Head of Technical Services
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The Schlesinger Library invites applications and nominations for an innovative, collaborative, and visionary Head of Technical Services. As part of a strategic reorganization, this newly created leadership role presents an opportunity to build upon an established foundation and shape the department for the future. The Head will lead a reimagined unit that brings together archival technical services with books and published materials, creating a cohesive, integrated program for processing, cataloging, acquisitions, and metadata management across all formats. Collections under the department’s stewardship encompass manuscripts and archives, published works, photographs, audiovisual materials, and born-digital content.
Reporting to the Library’s Executive Director, the Head of Technical Services will set and guide the department’s strategic direction, advancing effective, forward-looking approaches to technical services that enhance discovery and ensure timely, user-centered access to the Library’s holdings. This role requires broad experience across technical services, with a strong understanding of metadata standards and management for diverse formats. The successful candidate will champion adaptive practices, thoughtfully evaluate and implement new tools, systems, and technologies, and lead the department in developing streamlined, sustainable workflows that support both current needs and future growth.
Equally important, the Head will cultivate a collaborative, curiosity-driven culture in which staff are empowered to experiment, share ideas, and work together to refine processes, expand access, and advance shared goals. This is a compelling opportunity to lead a dynamic team, shape a newly configured department, and play a leading role in defining the future of technical services at the Schlesinger Library.
Job-Specific Responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership and day-to-day management for a department responsible for archival processing of analog and born-digital collections; bibliographic description and acquisitions for books and other published materials; and metadata management across archival, print, photographic, audiovisual, and born-digital formats.
- Lead the development of an integrated, end-to-end approach to technical services that brings together policies, procedures, and programs across archival processing, cataloging, acquisitions, and metadata services to reduce silos and complexity.
- Provide strategic leadership for archival processing and bibliographic cataloging by setting priorities, levels of processing, and access in alignment with current professional best practices; develop and refine scalable, flexible workflows that balance description, preservation, and user access across a wide range of formats and collection sizes.
- Oversee the development, documentation, and maintenance of department-wide policies and procedures for technical services, including metadata creation, technical processing, and applying technology to improve workflows.
- Iteratively refine the organizational structure and role design within the department to optimize workflows, clarify responsibilities, and align with evolving priorities.
- Serve as a catalyst for the department by championing experimentation, continuous improvement, and the exploration, piloting, and adoption of new methods that enhance and scale technical services.
- Provide leadership for the library’s archival metadata program by coordinating and streamlining the creation, reuse, and management of metadata for archival and bibliographic collections; analyze program needs, set priorities, and develop metadata workflows in collaboration with colleagues using systems such as Aeon, ArchivesSpace, Alma, Connexion, JSTOR Forum, and local FileMaker databases.
- Lead and manage complex department-wide and cross-departmental projects, including backlog reduction and other time-limited initiatives, with responsibility for planning, priority-setting, resource allocation, assessment, and timely completion of objectives aligned with broader library and institutional goals.
- Use data and assessment tools to evaluate technical services activities, demonstrate impact, and inform decision-making.
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Collaborate closely with the curatorial team, Research Services, Digital Collections and Services, and other library units to coordinate cataloging, processing, and access initiatives.
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Stay actively engaged in professional development and contribute to the advancement of the field through participation in professional organizations, Harvard Library committees, publications, and other forms of service.
Supervisory Responsibilities
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Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with Institute/University management policies and procedures, and in compliance with applicable laws.
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Responsibilities include hiring, supervising, mentoring and evaluating a team of archivists, librarians, library assistants, and project staff engaged in technical services work.
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Strengthen shared responsibility and effective follow-through by defining roles and responsibilities, setting achievable performance expectations, establishing regular feedback and review practices, and ensuring that staff have the resources and support needed to succeed.
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Builds and sustains an inclusive, collaborative, and high performing departmental culture that values inclusivity, creativity, transparency, and continuous learning.
Working Conditions
- Work is performed primarily in a temperature-controlled office and library environment, with some exposure to dust and mold when working with collections.
- Work format is primarily on-site, with occasional remote work in accordance with Institute/University policies and departmental needs.
Physical Requirements
The demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
- Ability to sit at a desk and work on a computer for extended periods, including tasks requiring repetitive use of hands.
- Ability to handle and examine archival and special collections materials with care.
- Ability to lift and carry materials up to 40 pounds, and to push and maneuver fully loaded book trucks or carts.
- Ability to climb ladders and use stepstools to retrieve and reshelve materials, and to work in stacks and storage areas that may require bending, reaching, standing, and walking.
- Additional physical and mental requirements may not be listed above but are inherent in performing the position’s essential functions.
Basic Qualifications
- Master’s degree in library/information science from an ALA-accredited program, or equivalent graduate degree in a related field.
- At least six years of progressively responsible professional experience within a large academic and/or special collections library, including a minimum of four years of supervisory experience. Relevant experience includes:
- Extensive experience with archival, special collections, and bibliographic cataloging standards, practices, and systems for cataloging, discovery, and access, including appraisal, arrangement, description, and preservation of archival, born-digital, and published materials.
- Demonstrated expertise with metadata standards and descriptive practices for a variety of materials and formats (e.g., archival, photographic, and audiovisual, books and periodicals, born-digital ), such as MARC, DACS, EAD, Dublin Core, PBCore, and VRA Core.
- Extensive experience in ArchivesSpace implementation, metadata standardization, and staff training and technical support.
- Demonstrated project management experience, including leading complex, multi-part projects, managing backlog reduction work, and overseeing short-term projects such as pilot initiatives and targeted efforts to address specific needs.
- Demonstrated experience with change management and building a positive, collaborative work culture.
- Demonstrated ability to implement innovative technologies, design, and...