Mid-City East Region
Regular, FLSA exempt, full-time position (80 hours per pay period); Benefits eligible
$106,446.24 – $129,142.80 annually
Hours for this appointment may include weekdays, weekends and evenings.
This position is open to the public and to The Seattle Public Library’s employees. This recruitment
will be open until the position is filled. Applications – including cover letter and resume – submitted in
NEOGOV by 5:00 PM, Monday, September 4, 2023 will receive first consideration. Please read
the How to Apply section of this bulletin for more information.
Overview
The Seattle Public Library’s mission is to bring people, information and ideas together to enrich lives
and build community. We view Seattle as a city where imagination and opportunity continue to
thrive. Since 1891, we have grown from a single reading room in Pioneer Square to a world-class
library system with 27 locations.
The Library works every day to foster and support a healthy city and a healthy democracy. We do
this work guided by the principles of intellectual freedom, literacy and the love of learning, racial
equity, privacy and confidentiality, respect for the community, strong partnerships and innovation.
We are an active and committed partner in the City of Seattle’s Race and Social Justice Initiative.
Library employees are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge, quality of service and
caring. As a workplace, we value respectful and transparent communication, partnership and
engagement. We are enriched individually and organizationally because of our diversity and growth
mindset. We take time to recognize and celebrate the achievements of others.
If you share these values and meet the qualifications, the Library invites you to apply for
the Regional Manager position.
The Mid-City East (MCE) Regional Manager provides leadership for four branch locations: Capitol
Hill, Douglass-Truth, Madrona-Sally Goldmark, and Montlake. Responsibilities include providing
daily oversight and direction for assigned units as well as engaging in long-range planning to ensure
that the work is aligned with our forward-looking service priorities: Youth and Early Learning,
Technology and Access, Community Engagement, and Re-imagined Spaces.
The MCE Regional Manger supervises two Branch Operations Managers who lead the Douglass-
Truth and Capitol Hill locations and two Supervising Librarians who lead the Montlake and Madrona-
Sally Goldmark locations. This position will also lead the work of librarians and paraprofessionals
(Library Associate 4s) providing patron services at these locations. In addition, the Regional
Manager provides leadership for the daily work and long range planning of these departments,
ensuring that information services, programming and outreach, collection maintenance, circulation
and materials movement function smoothly. The MCE Regional Manager also works closely with
Security and Facilities staff to provide a welcoming and safe environment.
This position reports to the Director of Library Programs and Services or the Assistant Director for
Public Services and are members of the Public Services Management Team (PSMT), which consists
of seven Regional Managers, the Assistant Director for Equity, Learning & Engagement Services
(ELES) and ELES Service Managers. The PSMT works collaboratively to lead the development of
responsive public services and innovative operational systems, and to implement and support
effective policies and procedures to guide the work of Public Services staff throughout the system.
The successful candidate for this position will bring passion and commitment to the task of providing
excellent, innovative library services. The ideal candidate will be a strong leader, experienced
manager and collaborative management team player. This candidate will be an excellent
communicator, possessing diplomacy, tact, excellent listening skills, strong group facilitation skills,
analytical and problem-solving skills, a commitment to establishing an environment of open, honest
communication and rational decision-making as well as the ability to negotiate with all levels of staff
to accomplish the mission and goals of the Library.
Staff members are highly regarded by the public for their knowledge and quality of service. We
embrace our organizational values of respect, partnership, engagement, diversity, transparency and
recognition. We foster a culture of innovation and we encourage and support employees’ creativity,
engagement, learning and development. If you share these values, we invite you to apply.
Job Responsibilities:
Strategic Planning: Plan strategic direction and provide recommendations to Public Services
leadership for the enhancement of library programs and services. Contribute current knowledge
related to trends, issues and practices in library services to support the development of excellent and
innovative library services. Implement changes and enhancements as required.
Supervision and Oversight: Hire, train, manage and oversee the work of staff. Coach, develop
and guide staff toward the highest standards of service. Provide broad direction, advice and training
for staff to support the development and delivery of innovative, responsive services. Evaluate staff
performance and collaborate with the Service Managers in performance evaluation of relevant staff.
Collaborate with other Regional and Service Managers regarding these issues at a system level.
Ensure that exemplary customer service is provided to the public and internal customers.
