Assistant Branch Manager I

Join the vibrant, community-minded team at Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL)!  We are seeking a creative, energetic, and visionary individual to become part of our team.
 
Located in Central Maryland between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, FCPL is a rapidly developing system of nine libraries and two bookmobiles. Our mission is to facilitate the public's freedom to explore, to invent, and to transform. FCPL connects people to ideas and to each other, helping to foster individual and community growth.

Exempt; full-time; 40 hours per week; varying schedule during regular FCPL hours; full-benefits; position is subject to system wide re-assignment

This professional-level supervisory position provides day-to-day leadership for assigned public service areas within a library branch. The Assistant Branch  Manager I oversees service-desk operations, directs and evaluates the work of professional and paraprofessional staff, and ensures consistent, high-quality customer service across designated functional areas. Work at this level involves managing operational activities, supporting program delivery, and maintaining service quality within established library policies, procedures, and system-wide initiatives. The position exercises judgment in resolving routine to moderately complex patron and staff issues, provides training and performance feedback, and contributes to branch-level planning under the guidance of the Branch Manager. Supervision is received from the Branch Manager.

Frederick County Government values the principles of diversity and inclusion, and strives to ensure equal opportunities for its workforce, applicants and community members.  If you are a person who wants to make a difference, give back to your community, and be a voice for change, apply to Frederick County Government today.

TOTAL COMPENSATION PACKAGE:
Frederick County offers an extensive compensation package to reflect how highly we value our employees. The following is what you can expect in your first year as a full-time benefited Frederick County Government employee.  

• 11 days of Vacation leave with increase after 2 years of employment
• 15 days of Sick leave with unlimited annual carryover
• 11 paid holidays, plus 2 additional floating holidays (10 and 11 month employees may not receive all holidays)
• Day 1 coverage of comprehensive Medical Insurance Plan options to include generous County Health Savings Account (HSA) contribution (if enrolled in the high-deductible plan). This is part of a full range of benefits including Dental, Vision, and Flexible Spending
• Employee Health Center with no or low-cost primary and urgent care
• 100% County paid 2x annual salary Group Term Life Insurance and Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) benefit

• Participation in the Maryland State Retirement and Pension System  

  • Vesting after 10 years of service
  • Additional service credit for eligible previous public service, military service, etc. 
• Work/Life balance programs include: Employee Assistance Program and Employee Wellness Program
• Generous Tuition Reimbursement Program
• Other employee-paid benefits such as Deferred Compensation Plan, Legal Resources, Supplemental Life Insurance, Critical Illness, Accident, and Hospital Indemnity Insurance, Lifetime Benefit with Long Term Care plan

NOTE: Benefited employees will accrue service and leave based on the FTE and/or hours worked per calendar year. 

For more information, visit our benefits page on the Frederick County Government job opportunities webpage.

• Manage the Information Desk, including Adult and Circulation Services to ensure a superior quality of service is provided by staff to the public
• Resolve difficult patron complaints and problems
• Assign responsibilities, supervise, develop, and evaluate the performance of direct reports; oversee scheduling and workload assignment
• Train and/or mentor staff as needed
• Participate in the planning and facilitation of adult programming
• Provide leadership to department staff in setting goals and objectives for fulfilling FCPL's mission and strategic plan
• Set expectations and standards for exemplary customer service and train staff to meet them
• Collaborate with the Branch Manager to address and support system-wide issues and concerns
• Work with the Branch Manager to identify, plan, implement and evaluate promotional, marketing, and outreach activities for communicating the vision and mission of the library; participate in outreach program as needed
• Oversee the development, maintenance, and evaluation of resources in the Adult Services area, working with Materials Management
• Implement and direct merchandising and other strategies for in-house marketing of resources
• Build relationships and partnerships with community organizations, businesses and leaders for advocacy and financial support
• Use current technology to improve personal efficiency, branch efficiency, and delivery of customer service
• Work collaboratively within the community to assess community needs and interpret FCPL's ability to meet those needs
• Perform Person-in-Charge duties to ensure safety and security of patrons, staff, and the facility
• Train the public to efficiently use services and resources provided by the library
• Participate in interviewing and selection of department staff
• Support and interpret departmental, library and systems policies and procedures to the staff and the general public
• Provide direct public service to patrons at all service points
• Conduct regular staff meetings to train, review policy and procedure, and to resolve department challenges
• Participate on branch and system-wide work teams
• Maintain professional growth through learning opportunities 
• Actively participate in local, state, and national library associations; attend seminars, workshops and continuing education activities; maintain professional affiliations to keep abreast of current and emerging trends, innovation, technology, services and other related areas of library planning and services
• In the absence of the Branch Manager, fulfill the duties and daily responsibilities of that position
• Actively support the values of Frederick County Public Libraries
• May perform duties as a Passport Acceptance Agent, to include executing passport applications
• May require the ability to become a certified Notary for the State of Maryland within 90 days of hire
• Perform other duties as required

