About The Position

Anticipated Salary Range: $110,403 - $164,936

Who We Are

Montgomery County Public Libraries (MCPL) has a vision of a world where knowledge allows diverse communities to prosper and grow. In order to support this vision, we create opportunities through meaningful connections by acting as the knowledge sharing center for over 1 million diverse customers.

Approximately 500 engaged and passionate staff provide services in 21 library locations and in community engagement using direct outreach and virtual assistance. MCPL is an open, inviting, and vital gateway to the information, ideas and enrichment that strengthens our county. A diverse, highly qualified staff continually assesses community needs and interests to support, encourage and inspire our customers.

MCPL believes in the right of all to learn and to grow. We value intellectual freedom, accountability, quality service, diversity, fairness, professional ethics, integrity of information and respect for our customers, our community, and ourselves. We are a learning organization that functions openly by exploring new ideas and using the collective talent, knowledge, and creativity of employees at all levels.

The Montgomery County Library System is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. MCPL values diverse perspectives, lived experiences, and cultures. MCPL encourages BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color), immigrants, women, LGBTQIA+, individuals with disabilities and veterans to apply. As part of this commitment, MCPL provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities to participate in the job application or interview process and/or to perform the essential functions of the position.

Who We Are Looking For

Montgomery County Public Libraries is seeking a dynamic, experienced Program Administrator interested in driving significant constructive change within a public service organization that positively impacts the lives of over 1 million Montgomery County residents. The ideal candidate must be an excellent communicator, collaborator, and strategic thinker who will deliver outstanding customer service to County employees and residents alike. The Assistant Director for Branch Operations will be a part of MCPL’s Executive Team, providing leadership and oversight to develop and carry out the goals of the organization.

This position with provide administrative oversight to the Regional Managers and Library Program & Engagement Manager. The Assistant Director for Branch Operations must coordinate the work of these teams to ensure that MCPL’s collaboration and excellent service enhance the customer’s experience. The portfolio includes teams responsible for the delivery of customer-focused library services, branch operations for 22 locations, age-level programming, community engagement, outreach, public service policies and procedures, management of data-informed decisions, oversight of branch fiscal resources and management of branch supervisors.

What You'll Be Doing

• Champion of the Library’s strategic goals and initiatives by working collaboratively with the Director and members of the Executive Team on policies, procedures, strategic goals and practices that support MCPL’s vision and mission .
• Work with MCPL’s Executive Team to identify opportunities to improve customer experience and recommendations to enhance service and access to the community.
• Strategic oversight and guidance of MCPL’s Manager IIIs (6 Regional Managers, Library Program and Engagement Manager) in the development and implementation of strategic initiatives which promote the library’s services, programs and collections.
• Support of the Regional Managers to ensure consistent branch operations across the 22 locations including staff training and performance management, community engagement, superior customer service and policies and procedures.
• Support of the Library Program & Engagement Manager with building relationships to connect the community with MCPL resources and services, collaboration with Montgomery County’s Regional Services Centers (Bethesda-Chevy Chase, East Montgomery County, Mid-County, Silver Spring, UpCounty ), and support of school and community events.
• Provide the leadership and guidance to the Central Programming Team on the delivery of age-level (adult, emerging/young-adult, children/early-literacy) programming with an equity lens, program evaluation, participation on inter-county committees and taskforces and programming partnerships.
• Collaborate with the Assistant Director for Facilities & ADA on building renovation/refresh projects and building conditions.
• Provide oversight of fiscal resources for programming requests for the branches and the Central Programming Team.
• Liaise with Boards of Montgomery County Library and Friends of the Library, Montgomery County (FOLMC) on behalf of Public Services.
• Provide mentoring and coaching to MLS direct reports to ensure professional growth and review/evaluate work performance and evaluations.
• Recommend and assist with the coordination and implementation of library projects, services policy, and procedural changes that will increase efficiency, enhance services and support staff and community.
• Ensure all Policy & Procedure documentation related to the portfolio is kept accurate and up to date
  
  

Minimum Qualifications

Experience: Seven years of progressively responsible professional experience in a public library environment, three years of which were in a supervisory or executive capacity .

Note: The term “executive” is further defined as a high echelon or high-level position in an organization that is assigned technical research, management advisory services responsibilities, or policy-making duties and responsibilities that exerts considerable influence on organizational policy, plans, and operations through technical research, management advisory services, and/or policy-making duties and responsibilities (e.g., County positions at Grade 30 or above).

Education: An MLS, MLIS, or similar American Library Association accredited degree

Equivalency: None

Applicants who meet the minimum qualifications will be rated “Qualified” and placed on the eligible list for a period of six (6) months .

If selected for an interview, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume .

Preferred Criteria, Interview Preferences

There are no preferred criteria. All applicants will be reviewed by OHR for minimum qualifications. Applicants who meet minimum qualifications will be rated "Qualified," placed on the Eligible List, and may be considered for interview. Selection for interviews will be given to applicants with experience in the following:

• Operations experience is a large, urban public library environment
• Project Management experience
• Significant experience managing in a union environment
  
  

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

The Office of Human Resources (OHR) reviews the minimum qualifications of all applicants, irrespective of whether the candidate has previously been found to have met the minimum requirements for the job or been temporarily promoted to the same position. This evaluation is based solely on the information contained in the application/resume submitted for this specific position.

Montgomery County Government(MCG) is an equal opportunity employer, committed to workforce diversity. Accordingly, as it relates to employment opportunities, the County will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities, in accordance with the law. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodation for any part of the application and hiring process should email OHR at [email protected] . Individual determinations on requests for reasonable accommodation will be made in accordance with all applicable laws.

MCG also provides hiring preference to certain categories of veterans and veterans/persons with a disability. For more information and to claim employment preference, refer to the Careers webpage on Hiring Preference .

All applicants will respond to a series of questions related to their education, relevant experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities required to minimally perform the job. The applicant's responses in conjunction with their resume and all other information provided in the employment application process will be evaluated to determine the minimum qualifications and preferred criteria or interview preference status. Based on the results, the highest qualified applicants will be placed on an Eligible List and may be considered for an interview. Employees meeting minimum qualifications who are the same grade will be placed on the Eligible List as a "Lateral Transfer" candidate and may be considered for an interview.

This will establish an Eligible List that may be used to fill both current and future vacancies.

If selected for consideration for this position, you may be required to provide evidence that you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities indicated on your resume.

Montgomery County Ethics Law : Except as provided by law or regulation, the County's "Public Employees" (which does not include employees of the Sheriff's office) are subject to the County's ethics law including the requirements to obtain advanced approval of any outside employment and the prohibitions on certain outside employment. The outside employment requirements of the ethics law can be found at 19A-12 of the County Code . Additional information about outside employment can be obtained from the Ethics Commission website.