Director, Library at Concordia University of Edmonton

Concordia University of Edmonton (CUE) is a community of learning grounded in scholarship and academic freedom, preparing students to be independent thinkers, ethical leaders and citizens for the common good.

CUE campus is situated on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton’s historic Highlands neighborhood. Supporting a student body of over 3,000, we are known for our small class sizes and our excellence in teaching. Our small classes and diverse student population provide an excellent opportunity for engaging with students in a sustained and nurturing way unique within the Canadian university system. CUE is an institution that values research in the sciences, social sciences, humanities and management. Our vision is to become Canada’s pre-eminent small university. CUE is committed to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment for work, study, and living. We actively promote dignity for all, rejecting action and language that are harmful to mutual respect.

Reporting to the Associate Vice-President, Research and Innovation (AVP-RI), the Director, Library (“Director”) provides strategic and operational leadership for the Library. The role encompasses academic planning, resource management, and services development. The Director serves as a key advocate for both the Library’s diverse user community and its employees, ensuring that library services and resources align with institutional goals and evolving academic needs. The Director will possess a forward-thinking perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing university libraries and be responsible for articulating a clear and compelling vision for the Library.

The incumbent endeavors to integrate and advance CUE’s commitments to Indigeneity, equity, diversity, inclusivity, and to convey respect for those undertaking research, scholarly, or artistic endeavors.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provides strategic and operational leadership for the Library.
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of emerging trends in higher education and in post-secondary institution libraries, including information literacy, innovations in scholarly communication, curriculum-driven collections, open-source repositories, data management, and technologies that support teaching, learning, scholarship, research.
• Supervises and provides leadership to direct reports by coaching, mentoring, and modeling key behaviors and strategies.
• Encourages dialogue, provides guidance and advice on library-related matters. Assists library team members define shared and individual goals, meet target dates, and ensure alignment of team goals. Monitors and assesses performance.
• Provides leadership and policy direction in the planning, organizing, coordinating, and evaluation of university library functions and services.
• Develops the next CUE Library strategic plan, as well as annual operational plans that align with institutional objectives and operational priorities, as well as the academic and research & innovation strategic plans.
• Collaborates with other institutional departments to ensure alignment of library services with others.
• Oversees, prepares, recommends, and administers the library budget.
• Develops, implements and reviews library policies and procedures.
• Works closely with Information Technology to develop and enhance library services using most appropriate information technology tools.
• Ensures that effective access to the library’s collection and services are provided.
• Promotes and represents areas of responsibility both within and outside the university through:
• active leadership and participation on internal and external committees;
• participation in provincial, regional, and national initiatives; and
• active participation in professional associations.
• Advocate for student success by actively promoting and enhancing informal and social learning resources and spaces within the library.
• Design and deliver library programs and services that reflect CUE’s learning, instruction, scholarship, and research needs.
• Provides leadership and guidance on Copyright issues and policy.
• Builds sustainable relationships with internal and external stakeholders and is an advocate for the library.
• Maintains aptitude in areas of expertise and seeks professional development, as needed.
• Performs other duties, as required.

Education and Qualifications:

• An ALA accredited Master of Library and Information Science (MLIS), or equivalent is required.
• Five years or more years of experience in a management role or successful progressive library administrative experience in a library at a post-secondary institution is required.
• Five years of experience as a librarian in a library at a post-secondary institution in a non-managerial role is considered an asset.
• Extensive and proven leadership experience in managing budgets, collections, and personnel is required.
• Strategic Leadership with a high level of personal integrity.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Google based platforms.
• Ability to communicate clearly in written and verbal form.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Strong Leadership with a high level of personal integrity.
• Ability to maintain a high level of professionalism, sound judgment and discretion in all interactions.
• Experience managing competing deadlines and working with a large degree of independence is required.
• A positive attitude and a demonstrated ability to be a team player.
• Effective problem solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Satisfactory Criminal Records Check results is required.

Closing Date: Application review will commence on January 9, 2026, and will continue until the position is filled.

To apply, please include a cover letter and resume in confidence to Human Resources at Concordia University of Edmonton.