To perform this job successfully, an employee must be able to perform all essential functions satisfactorily. Any employee's position may not be assigned all functions or equipment listed above, and the examples may not cover all functions or equipment that may be assigned. Reasonable accommodations may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform their essential functions.

The qualifications/requirements, knowledge/skills/abilities and physical requirements or working conditions described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university

• Minimum of 3 years of library experience  

• Minimum of 1 year of experience supervising or directing the work of others

Substitutions for the above-listed required education and experience are a Master’s of Library Science Degree (MLS) or a Master’s of Library Information Science (MLIS) from an accredited program with a Professional Public Librarian certification from the Maryland State Department of Education or the ability to obtain certification within 6 months of hire and 1 year experience of library experience.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES:
A successful incumbent operating in this role displays the following:

• Ability to obtain and maintain Library Associate certification from the MD State Library Agency within 2 years of hire, plus willingness and ability to attend training sessions as applicable
• Ability to assess community needs and to develop, plan, implement library materials selection, and implement initiatives to meet those needs 
• Ability to assess user needs and communicate technology systems and solutions regarding user needs in library website development 
• Ability to utilize necessary technologies, including FCPL’s computerized systems, other database systems associated with Acquisitions and Interlibrary Loan Services, and library catalog/discovery systems
• Ability to handle multiple priorities, assignments, and unanticipated emergencies
• Ability to work effectively independently, cooperatively, and as part of a team
• Ability to effectively supervise, direct, and evaluate the work of others
• Ability to provide effective leadership in public library services
• Ability to plan and facilitate adult programs
• Ability to effectively create and analyze information, including written, statistical, and numerical data
• Ability to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems
• Ability to effectively build relationships and partnerships with community organizations, and businesses
• Ability to develop and maintain effective working relationships with staff, community organizations, government officials, and the general public
• Knowledge of modern management theory and practices with demonstrated effective skills and judgment in public library management and problem solving
• Knowledge of marketing principles with ability to effectively apply them to a library setting
• Knowledge of general and specialized reference materials and sources, and the most effective means to access information
• Knowledge of, and ability to, effectively use social media and other online tools to promote the library and gather feedback from the public
• Knowledge of existing and emerging technology trends and electronic formats for library materials, with the ability to research and analyze them for use by public library patrons 
• Knowledge of modern management theory and practices, with demonstrated effective skills and judgment in public library management and problem-solving 
• Knowledge of social media tools and techniques and marketing principles, with the skills to effectively communicate in an online environment to engage customers via social media and apply them to a library setting 
• Knowledge of current library standards and practices, especially in the areas of circulation, use of the Dewey Decimal System, interlibrary loan, cataloging, and patron privacy 
• Effective leadership skills 
• Strong internal and external customer service skills including ability to exhibit patience, tact and courtesy working collaboratively in a team environment
• Strong and effective spoken and written (English) communication skills, 
• Research skills to maintain knowledge of industry trends, age-appropriate literature, developmental stages, and interests

PREFERENCE MAY BE GIVEN FOR:

• Direct work experience in a public library
• Current Frederick County Public Libraries (FCPL) Employee

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/WORKING CONDITIONS: 

• While working in this position the employee is required to frequently sit, walk, and reach; occasionally lift up to 20 pounds. 
•  While working in this position the employee is required to constantly work indoors; frequently work outdoors and walk on uneven ground.
• During outreach programs and events, the employee is frequently working outdoors, with the possibly of working in hot temperatures (above 100 degrees), working in cold temperatures (below 32 degrees) and walking on uneven ground

• Failure to meet or maintain the minimum qualifications or additional requirements may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination
• Ability to provide own transportation to meetings, workshops and branch libraries as needed
• Available for varied workdays and hours within the FCPL operating schedule

KIND OF EXAMINATION (may include): 

1. An evaluation of training and experience
2. One or more interviews