comprehensive project plans for multiple projects, and meet budgetary objectives while making adjustments to project constraints.
• Ability to plan and coordinate the work of others, including but not limited to staff, library boards, administrators, and vendors
• Ability to establish relationships and provide leadership with direct reports, fellow employees, member library staff, and other constituents and stakeholders
• Ability to communicate effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders via in-person interactions, telephone, videoconference, e-mail, other written communications, and remote collaboration tools, with the recognition that skill levels, technology comfort, and needs vary
• Demonstrated ability to deliver customer service that includes needs assessment, adherence to standards, and evaluation of customer satisfaction
• Ability to analyze data to clarify needs or problems
• Ability to practice good judgment and recommend solutions to challenges and enhancements to services or processes
• Approach problems with a positive attitude, foreseeing potential problems, building consensus, and providing practical solutions based on experience
• Demonstrates excellent time and project management skills, as well as the ability to prioritize daily tasks, special projects, and time sensitive issues despite frequent interruptions.
• Ability to learn and use extensive workplace technology including email, Internet, office software, remote collaboration tools, and other software
• Ability to exercise initiative and work without close supervision

What RAILS offers

• Competitive pay
• A generous benefits package that includes health insurance, a retirement plan, flexible spending accounts, and paid time off
• Comfortable office working environment
• Opportunities for professional development and for participation in professional organizations

RAILS is committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. Our human capital is the most valuable asset we have. The collective sum of the individual differences, life experiences, knowledge, inventiveness, innovation, self-expression, unique capabilities, and talent is a significant part of not only our culture, but our reputation and organization's achievement as well.

We are an equal opportunity employer and make employment decisions without regard to differences in age, color, disability, ethnicity, family or marital status, gender identity or expression, language, national origin, physical and mental ability, political affiliation, race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, veteran status, and other characteristics that make individuals unique.

Application Deadline: Wednesday, July 27, 2022

Application Note: How to join our team……

If you would like to support our member libraries please apply on the RAILS Job Board at: https://jobs.railslibraries.org/