Director of the Library Job at Merck in North Wales

Merck Director of the Library in North Wales, Pennsylvania

Job Description

We are seeking a dynamic and visionary Director of the Library to lead our innovative team in advancing library services for the global R&D community. This pivotal role requires an individual with exceptional communication and organizational skills, as well as a deep passion for healthcare and technology. The Director will oversee all aspects of library operations, including strategic vision setting, collection management, policy development, and team management, while fostering an environment of collaboration and creativity.

By leveraging a strong scientific and information science background, the Director will drive the evolution of library services, enhance user engagement with scientific literature, and support the company’s mission to foster innovation in drug discovery and development. The Director will be a player-coach, guiding a small but effective team to maximize the impact of our services, while building trusted partnerships across the organization and with external information providers. This leader will not only focus on operational excellence, but also on the development of strategic initiatives that align with organizational objectives, ensuring our library services continually evolve to meet the needs of scientists and professionals worldwide.

Responsibilities:

1. Team Management:
   • Proven track record of leading and mentoring a team, including setting performance goals and providing ongoing development and feedback.
   • Enthusiasm for continuous personal professional development, staying abreast of industry trends, and applying new knowledge to enhance library services.
2. Customer Focus:
   • Dedicated to understanding user needs and improving library services through active engagement, feedback collection, and the development of tailored programs that drive resource utilization and satisfaction.
   • Collaborating across the organization to co-create innovative solutions that meet organizational objectives.
   • Providing specialized information services that empower stakeholders to effectively leverage scientific literature in drug discovery and development.
   • Organizing and conducting training programs for end-users’ awareness and effective usage of library resources.
   • Establishing user engagement initiatives to drive adoption and utilization of library resources.
   • Managing the subscription portfolio, including resource identification, usage tracking, relationship management with vendors, negotiations, and financial reporting.
   • Cultivating strategic partnerships with major information providers to optimize vendor relationships and service delivery.
   • Skilled in overseeing library budgets, tracking expenditures, and identifying cost-saving opportunities to enhance ROI.
   • Managing and evaluating performance metrics and implementing data-driven enhancements to library services.
3. Technical Proficiency:
   • Expertise with resources such as Cortellis, Embase, Scopus, SciFinder, Reaxys, etc.
   • Experience with emerging technologies, such as text mining and machine learning.
   • Ability to perform comprehensive literature searches using tools such as Embase, Medline, Dialog, or STN.
   • Knowledge of copyright regulations and legal requirements of license agreements for external, scientific content.
   • Proficient in the use of Microsoft Office, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams for collaboration and information sharing.
4. Strategic Thinking and Innovation:
   • Visionary mindset focused on the evolution of knowledge management; ability to articulate trends and their implications to stakeholders.
   • Skilled in identifying and integrating innovative tools and resources, such as new digital platforms, to enhance the library's offerings.
   • Proven success in developing and executing strategies that move the business forward.
   • Exceptional verbal and written communication skills with the ability to convey complex concepts to both scientific and non-scientific audiences.
5. Adaptability and Initiative:
   • Proactive and solution-oriented with a demonstrated ability to tackle challenges in rapidly changing environments.
   • Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while meeting deadlines and maintaining high-quality.
   • Represent the Library in professional trade organizations.

Requirements:

Education/Experience:

1. Degree in a scientific discipline or library sciences plus pharmaceutical or biotech industry experience - Bachelor’s and 12+ years of experience, Master’s and 10+ years, PhD and 5+ years.
2. 5+ years of experience in a leadership role within a library or information services environment, demonstrating effective team management, mentorship or people management, and development practices.
3. Ability to engage with users actively, gather feedback, and implement tailored library services and programs that enhance user experience and satisfaction.
4. Expertise in using major scientific research databases and resources such as Cortellis, Dialog, Embase, Scopus, SciFinder, STN, and Reaxys, along with proficiency in document delivery systems.
5. Extensive experience with biomedical, basic research, chemistry, and biotechnology information resources and commercial literature searching tools like DIALOG or STN as well as thesaurus knowledge.
6. Experience in managing library budgets, tracking expenditures, negotiating with vendors, and identifying cost-saving opportunities to maximize service ROI.
7. Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, able to articulate complex scientific concepts clearly to both scientific and non-scientific audiences.
8. Familiarity with emerging technologies such as text mining and machine learning, and their application in enhancing library services and resource discovery.
9. Ability to develop and maintain close working relationships with key internal departments and external contacts.
10. Proactive and adaptive with a strong ability to plan, prioritize and address challenges in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
11. Critical thinking skills and ability to consolidate and understand complex data sets.
12. Demonstrate and maintain in-depth knowledge of the research pipeline, disease and therapeutic area(s), and industry trends.
13. Excellent presentation skills with the ability to tailor content to the audience.
14. High degree of comfort learning and applying new tools and digital technologies.
15. Innate scientific curiosity, technical creativity, and innovative thinking, motivated to break new ground in the field of information/literature analysis and knowledge discovery.
16. Interest in working collaboratively, cross-functionally, and in inter-disciplinary teams with an ability to effectively communicate, both verbally and in writing to scientists and non-scientists.
17. Optimize/customize scientific content for delivery to end users.
18. Strong knowledge of drug discovery, statistical concepts, and evaluation and interpretation of complex scientific literature.
19. Systematic problem-solving, quick grasp of things and superior attention to detail in developing tailored solutions, high degree of reliability and integrity.
20. Well-organized and balances taking direction from others (sponsors, partners, clients) with taking initiative to manage multiple projects and learning responsibilities.

Preferred:

• Master of Library and Information Science or equivalent.
• Expertise with Excel.
• Experience with natural language processing, machine learning, automation, PowerApps, PowerBI.
• Experience with advanced functionality of Teams.
• Experience with data visualization using Spotfire, Tableau, etc.

Employee Status: Regular

Relocation: Domestic

VISA Sponsorship: No

Travel Requirements: 25%

Flexible Work Arrangements: Hybrid

Job Posting End Date: 03/14/2025

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