Head, Technology & Digital Imaging

The Hoover Institution Library & Archives at Stanford University, home to a world–renowned physical and digital collection of manuscripts, paintings, posters, photographs, film, artifacts, and other library materials related to twentieth and twenty-first-century political and economic history, is seeking well-qualified candidates for the position of Head, Technology & Digital Imaging.

A cover letter and resume are required for full consideration.

This position provides leadership and technical expertise in the administration, design, development, configuration, maintenance, and continuing enhancement of systems and infrastructure used to collect, digitize, manage, and provide access to digital collections. In addition to managing a technology-focused team, the Head also oversees Digital Imaging, led by an experienced cultural heritage photographer and manager.

The Head of Technology & Digital Imaging will play a crucial role in an ongoing effort to mass digitize physical collections dating as far back as 1919 through close collaboration with an interdisciplinary team that includes curators, archivists, digital imaging experts, and relevant stakeholders across the organization. A cornerstone of the broader mission of the Library & Archives, the goal of our mass digitization initiative is to make significant portions of the collections accessible virtually to researchers and scholars regardless of their physical location. 

 As the Library & Archives continues to acquire more born-digital collections, the ideal candidate should possess a deep understanding of current and future trends in information technology to ensure that systems and workflows are increasingly automated, efficient, intelligent, scalable, resilient, cost-effective, and usable by end users and staff.

The Library & Archives is a hub of activity and provides a fast-paced, dynamic work environment, where extremely knowledgeable individuals with diverse backgrounds collaborate seamlessly to drive innovation and excellence. In this setting, the incumbent will be surrounded by supportive leadership and coworkers with a wealth of expertise in various areas and unique perspectives, fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional growth. Visit www.hoover.org/library-archives to learn more. 

About Stanford University’s Hoover Institution:  The Hoover Institution on War, Revolution, and Peace is a public policy research center devoted to the advanced study of economics, politics, history, and political economy—both domestic and foreign—as well as international affairs. 

Founded in 1919 by Herbert Hoover before he became the thirty-first president of the United States, the Institution began as a repository of historical material gathered at the end of World War I.  The library and archives have grown to be among the largest private repositories of documents on twentieth-century political and economic history.  Over time the Institution expanded its mission from collecting archival material to conducting advanced research on contemporary history and economics and applying this scholarship to current public policy challenges. 

With its eminent scholars and world-renowned library and archives, the Hoover Institution seeks to improve the human condition by advancing ideas that promote economic opportunity and prosperity while securing and safeguarding peace for America and all humanity.

JOB PURPOSE

Under the general direction of the Assistant Director, the Head of Technology & Digital Imaging is responsible for setting goals and vision, directing, managing resources, and collaborating with stakeholders to implement innovative solutions and strategies for creating, ingesting, managing, and preserving digital content. Upon arrival to the position, the incumbent will be immediately presented with opportunities for early success and visibility by overseeing the final phases of the deployment of a new enterprise digital preservation platform. The project will involve close collaboration with all units across the Library & Archives, as well as close coordination with Hoover Institution IT, Stanford IT, and third-party software vendors. 

The Head of Technology & Digital Imaging ensures all technology-based projects meet established digitization specifications, standards, and deadlines. The Head is responsible for continuously monitoring and assessing how emerging technological trends such as AI can further enhance services and increase online access to the Library & Archives’ digital collections. 

CORE DUTIES:

•    Lead the elicitation and gathering of business and system requirements.
•    Analyze, design, and implement complex management information systems.
•    Lead efforts to ensure that information systems support the organizational mission and objectives and coordinate the process of defining, investigating, and solving problems related to business systems and special projects.
•    Manage, from a client business perspective, the requirements for related systems projects; ensure a high level of client satisfaction by monitoring the delivery of ongoing information systems to the organization.
•    Lead and coordinate projects to assist stakeholders in evaluating the potential for automating existing or proposed work functions or processes and assess the feasibility of creating or modifying systems to meet user requirements.
•    Analyze new business requirements, system functionality, current system use and user needs; specify functional designs and work with developers and analysts to implement.
•    Develop system design for new or revised business systems; document and analyze input/output requirements, procedural flow between departments, operational audits and organizational structures.
•    May plan, direct, coordinate, monitor and review the work of others during all phases of the project team’s work and coordinate the planning, development and presentation of training for users of business systems.
•    Manage external vendor or partner relationships.

ADDITIONAL CORE DUTIES: 

•    Experience managing, hiring and/or supervising staff.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

Education & Experience:

Bachelor’s degree and eight years relevant experience or a combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 

•    Knowledge of computer system capabilities, business processes, and workflow.
•    Current knowledge of rapidly changing computer technology.
•    Extensive experience with enterprise applications and understanding of database driven applications.
•    Ability to design and document complex business systems.
•    Proven problem solving and analytical thinking and ability to approach problems logically and systematically.
•    Strong understanding of the software development life cycle.
•    Requires knowledge of computer system capabilities, business processes, and workflow.
•    Project management skills as needed.
•    Skill in conducting interviews and facilitating group meetings.
•    Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, including the ability to bridge functional and technical resources by communicating effectively with individuals of varying systems expertise and business needs.
•    Strong listening, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills.

Desired/Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

•    Background working in academic libraries, archives, museums, or other similar organizations.
•    Knowledge of digital preservation applications, such as Libsafe, archival content management systems, such as ArchivesSpace and digital asset management software such as TMS.
•    Demonstrated project management ability to employ integration, scope time management, cost, quality, human resources, communications, risk, and procurement components.
•    Experience working with complex research materials, such as databases, born digital formats, web archives, and multiple types of media files.
•    Experience with systems deployment and configuration.
•    Ability to coordinate policies and workflows with multiple units and diverse stakeholders.

Certifications and Licenses:

•    None

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

•    Constantly perform desk-based computer tasks.
•    Frequently sit, grasp lightly/fine manipulation.
•    Occasionally stand/walk, use a telephone.
•    Rarely writing by hand, lift/carry/push/pull objects that weigh up to 10 pounds.

*- Consistent with its obligations under the law, the University will provide reasonable accommodation to any employee with a disability who requires accommodation to perform the essential functions of the job.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work extended hours.

The expected pay range for this position is $110,000 – $169,000 per annum. Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location, and external market pay for comparable jobs.

WORK STANDARDS

•    Interpersonal Skills: Demonstrates the ability to work well with Stanford colleagues and clients and with external organizations.
•    Promote Culture of Safety: Demonstrates commitment to personal responsibility and value for safety; communicates safety concerns; uses and promotes safe behaviors based on training and lessons learned.
•    Subject to and expected to comply with all applicable University policies and procedures, including but not limited to the personnel policies and other policies found in the University’s Administrative Guide, http://adminguide.stanford.edu.

The Hoover Institution at Stanford University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.