Closing Date – 3/6/2024 11:59 PM Pacific

The San José Public Library is currently seeking to fill two (2) Senior Librarian position. Senior Librarians manage branch libraries or a major unit of the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Library. They are responsible for ensuring that system policies, programs and service initiatives are implemented and for ensuring efficient and appropriate delivery of service and programs. In addition, there are system support duties that enhance the development and improvement of library services to the community, which involve participation on or facilitation of teams and task forces. It is also critical for Senior Librarians to play a large role in enhancing the development and improvement of services to the community.

The ideal candidates for the positions will be strong and innovative leaders with awareness of the Mission, Vision, & Values statements of the City of San José and the San José Public Library. They will have knowledge of current library technology and trends; they will have experience working with a diverse community and staff, and enjoy working in a fast-paced, innovative team environment. Bilingual skills preferred. The schedule will consist of an evening, a Saturday, and a Sunday rotation.
This recruitment may be used to fill multiple positions in this, or other divisions or departments. If you are interested in employment in this classification, you should apply to ensure you are considered for additional opportunities that may utilize the applicants from this recruitment. 

Minimum Qualifications

Education Experience:
Completion of Master’s Degree in Library Science from an accredited college or university AND Three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional library experience, including lead responsibility for professional and technical staff.

If assigned to a specialized program or service:

Four (4) years of increasingly responsible professional library experience in a lead role related to the particular program assignment

Other Qualifications

Competencies
The ideal candidate will possess the following competencies, as demonstrated in past and current employment history.  Desirable competencies for this position include:
Job Expertise – Demonstrates knowledge of and experience with applicable professional/technical principles and practices, Citywide and departmental procedures/policies and federal and state rules and regulations.
Communication Skills – Effectively conveys information and expresses thoughts and facts clearly, orally and in writing; demonstrates effective use of listening skills; displays openness to other people’s ideas and thoughts.
Teamwork & Interpersonal Skills – Develops effective relationships with co-workers and supervisors by helping others accomplish tasks and using collaboration and conflict resolution skills.
Leadership – Leads by example; demonstrates high ethical standards; remains visible and approachable and interacts with others on a regular basis; promotes a cooperative work environment, allowing others to learn from mistakes; provides motivational support and direction.
Planning – Acts to align own unit’s goals with the strategic direction of the organization; defines tasks and milestones to achieve objectives, while ensuring the optimal use of resources to meet those objectives.
Problem Solving – Approaches a situation or problem by defining the problem or issue; determines the significance of problem(s); collects information; uses logic and intuition to arrive at decisions or solutions to problems that achieve the desired outcome.
Supervision – Sets effective long and short-term goals based on a good understanding of management practices; establishes realistic priorities within available resources; provides motivational support; empowers others; assigns decision-making and work functions to others in an appropriate manner to maximize organizational and individual effectiveness.

Selection Process
The selection process will consist of an evaluation of the applicant’s training and experience based on the application and responses to the Job Specific Questions. Only the candidates whose backgrounds best match the position will be invited to proceed in the selection process.  Additional phases of the selection process will consist of one or more interviews, one of which may include a practical/writing exercise.
You will be prompted to answer the following job-specific questions during the online application process.  Please note that there is a 4,000-character limit, including spaces, for each text response.

• Describe your three (3) or more years of increasingly responsible professional library experience. Include the following information: 1) Name of organization(s), 2) Your job title(s), 3) Start and end dates.
• Describe your current or recent experience in supervising and evaluating staff performance, and leading staff through change.
• Describe your philosophy of public library service and access to facilitate, services, and information. Share two (2) examples of services or programs you have planned, implemented, and evaluated that fit in with your public library and access philosophy.
• Please describe your experience(s) with identifying a problem or inefficiency and how you approached creating and implementing a more efficient system that alleviated the issue or inefficiency. How did you identify the problem, create the solution, and manage the implementation of the change?
• Do you have a second language skill? If yes, please indicate the language and describe your fluency level.

For more detailed information and application instructions, please visit:  Job Opportunities | City of San Jose Careers (governmentjobs.com)

If you have questions about the duties of these positions, please contact Michelle Amores at michelle.amores@sjlibrary.org
If you have questions about the selection or hiring processes, please contact Cyrus Castillo at cyrus.castillo@sanjoseca.gov