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Closing Date: April 20, 2025

Do you have a passion and conviction about the value of libraries in communities? Do you want to see public libraries reach new and broader audiences? Are you an innovator? A collaborator? A team builder? Do you love being the face of an award-winning organization that thrives on service?

If so, Cumberland County, North Carolina invites you to consider applying to be its next Library Director. This is an excellent opportunity for someone with a history of successful transformational leadership who wants to be a part of a significant change effort. The next Library Director must value teamwork and collaboration, as well as champion outstanding service while holding high standards for self and others. The environment is ripe for a leader who is a change agent ready to make an impact both in the agency and in the community.

About the Community:

Located in southcentral North Carolina along Interstate 95 and just south of the Interstate’s connection with I-40, Cumberland County is within easy access to the capital city of Raleigh and the Research Triangle area. Known for its cultural diversity and accessible location, Cumberland County is a large and vibrant county teeming with creative energy, historic charm, diligent workers, and compassionate residents.

With a diverse population over 340,000, Cumberland County is home to Fort Bragg, the largest military installation in the world and headquarters for U.S. Army Forces Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, 82nd Airborne Division, U.S. Army Reserve Command and U.S. Army Special Operations Command. The post has an active-duty population of over 51,000 troops.

The City of Fayetteville, with a population over 211,000, is the largest of nine municipalities within Cumberland County and the sixth largest in North Carolina. With its ties to Fort Bragg, Fayetteville has one of the youngest populations in the Carolinas and is a two-time All-America City award winner that offers the amenities of a sizable city and numerous shopping opportunities.

One of Cumberland County’s greatest assets is its thriving arts and cultural community. Theatre, symphony orchestras, and museums for adults and children are available, including the Airborne and Special Operations Museum. A variety of festivals and special events are held throughout the year and the area is also home to the Fayetteville Marksmen hockey team and the Fayetteville Woodpeckers minor league baseball team, a Houston Astros affiliate. The team’s state-of-art stadium, Segra Stadium, is an anchor for the downtown area, along with a new multipurpose event center the County is currently planning to construct and open in 2025. Cumberland County is also home to two outstanding universities and an excellent community college.

About the Organization:

Cumberland County operates under the Commission-Manager form of government. The Cumberland County Commissioners are a seven-member board. Five commissioners are elected from districts and two are elected at large. Commissioners serve four-year staggered terms. The County is regarded as a fiscally responsible, stable, and well-managed government with sound budget and fiscal management and a strong fund balance (net assets). The County has an overall budget of approximately $582 million and approximately 2,000 full-time employees in 30 departments.

The County government provides services ranging from animal control to zoning and offers strong support for the public education system. Award-winning programs in Environmental Health, Public Information, Finance, Public Library, Veterans Services and Social Services Departments demonstrate Cumberland County’s commitment to better serve residents, prepare for the future and be a caring, inclusive, and transparent government.

Cumberland County is committed to serving the community with PRIDE — Professionalism, Respect, Integrity with Accountability, Diversity and Excellent Customer Service. These core values guide the County’s vision to grow as a regional destination for employment, economic development, commerce, and cultural pursuits.The County’s DE&I efforts have taken these values a step further to add the values of Fairness, Acceptance, Collaboration and Teamwork, and state that in Cumberland County, PRIDE is a FACT.

For more information about Cumberland County, visit cumberlandcountync.gov.

About the Department and Position:

Reporting to the Assistant County Manager, the Library Director will lead a department of approximately 157 full- and part-time employees with 11 direct reports. The annual budget of $13 million funds the Headquarters library and seven (7) branches, each with unique communities they serve. Each day, library staff at each branch help connect community members with resources, programs, and services to help encourage lifelong learning, development, and growth.

The next Library Director will be politically savvy, advocating for the needs of the libraries while recognizing other County priorities. As thecurrent strategic plannears its lifespan, the Library Director will play a critical role in engaging stakeholders to create a new plan and advocate for the resources and support needed to turn that plan into a reality. In addition to leading a programming and community service vision, the Library Director will serve as a liaison to the Cumberland County Library Board of Trustees.

Key Position Priorities:

• Filling vacant, hard-to-fill positions and continuing the positive culture change of encouraging staff to think more creatively and bring ideas forward.
• Educating community members on how the library is and can continue to be relevant to residents of all socio-economic backgrounds.
• Establishing strong working relationships with county departments and community agencies that directly impact library services, such as the facilities, finance, and human resources departments.
• Ensuring the library’s technology infrastructure is in line with the broader county’s technology strategy.
• Nurturing an atmosphere of collaboration across locations and positions, as well as continuous improvement through robust trainings, information sessions and other development opportunities.
• Proactively and effectively managing the budget, ensuring fiscal accountability and best practices.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A minimum of a master’s degree in Library Science from an American Library Association accredited institution.
• Public Library certification (or ability to secure NC public librarian certification/within 18 months).
• Eight (8) or more years of successful and progressive levels of responsibility to include six years of supervisory experience culminating in a role equivalent to Director or an Assistant or Division Director.
• Significant experience in a multi-branch library system and diverse programming, serving populations of 100,000 or more.
• Well-rounded experience across library service divisions.

The Successful Candidate is:

• an empowering leader who can meet the needs of the community while recognizing needs of staff – both at individual and branch levels.
• a big-picture thinker who can balance the broader goals of the entire library system with the unique needs and dynamics of each individual branch.
• a skilled collaborator who easily builds partnerships with multiple stakeholder groups such as other County departments, the Library Trustees, Friends of the Library, Cumberland Community Foundation, Schools, and other entities to ensure delivery of the most effective and desirable services to Cumberland County residents.
• an experienced, strategic thinker with a holistic understanding of modern library services and experience in both public services and administrative services.
• an excellent and effective communicator, including one-on-one, small groups, and public speaking, who confidently and persuasively engages residents, community groups, county and city department staff, and the Board of Commissioners.
• an experienced financial manager who can creatively manage with a limited budget and work in partnership with fundraising boards and advocate for the department.
• compassionate and empathetic to both staff and the community, and who can build authentic relationships, creating an environment that fosters trust, respect, and collaboration.
• an active participant in community relations through personal support of and engagement in departmental programs.
• an experienced strategic thinker who can facilitate the development of a clear vision for the library, including openness to non-traditional ideas for the role of a community library in serving its residents.
• a savvy marketer who is comfortable in leading outreach efforts in conjunction with staff and boards for the development of resources.

Salary and Benefits:

The anticipated hiring range is$98,398.46- 120,000. Final salary will be based on experience and combined with a generous benefits package. The County’s comprehensive benefits package can be viewedhere.

To apply, please visithttps://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/developmentalassociates and click on the Library Director – Cumberland County, NC title.

• All applications must be submitted online via the Developmental Associates application portal (link above) – NOT the Cumberland County employment application portal or any other external website.
• Resumes and cover letters must be uploaded with the application.
• Applicants should apply by April 20, 2025.
• The hiring team will invite successful semi-finalists to virtual interviews and skill evaluations on May 20-21, 2025. Candidates are encouraged to reserve these dates for virtual meetings should they be invited to participate.
• Direct inquiries tohiring@developmentalassociates.com.

Cumberland County is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Developmental Associates, LLC manages the recruitment and selection process for this position. To learn more about our selection process, visit https://developmentalassociates.com/client-openings/, select “Client Openings,” and scroll down to “Important Information for Applicants.”