Outreach: Represent the Library to the public and in collaboration with a wide variety of community
organizations and government agencies, such as the City of Seattle and Seattle’s Community
Colleges.
Leadership: Provide both system-wide and external leadership in developing and maintaining
policy, service standards and protocols. Leadership may include chairing committees, studies and
project teams within the system or with external local and national partners. Provide leadership,
assignments and opportunities for staff that will inspire and encourage them to reach for excellence
and provide recognition when they achieve it. Serve as Librarian-In-Charge as scheduled.
Resource Management: Ensure the effective use of resources by planning, organizing, monitoring,
evaluating and measuring impact against service objectives. Research and prepare monthly and
periodic reports as required/requested to support the interests of the Library and its patrons.
Budget Management: Assist with budget preparation, expenditure, tracking and reporting as
needed for operational budgets and grant-funded projects, including working with the Seattle Public
Library Foundation, Friends of the Library and other agencies to develop and manage grant funded
projects
Intellectual Freedom: Support intellectual freedom; assume responsibility for how the Library is
perceived by staff and the public.
Qualification:
MLS: Must have an MLS from an ALA-accredited library school and a Washington State Certification
as a Librarian.
Professional Knowledge and Experience: Five (5) years of professional library experience in a
public library or community college.
Leadership and Management: Three (3) years of experience supervising a minimum of 6 librarians
at one time and managing a program or project in a public library setting. Demonstrated knowledge
of management practices and principles, including the ability to train and inspire professional and
support staff and promote enthusiastic teamwork.
Program/Project Development and Evaluation: Demonstrated experience planning, implementing
and evaluating significant projects. Must be highly organized and possess critical thinking skills.
Technology and Informational Resources: Must have current working knowledge of PCs, online
databases, networks, social media and word processing and spreadsheet software. Demonstrated
competency with intranet content management and document management software, preferably
Microsoft SharePoint. Interest in and working knowledge of relevant informational resources,
including recent technological innovations and library applications are also required.
Communication, Collaboration and Outreach Skills: Exceptional written and oral communication
skills, including experience in public speaking. Experience developing community contacts,
collaborations and partnerships.
Exemplary Customer Service: The successful candidates will have a strong commitment to public
service and providing exceptional customer service. Candidates must possess excellent
interpersonal communication, problem solving, customer relations and teamwork skills. A sense of
humor and the ability to demonstrate a positive and enthusiastic commitment to public service.
Budget Management: Two (2) years of experience planning and administering a budget.
Intellectual Freedom: A strong commitment to intellectual freedom and to the Library’s missions
and goals.
Diversity and Inclusion: Demonstrated commitment to diversity, inclusion and equity within the
organization and throughout service delivery.
Additional Information:
How to Apply
Please submit the following items by 5:00 p.m. on Monday, September 4, 2023 for first
consideration. This recruitment will be open until the position is filled. Your application will not be
considered if these items are missing or incomplete:
- Online application with responses to the supplemental questions.
- A cover letter that describes how your experience and skills align with the job responsibilities
and qualifications. Please let us know why you want to do this work. - Current resume that summarizes relevant education, experience, knowledge and skills.
Applications that do not include a cover letter, resume, and complete online application will not be
considered.
Applicants will be screened for competitiveness, completeness, and written communication skills.
Initial screening will be based on a review of application materials. The employment history detailed
in your application materials MUST validate/support your responses to the supplemental questions.
If your responses cannot be validated, you will not proceed to the next steps of the review/selection
process. The most competitive candidates will be invited to participate in a series of one or more
interviews.
Benefits and Salary Information
The full salary range for this position is $106,446.24 – $129,142.80 annually.
The City of Seattle offers a comprehensive benefits package including vacation, holiday, and sick
leave as well as medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance for employees and
their dependents. More information about employee benefits is available on the City’s website
at: https://www.seattle.gov/human-resources/benefits/employees-and-covered-family-
members/most-employees-plans
Information about retirement plans can be found at: https://www.seattle.gov/retirement
Additional Information
If you have questions regarding this bulletin or employment at The Seattle Public Library, please
send an email to job.applications@spl.org. The Library promotes diversity and inclusion in
employment. If accommodations are needed during the selection process, please contact us.
Please keep in mind that job offers are contingent on a review of criminal history as well as
verification of information provided by the applicant as part of the application process.