Director of Learning, Research and Technology
Lead a department responsible for library research, learning, and outreach, educational technology, and spatial analysis services. Develop and continue to evolve the vision for the department that incorporates the combined missions and strategic priorities of both the Libraries and Information Technology Services. Lead in designing, assessing and refining user services to provide a user-focused, seamless experience for the Smith community. Promote use of library collections, teaching with technology, research services, and emerging uses of technologies (e.g., data, GIS). Develop library learning spaces to serve changing work and curricular practices. Contribute to an integrated campus-wide planning for digital and physical learning environments. Collaborate with academic support partners including the centers for writing, quantitative learning, work & life, disability services, and wellness in the goal to prepare students for lifelong learning. Lead the department in creating an inclusive, equitable, and respectful environment.
Leadership and Management: Lead, manage, develop and assess the blended Learning, Research and Technology department. Participate in the Library Leadership Team, which is responsible for setting the strategic direction and vision for the libraries, and for creating and managing a work environment of discovery, innovation and entrepreneurship. Participate in the college’s IT leadership groups, contribute to strategic and organizational planning focused on excellence, effectiveness, innovation, and collaboration. Participate in formal and informal college leadership and governance mechanisms for academic support, including committees that oversee library and educational technology services
Oversee department staff support of library-wide efforts for open access, scholarly communication, digital scholarship, open educational resources, and user experience. Collaborate across the College and the Five Colleges in communities of interest to identify innovative and best practices. Achieve operational excellence through continuous development of staff, effective allocation of resources, continuing assessment and adoption of best practices.
Research and Educational Technologies Services: Contribute to and support digital scholarship and creation of online learning objects through the investigation, implementation and enhancement of tools that assist with research, instruction, scholarship, and learning. Contribute to strategic planning and service management for the Smith academic tools ecosystem. Operational leadership of library programs, services and strategic initiatives in teaching, learning, research, and research data management. Introduce, promote and evaluate use of educational technology in teaching and learning, working with faculty, students and staff. Identify and promote pedagogical uses of learning spaces within the libraries.
Develop services to support applying learning and pedagogical theory and best practices in user experience to teaching by department staff in classes and activities. Continuously refine and assess program to develop student competencies in information research and management, critical thinking, and technology uses. Build integrated, collaborative, effective user service models across the libraries and with IT partners. Collaborate with academic support partners in building and assessing integrated academic support services located within and across the libraries. In collaboration with other library and IT leadership, continue to develop and assess digital scholarship, scholarly communications and open access programs. Responsible for the academic department liaison model appropriate to the needs of the academic departments, library and education services, and collections.
Education/Experience: MLS, Master’s degree in education, or a related field plus a minimum of 7 - 10 years of experience or an equivalent combination of education and relevant work experience; progressively responsible experience in planning, implementing, and managing research and learning, and educational technology services; substantial supervisory and leadership experience; solid knowledge of liberal arts disciplines and academic environment; demonstrated knowledge of curricular support, emerging pedagogies and technologies, and experience in best practices in assessment.
Skills: Demonstrated ability to lead and to work in a collegial and collaborative environment. Ability to think strategically at both a systems level and a group level. Ability to apply critical, analytical and innovative thinking to work. Ability to successfully manage projects; prioritize work; and identify and solve problems. Excellent written and oral communication skills. Demonstrated skill in managing teams that collaborate across departments in agile, fast-changing environments. Demonstrated continuous learning of new skills, their application and sharing with colleagues. Familiarity with best practices in research and teaching, collection development and learning environments.