Information Specialist (Librarian) JBH at Vega School

Job Purpose:
To provide comprehensive information service on a complex and advanced level, developing information centres’ collections to meet the needs of the staff and students, both on and off campus of individual faculties, and the development and delivery of research workshops, and a range of literacy programs.

In line with Vega School academic strategy, the successful incumbent will be responsible for designing, planning, organising and managing of all information and research support services to cater for the needs of the academic teams, researchers, and students according to the research strategies and policies.
Education:

• Honours degree in Library Science. Master’s degree in library & Information Science will be an added advantage. An English major will be an advantage.

Functional Competencies:

• Excellent, clearly succinct and accurate verbal and written communication and presentation skills particularly in English, to a range of audiences.
• Excellent interpersonal and teamwork skills.
• Accuracy and attention to detail.
• Strong organisational, administrative and time-management skills.
• Understanding of research process and experience in doing research.
• Excellent knowledge of online database usage (e.g Library Management System, preferably Sirsi Dynix Symphony, Ebscohost, Emerald, Sabinet, OERs).
• Excellent applied academic writing skills (not negotiable) and the ability to train these skills.
• Knowledge and experience in reference management and software programs.
• Working knowledge of web and citation metrics.
• Working knowledge of MS Office.
• Coaching, mentoring and training skills.
• Information and digital skills including multi-literacy skills.
• Commitment to excellent customer service.
• Willingness to produce own research.
• Innovative and energetic.

Work Experience:

• Minimum three years’ experience in managing an academic library, academic compliance and functions or activities within a higher-education environment.
• Demonstrated capability and capacity to manage services in an academic library.
• Experience in assisting students in academic writing and research skills.
• Must be a LIASA member.

Key Performance Areas:

Planning, administering, organising and delivering the online information centre’s services

• Create good working relationships with management, colleagues, students and suppliers.
• Actively and meaningfully participate in meetings and webinars.
• Ensure and monitor excellent information-centre services.
• Keep and maintain records on various reporting platforms.

 Postgraduate research support and services:

• Plan, design and facilitate research capacity workshops and programmes including the research literacy, academic literacy, and meta-literacies in general, where applicable collaborating with the National Research Manager and Information Centres Manager
• Assist students and lecturers in the use of plagiarism prevention and research and reference tools such as Safe Assign, Mendeley and Zotero
• Create researcher profiles and conduct selective dissemination of information (SDIs)
• Process interlibrary loans.

Research Capacity Building Support

• Be familiar with the approved research capacity building planning
• Be an academic partner in actioning research capacity building plans’ goals, in collaboration with the national research manager and information centres’ manager.
• Be familiar with basic social-science research methods and methodologies.

Marketing, Awareness and Dissemination of Information Services Communication

• Plan, promote and implement online information and research services marketing plans.
• Actively participate in academic forums to create awareness of the value chain of information centre’s services within teaching and learning.
• Actively participate in research and postgraduate activities.
• Actively search and promote suitable external conferences.

Teaching and Learning Support, Information and all Academic Literacies

• Promote responsible use of intellectual property and legal compliance.
• Undertake effective reference interviews.
• Provide one-on-one information sessions to support students.
• Deliver services on the learning management system, Blackboard Learn.
• Work in collaboration with the information centres manager to ensure that collections and subscriptions are appropriate.

Policy and Standards Compliance

• Monitor adherence to all the information centre-related policies and report progress or anomalies to the campus Vice Principal Academic and Information Centres' Manager

Networking, communication and reporting

• Compile and distribute accurate reports.
• Stay abreast of industry developments and participate in forums.
• Build and foster relationships with research managers.
• Participate in The IIE-Vega information centre workshop and forums; be an active participant in The IIE-Vega information community.
• Keep abreast with research trends/focus areas conducted by the Human Science Research Council and NRF.
• Identify opportunities for research/open research databases and secondary data access that can be utilised for research production.