Summary: 

The Vice President of Operations leads teams of library professionals across various libraries and library systems within a designated region. (37 locations). The Vice President must provide exceptional guidance and mentorship to library staff, particularly Library Directors. The role emphasizes fostering vibrant libraries and inspiring staff with innovative ideas to enhance the library experience.

The Vice President should excel at promoting the use of library services among the public and strategic partners. Excellent judgment, relationship management, and effective communication with diverse stakeholders are essential for success in this position. The Vice President of Operations must collaborate closely with LS&S clients, local officials, library boards, and community stakeholders. This collaboration aims to ensure that libraries are responsive to local public needs and priorities. This position requires frequent travel, approximately 70% or more, to various library locations, clients, and potential clients.

Key Responsibilities

Managerial Coaching & Development

• Provide hands-on support and mentorship to managers at customer locations, guiding their professional growth and honing their leadership skills.
• Regularly assess managerial performance and set personalized development goals that align with organizational and customer objectives.

Onsite Engagement & Relationship Building

• Spend the majority of time visiting customer locations to build and strengthen relationships, ensuring a customer-centric approach in all interactions.
• Engage with managers and employees directly at each site to understand needs, challenges, and opportunities for improvement.
• Serve as a visible and accessible resource for managers and clients, reinforcing the organization’s commitment to service excellence.

Training & Continuous Improvement

• Collaborate to design, implement, and oversee training programs that effectively equip managers with the skills to lead teams within customer environments.
• Stay up-to-date with best leadership, management, and customer service practices, integrating innovative approaches into training modules.

Customer Relationship Management

• Oversee and enhance the quality of customer relationships maintained by managers, ensuring alignment with customer expectations and satisfaction.
• Collaborate with managers to develop strategies that strengthen client satisfaction and improve service delivery.
• Act as a point of escalation for client concerns, working with managers to resolve issues swiftly and effectively.

Team Building & Collaboration

• Cultivate a culture of collaboration, transparency, and mutual respect within and across management levels.
• Lead team-building initiatives that strengthen bonds among managers and employees, encouraging cross-departmental collaboration and knowledge sharing.

Performance Management

• Set clear expectations and performance metrics for managers, providing regular feedback to ensure continuous growth and accountability.
• Develop and utilize performance assessment tools to track progress and proactively address improvement areas.

Experience

• Proven experience in a management role with responsibilities for coaching and developing managers, managing customer relationships, and experience working onsite at client locations; experience in professional development and training preferred.

Skills

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills with a talent for fostering relationships and driving team engagement.

Attributes:

• Strong Collaborator that builds trust and cohesion with their peer group and teams.
• Visionary with the ability to inspire and lead through change.
• Customer-focused leader with a commitment to excellence in service.
• Empathetic leader who supports others’ growth and respects diverse perspectives.
• Proactive problem-solver with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Mobile and flexible, and willing to travel frequently to customer locations.

Job Requirements:

 Masters Degree in Library Science (MILS required)

• Senior Managerial experience (5+ years) required.
• Experience analyzing and applying financial reports and data (usage, demographics, trends, etc.)
• Demonstrated success in a complex, fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organization and time management skills
• Excellent attention to detail
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Prominent level of reliability and dependability.
• Frequent travel (70%+) to library locations, clients, and potential clients.
• The position requires that you be located in Riverside County, CA, or within 25 miles of Riverside County.