Deputy Director: Scholarly Communication, Digital Services and Systems - Department of Library Services

UP Professional and Support

DEPARTMENT OF LIBRARY SERVICES

DEPUTY DIRECTOR: SCHOLARLY COMMUNICATION, DIGITAL SERVICES AND SYSTEMS

PEROMNES POST LEVEL 4

In pursuit of the ideals of excellence and diversity, the University of Pretoria wishes to invite applications for the following vacancy.

The University of Pretoria's commitment to quality makes us one of the top research Universities in the country and gives us a competitive advantage in international science and technology development.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Deputy Director: Scholarly Communications, Digital Services and Systems provides strategic, managerial and operational direction for a multi-disciplinary team to enable advancement of scholarly communication, research services, research reporting, repositories infrastructure, digital curation and preservation, special collection management, website portal management, digital scholarship services, IT infrastructure and copyright services for the Library both nationally and internationally. This position is also responsible for Human Resources, Financial and Risk Management.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

The successful candidate’s responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

• Strategic management and IT governance:

  • Developing a divisional strategic plan for inclusion in the Department of Library Services (DLS) strategic plan;
  • Participating in the DLS’s Exco and Management Forums, and collaborating with relevant stakeholders internally and externally to advance the Library’s strategic goals and priorities;
  • Overall management of team by leading, directing, planning, organising, staffing, coordinating, budgeting and evaluating the Library’s operation in areas of responsibility;
  • Ensuring compliance with statutory laws and regulations of all relevant structures;
  • Providing leadership in the development of user-centred quality metrics for academic scholarship, visibility, and citation metrics;
  • Ensuring that the DLS governance pertaining to division, are implemented and maintained;
  • Ensuring that a repository of department documents is recorder and kept up to date;

• Project management and stakeholder engagements:

  • Investigating latest trends, developing recommendations for approval and implementation into Library Services;
  • Integrating of innovation projects into a seamless service delivery by the Library;
  • Managing project lifecycle, with resources and budget allocation;
  • Driving the effective execution of the stakeholder management to enhance collaboration and support between DLS and stakeholders;
  • Building and maintaining key relations and communications with stakeholders;

• Financial management:

  • Compiling capital and operational budgets for the division on an annual basis; for submission to the Director for inclusion in the departmental budget application;
  • Ensuring management of the portfolio of contracts and contract renewals pertaining to external vendors/service providers to the UP’s UAIT and Capability Development division;
  • Managing the finances of the division in compliance with the University’s policies and procedures;

• Human Resources and consultant’s management:

  • Managing the team in line with the DLS and divisional strategy;
  • Monitoring and ensuring compliance to the University’s Employment Equity targets;
  • Ensuring management of the portfolio of contract renewals pertaining to external consultants to the UAIT and Capability Development division;
  • Communicating the formulated-UP policies with the staff, contract appointments and consultants, and ensuring their adherence;
  • Managing both insourced and outsourced development resources, maintaining quality standards, and ensuring the successful delivery of development work;

• Scholarly communication, digital services and systems:

  • Conducting research on innovation for library products and offerings;
  • Providing leadership and expertise in the development of the Library’s scholarly communication and research services and research reporting, in line with the UP strategy, national priorities, and global developments;
  • Leading the development of the Library’s IT services and support for relevant infrastructure, including the website;
  • Ensuring copyright services are optimum and support to all faculties is timeous;
  • Enhancing the visibility and impact of UP publications;
  • Advocating for new publishing models as the scholarly process continues to transform;
  • Representing the library on relevant bodies, committees, and task teams at an institutional and national level;
  • Managing the library website, and ensuring its design is informed by user needs.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• A relevant Master’s Degree (e.g., MEng, MSc, MLIS, etc); and
• Eight years’ experience (Of which three years in management) in:
  • Management in a higher learning environment;
  • Digital space and development;
  • Implantation of innovation;
  • Project management;
  • Human resource and financial management;
• Valid driver’s licence.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES (SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES):

• Knowledge:
  • Information industry;
  • Library tools (e.g., database, WMS, IR);
  • Higher Education environment;
• Technical competencies:
  • Comprehensive grasp of IT concepts, principles, and industry best practices;
  • Project management;
  • MS Office packages;
  • Computer literacy;
  • Resource planning and prioritisation skills;
  • Presentation skills;
• Behavioural competencies:
  • Leadership:
    • Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate teams towards achieving common goals in a dynamic academic environment;
    • Meticulous attention to detail to ensure accuracy and quality in all IT initiatives and projects;
    • Proven capability in managing and motivating teams to achieve optimal performance and productivity;
    • Demonstrated leadership skills, encompassing both strategic vision and operational execution, to drive organisational success;
  • Problem solving:
    • Proven track record of identifying challenges in academic IT, and developing innovative solutions to address them;
  • Communication:
    • Excellent verbal and written communication skills for conveying complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders;
  • Adaptability:
    • Willingness to adapt to evolving technologies and pedagogical approaches in the academic landscape;
  • Strategic thinking:
    • Ability to align IT initiatives with the strategic goals and objectives of the University’s academic mission;
  • Change management:
    • Skilled in managing change effectively, including communicating changes, addressing concerns, and facilitating adoption;
  • Organisational skills:
    • Ability to identify and set priorities, plan and effectively allocate appropriate resources;
    • Attend to detail so that relevant issues are addressed and result in high-quality outcome;
  • Stress management:
    • Ability to work well under pressure or opposition, while maintaining effectiveness and self-control in the midst of any one or a combination of stressors, including emotional strain, ambiguity, risk to self, and fatigue;
  • Valuing service and diversity:
    • Ability to be sensitive to client and community needs and perceptions, by providing prompt, efficient and equitable service, and involving clients and community in the resolution of problems that affect them;
  • Negotiation skills:
    • Effectively navigate a complex academic environment, foster collaboration, resolve conflicts, and achieve mutually beneficial outcomes in various contexts, ultimately contributing to the successful implementation of IT initiatives and the advancement of the University’s academic mission.

ADDED ADVANTAGES AND PREFERENCES:

• A relevant Doctoral degree (e.g. MEng, MSc, MLIS, MLIS, etc);
• Three years’ experience in:
  • Identifying and applying the latest industry and technological trends to advance digital library services;
  • Projec