Faculty Librarian (Medicine, Health and Life Sciences)

To provide specialist professional support to University staff and students as well as HSC Library members and to manage the Medicine, Health & Life Sciences Subject Support Team. This post will be based at the Medical & HSC Library at the Royal Victoria Hospital, Mulhouse Building, Belfast.

MAJOR DUTIES:

• Lead and manage the Medicine, Health & Life Sciences Subject Support Team.
• Co-ordinate team activities in relation to resource development across the range of subject areas for which the team is responsible; co-ordinate ongoing stock management and relegation in designated areas.
• Co-ordinate specialist training programmes for staff/students/HSC Library members in relevant subject areas.
• Manage the team resource development budgets and manage monitoring procedures such as the annual journals review exercise to ensure budgets are not exceeded.
• Develop, in consultation with academic staff, resources relevant to the teaching, research and professional needs of library users in the area supported; play an ongoing role in stock management and relegation in designated areas.
• Deputise for the Medical and HSC Librarian as required.
• Contribute to the overall management and development of the Library service by interpreting and assessing requirements,
• identifying trends, generating ideas and testing innovative solutions.
• Report progress to senior management, University Committees and external monitoring agencies (e.g. Department of Health
• Library Advisory Group) as required.
• Contribute as a member of the Library Management Team to the development of strategy, policy and practice.
• Identify additional service requirements or service shortfalls and co-ordinate and/or design the delivery of innovative solutions to maximize service quality, efficiency and continuity. Ensure professional and quality service standards are maintained and applied within area of team activity. Prepare, analyse and present reports, statistics and other data relating to the management and work of the team. Provide specialist advice, information and assistance to users to resolve problems and to maximise uptake and exploitation of Library services and resources. Carry out any other duties which are appropriate to the post as may be reasonably requested by senior management.

Planning and Organising:

• Plan and organize team activity with an appreciation of longer term issues, ensuring team plans feed into broader Directorate and University operational plans.
• Manage projects to facilitate major service/policy/operational changes with broad university/regional impact.

Resource Management Responsibilities:

• Manage resources/budgets within allocated areas to ensure maximum value is delivered for resources deployed.
• Contribute to resource and budget planning for the team.
• Manage academic related and clerical staff to ensure the successful delivery of specialist subject support and other services; delegate work activities to deliver team objectives ensuring agreed strategies and policies are implemented.
• Responsibility for staff development within the team including helping team members to develop their professional effectiveness.

Internal and External Relationships:

• Represent the team at internal meetings and the Division/Subject Support Teams at external meetings to ensure that issues are appropriately represented and acted on.
• Maintain contact with other areas of the University (individual Schools, other support Directorates, etc.) and with representatives of external user groups to develop improved processes and supporting systems.
• Maintain external links with specialist Library bodies or groups on a national basis and with representatives of external user groups.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA:

• Candidates must be qualified librarians with a degree or a postgraduate qualification in librarianship, information studies or information management that is recognised by CILIP.
• A minimum of four years recent (i.e. in the last 7 years) post qualification professional library experience.
• Experience of managing and developing staff.
• Significant experience in the development and exploitation of electronic and printed resources to support a defined discipline-based user group.
• Significant experience in a Subject Librarian role.
• Excellent information, IT and web skills and significant work-based experience of using a wide range of technologies.
• Experience in an academic library.
• Experience in training/teaching small or large groups of library users in information literacy skills.
• Detailed knowledge of a range of academic library operations and an understanding of trends in information management and delivery. Detailed knowledge and understanding of relevant systems – Library Management System, relevant subject databases and resource discovery and management tools. High level of specialist/professional engagement with current practice and developing knowledge.
• Sound understanding of recent developments in comparable subject support roles and involvement in a network of contacts.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• High level presentation skills.
• Strong commitment to customer service and ongoing service development.
• Commitment to personal development.
• Demonstrable ability to motivate self and others.
• Proven ability to use initiative and judgement to arrive at consistent decisions.
• Ability to plan and prioritise the work of the team.
• Analytical and problem solving skills.
• The post will involve regular evening and weekend work.
• The post will involve visits to hospital sites across Northern Ireland.

DESIRABLE CRITERIA:

• A background in supporting users in a health and social care discipline.
• Demonstrable experience of applying emerging technologies in the areas of eLearning and social media to support professional practice in a library setting.
• Demonstrable financial understanding and ability to manage and control budgets.