Associate Director - Community Programs

Mecklenburg County • Charlotte, NC

19h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Associate Director of Programs leads the strategy, design, and delivery of Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's public programming across two complementary domains: branch-based programming (serving all age groups system-wide), and community-based programming and outreach that brings library experiences beyond branch walls. This position exists as one of two parallel roles, each leading its own team while operating in close collaboration to ensure a cohesive, integrated program of service across the Library system. Both positions are accountable for growing library users, usage, and impact; delivering high-quality experiences; and building the Library's reputation as an essential component of the community's ecosystem. The Associate Director of Programs reports to the Chief of Strategy and Design. The working title for this position will be Associate Director of Community Programs. The AD of Community Programs will lead Charlotte Mecklenburg Library's outreach, partnership, and mobile services efforts, responsible for strategy development, system alignment, and design for programming and community initiatives. This is a highly collaborative position that will be expected to work with internal and external audiences to deliver on priority programming and services throughout Mecklenburg County. Program areas include specialized services and range in audience from infants to elderly adults.

Requirements

• Minimum of five years of successful and progressive library leadership
• Master's degree in Library Science from an ALA accredited institution
• Valid NC or SC driver’s license and the ability to obtain and maintain a County Operator Permit.
• NC Public Library certification is required or must be obtained within 90 days of employment
• Excellent verbal, grammatical and written communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
• Excellent organizational skills with attention to detail
• Excellent time management skills with attention to detail
• Building Partnerships: Identifying opportunities and taking action to build strategic relationships between one’s area and other areas, teams, departments, community groups or organizations to help achieve business goals
• Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information provided
• Decision Making: Identifying and understanding issues, problems and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints, and probable consequence
• Information Monitoring: Setting up ongoing procedures to collect and review information needed to manage an organization or ongoing activities within it
• Technical/professional Knowledge and Skills: Having achieved a satisfactory level of technical and professional skill or knowledge in position-related areas; keeping up with current developments and trends in areas of expertise
• Work Standards: Setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence
• Excellent command of various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite
• Experience utilizing Integrated Library Software (ILS) systems

Nice To Haves

• Bilingual – Spanish language preferred
• Seven or more years of progressive library leadership experience.
• Demonstrated experience developing services in high-need and/or culturally diverse communities.
• Demonstrated success with grant development and management in partnership with a library foundation or external funders.
• Experience with large-scale events, community-wide initiatives, or other customer engagement frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of a robust portfolio of library programs aligned with the Library's mission, systemwide goals, and measurable community outcomes.
• Use community and demographic data to guide program priorities, identify gaps in service, and adapt strategies in response to evolving community needs and professional trends.
• Design programs and services for diverse populations across all age groups, with particular attention to underserved residents, high-need communities, and those who face barriers to traditional library access.
• Align programming with key community initiatives (examples: Leading on Opportunity, 3rd Grade Reading) and other priority frameworks identified by Library leadership.
• Incorporate emerging technologies, best practices, and innovative approaches into program design and delivery.
• Establish clear programmatic goals, measure progress against them, and report outcomes to the Chief of Strategy and Design, Senior Leadership Team, and the Board of Trustees.
• Directly supervise program staff and team leaders; provide coaching, mentoring, and professional development to build a high-performing, innovative programming team.
• Manage departmental operations including budget planning, resource allocation, scheduling, and performance management.
• Identify staff training and leadership development needs and partner with Human Resources to address them.
• Foster a team culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, and shared accountability for community impact.
• Work in close, ongoing partnership with peer and departmental leadership to ensure branch and community programming are integrated, non-duplicative, and mutually reinforcing.
• Coordinate with Branch Managers and branch leadership to align programming delivery within branch locations and beyond.
• Serve as a liaison between the programs function and other departments, branches, and systemwide initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Library Foundation on grant opportunities that support and extend programming capacity.
• Develop and support the use of volunteers in meeting programmatic needs.
• Represent the Library in professional, civic, and community settings; cultivate partnerships with schools, community organizations, local agencies, and other institutions that expand program reach and remove barriers to access.
• Serve as a visible, trusted ambassador for Library programming in the communities the Library serves.
• Promote and model exceptional customer service and community engagement across all program contexts.

Benefits

• Pay rates are based on education, skill, experience level and internal equity.
• Internal equity considerations include an assessment of the applicant’s salary history and qualifications in comparison to the market rate and requirements for the job.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior