Executive Director

Overview

The Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville is seeking an exceptional librarian to serve as its Executive Director. With a beautiful library building constructed in 2017, the Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville is transforming lives through opportunities for collaboration, experiential learning, and creative discovery.

CLD&J is an independent member of the Onondaga County Public Library System and serves over 18,000 people in the engaged communities of DeWitt and Jamesville, NY. CLD&J has an operating budget of over $1.6 million, a staff of 18 FTE, and yearly circulation over 353,000. The library’s building features a number of meeting and study rooms, comfortable seating with views, spacious children’s activity area, makerspace, teen room, and art gallery. CLD&J also has a beautiful and unique outdoor area that can support activities and workshops that inform patrons about nature, the local environment, conservation, preservation, gardening, and the beauty of the outdoors.

DeWitt and Jamesville are located just outside the City of Syracuse in the geographic center of New York State and offer changing seasons and easy access to beautiful lakes, forests, and mountains, making it a perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts. Other assets include reasonable cost of living and housing prices, excellent schools, cultural amenities, and frequent sporting events. New York City, Toronto, Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. are only a few hours away by plane, train, or automobile.

Visit the library’s web site at cldandj.org for more information.

Responsibilities

The Executive Director is responsible for all library operations and reports to the Board of Trustees.

• Works collaboratively with the Library Board of Trustees in areas including long-range and strategic planning, policy development, and budgetary planning.
• Demonstrates financial leadership, managing an annual budget, including effective monitoring and approving expenditures, and maintaining and presenting up-to-date records and reports including those required by the Library Board of Trustees, the state of NY, and annual audits.
• Provides vision and leadership for the development and implementation of a new strategic plan and ensures that it is responsive to the needs of the community and library.
• Directs, supports, and empowers the librarian leadership team, in addition to a staff of 18 FTE, working collaboratively to accomplish operational and strategic goals and plans.
• Fosters a collaborative work environment while effectively managing library personnel recruitment, supervision, development, and evaluation. 
• Oversees dynamic programming supporting the needs of the community.
• Oversees the library’s collection development and maintenance policies and procedures. 3
• Develops and maintains effective collaborations and partnerships with stakeholders and key constituency groups.
• Collaboratively develops short-term and long-range goals in support of the CLD&J’s mission and strategic plan.
• Markets and promotes the library’s services, programs and resources using innovative and effective strategies.
• Maintains a strong and effective relationship with the Library Board of Trustees, including providing regular reports and accurate information and context for decision making.  
• Conducts ongoing assessment of library programs, services, policies and procedures, and submits recommendations for initiatives and improvements to the Board.
• Keeps abreast of trends and innovations that enhance service and programs, inform library operations, and improve access to library resources and services.
• Identifies, seeks, and maintains external funding opportunities to supplement local funding of library operations, programs, and development.  
• Prepares state, local, and other reports and statistics as needed or required.
• Oversees the maintenance of the library property and building and recommends capital improvements, repairs, and alterations as necessary.

Skills

• Demonstrates strong and ethical leadership within a culture that encourages and rewards creative-thinking, innovation, collaboration and open communication among staff members and in the community.
• Develops and communicates a shared vision for the library that serves as a foundation for excellent library services and effective and efficient operations.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to effectively present and persuade both orally and in writing, and represent the library in a variety of settings.
• Deep enthusiasm for following innovations, current trends, technologies, and best practices for public libraries and effectively applying them to library services.
• Ability to manage change, build consensus, and make difficult decisions when necessary.
• Ability to analyze and interpret information, including fiscal, in order to inform effective strategies and decisions.
• A strong commitment to public service, inclusion, diversity, equity and community engagement.

Required Qualifications

• Master’s degree in library science from an American Library Association (ALA) accredited program.
• Possess or be eligible at time of appointment for a New York State Public Librarian Certificate.
• Five or more years of progressively responsible professional library experience, including at least three to five years of supervisory experience in a management or leadership role.
• Significant fiscal management experience; plus, experience securing external funding preferred.

The Community Library of DeWitt & Jamesville is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Library does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of a person’s race, religion, creed, color, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, transgender status, gender dysphoria, marital status, family status, pregnancy, military status, veteran status, genetic information including predisposing genetic characteristics or carrier status, arrest or conviction record, domestic violence victim status, or any other legally protected class or status.