Job Details

Home Careers Job Details

Dean, University Library - American University in Cairo

Location: Egypt - Cairo

Company Description:
Founded in 1919, AUC is a leading English-language, American-accredited institution of higher education and center of intellectual, social and cultural life in the Arab world. Its community of students, parents, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni and other generous sponsors represent more than 60 countries. The University stands at the crossroads of world cultures and acts as a vibrant forum for reasoned argument, spirited debate and understanding across a diversity of languages and human experiences.

The University offers 36 undergraduate, 44 master's and two PhD programs rooted in a liberal arts education that encourages students to think critically and find creative solutions to conflicts and challenges facing both the region and the world. AUC embraces a globally recognized professional community and offers an English-based education that meets the needs of the dynamic Egyptian and broader regional economies.

The University's educational assets include the largest English-language academic library collection in Egypt, three modern theaters and 16 cross-disciplinary research centers. The University's modern, 260-acre New Cairo campus constitutes a visionary investment in the future of Cairo, Egypt and the region - a state-of-the-art facility for advanced research, innovative teaching, lifelong learning and civic engagement.

Chartered and accredited in the United States and Egypt, The American University in Cairo is an independent, not-for-profit, equal-opportunity institution.

Job Description:
The dean leads the library in all aspects of fulfilling its mission of supporting the information needs and intellectual responsibilities of AUC as an influential global university committed to excellence. He/she works closely with the Provost and other senior administrative officers to enhance programs both within the library and across the university. The dean is responsible for all matters related to the administration of the library assuring that they remain on the cutting edge of information technology and providing excellent service and resources to faculty, staff and students. The dean directly supervises the Associate Deans and directors of units, and the administrative staff supporting the office of the dean. He/she reports to the Provost.

The dean is responsible for delivering cutting-edge transformative library services and spaces to the university community. He/she will engage in strategic planning and assessment consistent with the university mission and strategic objectives and direction by developing, coordinating and evaluating the goals and objectives of AUC library that can help provide to the community a unique experience for knowledge creating and dissemination using innovative and state-of-the-art learning environment.

The dean will oversee the collection acquisition and development, budgeting, staff, fundraising, the maintenance and formation of local, regional and international partnerships, library services, physical space, information technology adoption and development, website development, and strategic planning that relate to the university library. He/she is committed to understanding the different needs and requirements of the university library's users and devoted to making it easier for faculty, students, and staff to teach, research, learn, and work through the effective use of communication and information technology.


Responsibilities and Tasks:
LEADERSHIP

  • Provides leadership and executive management to the university library
  • Develops a strategic vision which ensures that the library embodies a model of modern librarianship
  • Advocates for the LLT in institutional processes for planning, policy development and decision making
  • Serves as a member of the Provost Council and works closely with the university leadership and with Deans and department Chairs to prioritize and focus future library developments
  • Establishes goals for organizational accomplishment, assess outcomes on an annual basis, and develops a culture of accountability among direct reports
  • Uses advisory groups from the AUC community and beyond to provide invaluable contributions to the Dean in areas of assessment, strategic planning and soliciting external funds


ADMINISTRATION

  • Leads and coordinates the governance of the library, leads the processes of the administrator selection, oversees the processes of faculty and staff selection and retention and coordinates the professional development of the library's administrators and staff
  • Creates innovative opportunities/solutions to assure the development and progression of student educational experiences.
  • Engages and supports the university's research plans and endeavors
  • Enables an innovative environment needed for teaching, learning, and research
  • Creates an environment that facilitates research and scholarly activity with an understanding of traditional and innovative methods of information dissemination such as open access, institutional repositories and research data management
  • Oversees support to research and creative teaching through the development of collections of international status, including the production of original, primary source materials unique to AUC
  • Demonstrates a deep commitment to keeping pace with rapid developments and evolving technologies in the library world
  • Evaluates overall service responsibilities and supervises and supports the administrative staff in a manner that promotes excellence in creative service at the university
  • Ensures that the library provide the quality innovative content, equipment and spaces crucial to student academic success and scholarly research needs of faculty and special researchers
  • Develops and promotes new initiatives and programs for the library and beyond while implementing new and interesting ways to expand the users base and improve access to the library's collections and services
  • Collaborates with faculty, students and staff to actively promote infusion of information literacy concepts and skills into the curriculum and assesses, creates, oversees and leverages innovative collections
  • Serves as campus contact, in collaboration with other stakeholders, for copyright and intellectual property queries, raises awareness of copyright issues in classrooms and with materials, facilitates the negotiation of intellectual rights management and obtaining of permissions


PARTNERSHIPS AND OUTREACH

  • Oversees library branding and marketing to enhance the impact of the library and optimize user experience
  • Participates in consortia for resource sharing and develop/utilize new models to obtain resources
  • Secures support for library initiatives through fund raising, grants and other means
  • Promotes collaborative and consortia relationships with other libraries on national, regional and international levels


Requirements:
Key Attributes of Successful Candidate
Successful candidate should preferably have an American Library Association accredited degree. Graduate degree such as master in library science (MLS), master in information science (MIS), master of science (MS), master of arts (MA), master of business administration (MBA) or PhD in a relevant subject is preferred. He/she should have 15+ years of increasingly responsible administrative positions in university or research libraries including at least 10 years in senior leadership positions in an academic institution with a culture of shared governance.

The successful candidate is likely to also possess the following specific attributes:

  • Should be an experienced academic leader with interpersonal and leadership skills who has vision, imagination, creativity, and energy, and the skills necessary to set and achieve ambitious goals
  • Have preferably worked in an academic/library, while successfully implementing operational details and managing staff
  • Should possess solid international experience, and preferably be engaged with global networks of academic institutions
  • A record that shows a meaningful commitment to and demonstrated accomplishments in issues associated with inclusiveness and diversity
  • A record demonstrating creative thinking and the ability to make clear, informed decisions
  • A record demonstrating superior strong oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills and the ability to articulate a compelling message to diverse audiences
  • A commitment to and evidence of securing external support through fundraising and development
  • Knowledge of innovative libraries' technology and pedagogy including creative experiential learning and instructional delivery systems and platforms
  • Experience in accreditation standards and agencies
  • A collaborative leader with a proven track record or bringing groups together to meet objectives
  • Experience with faculty recruitment and retention
  • Experience in strategic planning and the ability to work collaboratively with faculty and academic leaders to identify the academic priorities and develop strategies and tactics for achieving them
  • Commitment to professional, community-based, applied, and innovative education and scholarship
  • Evidence of support for faculty entrepreneurialism in scholarly research, teaching, and service
  • Evidence of support for student achievement and student success
  • A clear awareness of innovative pedagogical practices and the use of instructional technologies to support teaching and learning
  • Financial acumen and proven abilities in budget and financial management
  • A strong international network
  • Evidence of global and/or regional cooperation
  • Strong understanding of and commitment to research libraries and their mission, including awareness of knowledge of data curation, digital preservation and digital scholarship developments, is highly desirable


Additional Information:
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.


Application Instructions:
All applicants must submit the following documents via the online system: a) an updated CV; b) a letter of interest; c) names and contact information for at least three references familiar with your professional background; d) a completed AUC Personnel Information Form (PIF).


Apply Here: http://www.Click2Apply.net/qjm8zntwzwb7dggc

PI106159903

Company Website: http://www.Click2Apply.net/qjm8zntwzwb7dggc