[Libs-Or] Open Position: Library Administration Office Manager

[Anne Keech]

Open Position at Portland State University Library
Library Administration Office Manager

The Library Office Manager manages daily operations of the 
Administration Office for Portland State Library. The incumbent: 
provides administrative support to the University (UL), 
Associate/Assistant University Librarians (AULs); maintains relations 
with other campus units; advises and assists the UL and the AULs on 
matters of personnel, administrative policies and procedures, and 
external relationships and responsibilities. Reporting to the AUL for 
Administrative Services, the incumbent establishes office procedures; 
coordinates hiring and personnel processes; and handles logistics for 
Library Administration events. This full-time, 12-month, unclassified 
position must have the knowledge, judgment, and ability to interpret and 
make decisions in order to accurately screen, prioritize, refer or act 
upon all matters that confront the UL and AULs. Must be a proactive 
self-starter capable of working in a high-activity office with many 
interruptions; able to prioritize workloads and multiple deadlines; 
capable of working with all members of a diverse campus and public. This 
position is excluded from the AAUP bargaining unit due to its 
supervision of 1.5 FTE, confidential nature and contact with sensitive 
personnel, budgeting, and donor information.

Assistant to the University Librarian (40%):
• Performs confidential executive assistant functions for the UL, 
including scheduling, arranging meetings and travel;
• Drafts and/or proofreads documents, correspondence, personnel and 
budget forms;
• Screens and routes correspondence, calls, and visitors;
• Records meeting minutes and follows up on meeting actions and 
assignments;
• Maintains the UL’s calendar and files;
• Tracks priorities and deadlines;
• Networks with comparable positions in all campus administrative 
offices to the mutual benefit of the Library administration and those 
offices;
• Assists in planning for internal and external Library events;
• Maintains accurate information on the administration sections of the 
Library’s Web site.

Office Management (35%):
• Manages daily operations of the Administration Office for Portland 
State Library, in coordination with the Assistant University Librarian 
for Administrative Services;
• Supervises 1.5 FTE classified staff including hiring, training, 
assigning, prioritizing, and evaluating work and handling disciplinary 
problems;
• Establishes office procedures; coordinates hiring and personnel 
processes, coordinates space allocation; plans and coordinates events 
for Library Administration;
• Coordinates hiring processes including preparing and processing 
academic requirements; provides administrative support for faculty 
reviews, promotion and tenure; processes academic payroll paperwork, 
processes academic pool paperwork; assists with searches; maintains 
personnel files;
• Establishes and documents policies and procedures related to position 
responsibilities;
• Participates as a member of Administrative Office team in addressing 
priority needs of the moment, which may include greeting and 
appropriately referring visitors or callers, meeting administrative, 
budget, and personnel deadlines with necessary paperwork and errands.

Assistant to the Associate and Assistant University Librarians (15%):
• Performs scheduling for the AULs;
• Assists with research projects related to Library Administration’s 
organizational, reporting, and assessment needs;
• Recognizes and implements organizational, alerting, and follow-up 
mechanisms that would facilitate the most effective and efficient use of 
the Administrative Council members’ time and attention.

Facilitates development and public relations (5%):
• Assists in developing and implementing public relations for the 
Library in close collaboration with the Library Development Director, 
the Public Relations Coordinator, and the University Relations Office;
• Creates articles for and helps edit the Library newsletter;
• Serves as liaison among the Library, University Relations, and the PSU 
Foundation.

Other duties as assigned (5%)

Experience and Administrative Qualities:
Required:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Human Resources, or a 
closely related area; or an equivalent combination of a Bachelor’s 
degree and applied experience in office management or administrative 
experience.
• 3 years successful office management and/or administrative experience.
• Relevant technology skills and successful experience with office 
application software including spreadsheets, email, electronic 
calendars, word processing, database creation and maintenance, and Web 
resources.
• Evidence of excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Evidence of excellent planning, organizational, and project management 
skills.
• Evidence of ability to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Experience with accounting procedures and systems.
• Demonstrated work, service, and professional ethics with reputation 
for reliability, integrity, accuracy, sensitivity, productivity, and 
accountability.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality related to personnel, donor, 
budget, and other sensitive matters.
• Prior public service experience.
• Enthusiasm for working with diverse colleagues and clientele.

Preferred:
• Library / higher education experience.
• Experience in supervision of staff.
• Graduate degree, particularly one related to personnel, budget, 
administration, marketing, or librarianship.
• Experience with electronic information and business systems at 
Portland State or similar institutions.
• Experience with personnel management or in human resources.
• Experience identifying, obtaining, and meeting grant, gift, or 
contract requirements.
• Experience in marketing and public relations.
• Editing and proofreading experience.

The Environment:
Located in one of the most livable cities in the United States, Portland 
State University is a nationally recognized leader in community-based 
learning, and is located on the tree-lined blocks of downtown Portland. 
The University offers its 28,000 students more than 100 undergraduate, 
graduate, and doctoral degrees.

Salary and Benefits:
Salary: Annual starting salary $30,000 - $37,000 dependent upon 
qualifications and experience with an excellent benefits package 
including fully paid healthcare; a generous retirement and vacation 
package; and reduced tuition rates for employee, spouse or dependant at 
any of the Oregon University System schools.

Deadlines:
Review of applicants will begin approximately June 14, 2010, and will 
remain open until finalists are identified.

To Apply:
Send cover letter; resume; and names, address, phone numbers, and e-mail 
addresses of four references to: Anne Keech, Search Coordinator, 
Keecha at pdx.edu. Transcripts and background checks will be required for 
finalists. In cover letter, address how your knowledge and experiences 
meet qualifications. Electronic application materials are strongly 
preferred (Word or .pdf documents). However, materials may be mailed to:

Portland State University Library – LIBW
Post Office Box 1151
c/o Anne Keech, Search Coordinator
Portland, OR 97207-1151

Portland State University is an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity 
Institution and welcomes applications from diverse candidates and 
candidates who support diversity

-- 
Anne Keech
Office Specialist
PSU Library

keecha at pdx.edu
503-725-4616