Head of Discovery Services (Librarian)

The University of Houston (UH) Libraries seeks a collaborative, forward-thinking leader for the role of Head of Discovery Services. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Collections Strategies and Discovery (CSD), this position provides strategic leadership for discovery systems and electronic resource access services, ensuring effective discovery experiences by leveraging tools and services that support access to Libraries’ collections and global scholarship.

The successful candidate will establish departmental priorities and manage the daily operations of the Discovery Services department in alignment with CSD portfolio priorities and the Libraries’ strategic plan. In partnership with colleagues from across the CSD portfolio, the Libraries and the UH System, the Head of Discovery Services enables accessible and interoperable discovery experiences through proactive management, data-informed decision-making, and collaborative problem-solving.

Key responsibilities include leadership of electronic resource access and troubleshooting; oversight of technical configurations and continuous improvement of discovery experiences; promoting shared understandings of the features and limitations of discovery tools across the university community; and conducting user experience assessment of discovery pathways to inform service enhancements. The Head of Discovery Services is responsible for effective documentation and succession planning and provides personnel management of the department, including coaching and support for goal setting and professional development.

The Head of Discovery Services is a promotion-eligible librarian position. Librarians hold academic rank pursuant to the University of Houston Libraries’ Bylaws and are expected to develop a record of service, scholarship, and professional involvement. UH Libraries supports the ongoing professional development of librarians, and our goal is to recruit librarians committed to continuous learning.

The University of Houston prepares students to thrive in a globally interconnected world while contributing impactful research and innovation to the region and beyond. We welcome candidates who are prepared to engage in this environment.

Required Qualifications:

• Master’s degree from an American Library Association (ALA)-accredited program
• Demonstrated ability to provide vision and leadership for a team or project
• Ability to collaborate and communicate clearly with colleagues from both technical and non-technical units
• Experience optimizing and maintaining library services platforms, discovery layers, or knowledge bases, such as Alma/Primo VE, EBSCO Folio, OCLC WMS, and Sierra
• Demonstrated knowledge of the electronic resources lifecycle as it relates to access and discoverability

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience in a supervisory role
• Knowledge of authentication technologies such as EZproxy, OpenAthens, or SAML-based systems
• Knowledge of link resolvers and related access tools, such as Alma, SFX, and LibKey
• Familiarity with conducting usability or user experience testing
• Experience analyzing system usage or user behavior data
• Familiarity with descriptive best practices and cross-walking between metadata standards
• Familiarity with scripting or tools for automation such as SQL, Python, OpenRefine, or API interaction

Salary: Salary is dependent on qualifications and rank. Department head salary ranges are $90,000-$92,000 for Assistant Librarians and $97,000-$99,000 for Associate Librarians. Comprehensive benefits package; choice of retirement programs, including TIAA; tax-deferred annuity program available; release time to take a class up to 3 hours/week; no state or local income tax.

How to Apply: Applications must include a cover letter, CV or resume, contact information for three (3) professional references, and an unofficial transcript of ALA-accredited library/information science degree. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Visit the UH Libraries Employment page at http://libraries.uh.edu/about/employment/.

Potential applicants seeking further information should contact Santi Thompson, Associate Dean for Librarian Affairs and Operations, at 713-743-9685 or sathompson3@uh.edu. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.