The Associate Dean for Learning and Engagement serves as a member of the senior leadership team, working in close collaboration to advise the dean and advance the library’s strategic and operational goals. Together, this group shares responsibility for the organization’s overall health and for cultivating an environment where everyone can succeed. This position offers a compelling opportunity for an experienced leader to shape and elevate the library’s impact in teaching and instruction, faculty and student research, community engagement, and library faculty development. The portfolio includes ensuring strategic and administrative effectiveness of multiple programs and activities in the Teaching, Research, and Outreach unit and the Creativity and Innovation Services unit. In addition, the Associate Dean will serve as the library’s Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs, providing thoughtful oversight of annual review, retention, promotion, and tenure processes; aligning faculty governance with University policies; representing library faculty on University committees; and ensuring meaningful guidance and support for faculty members throughout their careers.
Associate Deans are empowered to think boldly and creatively about how library initiatives advance the broader campus vision. In this role, you will cultivate partnerships across the three University Libraries and throughout the University, positioning the library as an essential collaborator in advancing institutional priorities. Success requires staying attuned to emerging trends in the field, maintaining a visible national presence, and representing the library in important conversations. Coaching and managing a mentoring program for library faculty will be central to the position, and will require understanding multiple perspectives, balancing multiple interests, and navigating complex and sometimes difficult conversations. The ideal candidate is a skilled relationship-builder who works across organizational boundaries, communicates effectively with people from all backgrounds, and thrives in a fast-paced, forward-looking environment where adaptability and collaboration are key to shared success.
Primary Responsibilities:
- Work closely with the Library’s Administrative Leadership Team, contribute to executive decision-making for the library, including programmatic, workforce, and strategic decisions.
- Provide strategic, operational, and personnel leadership for learning and engagement programs and activities to ensure alignment with University and Library goals and priorities and effective resource allocation.
- Cultivate partnerships with other campus units including the Office of Undergraduate Studies, the Graduate School, the Honors College, and the Office for Faculty, among others.
- Monitor changes in academic programs and identify coverage gaps in support. Collaborate with academic units to ensure the Library’s teaching, liaison services, and experiential learning support model aligns with the teaching and research mission of the University of Utah.
- Collaboratively manage the faculty annual review, promotion and tenure, and tenured faculty review processes. Monitor and offer strategies to adapt to changes in University policy and procedures that impact the library.
- Monitor and contribute to national and international professional conversations, particularly on issues related to core areas of responsibility.
Management & Supervision:
This position reports directly to the Dean of Libraries and has responsibility for leading two departmental units (Teaching, Research, and Outreach; Creativity & Innovation Services) currently composed of 20 full time employees and approximately 6 part time (student) employees.
- Direct reports: 2 faculty librarians (unit heads)
- Indirect reports: 15 faculty librarians, 3 full time staff, 6 student employees
Join us in creating a great organization!
The Marriott Library is recognized as one of the most visited, trusted, and accessible places on campus, both in person and online. Based on our strong reputation, the Provost recently asked us to launch a new Guided Services initiative to increase access to student support services by helping students connect to the right people, places, and information at the right time. Student success takes its rightful place at the center of everything we do. In collaboration with the University of Utah’s Office of Financial Aid, we provide laptops for students who have the most urgent financial need. Recipients are able to keep the laptops through college and beyond. The First Gen Voices project is creating a “living curriculum” through oral histories that help prospective students see their potential and help educators understand the first-generation journey.
The Marriott Library’s gate count in FY25 was 1.2 million and we saw over 32,000 study room reservations. Our technologically advanced spaces, including ProtoSpace, Knowledge Commons, and Digital Matters, serve as hubs for innovation and skill development and cater to the community’s evolving needs. We take pride in housing distinctive programs that enrich the academic landscape and contribute to the scholarly discourse, such as the Book Arts Program, the University of Utah Press, and our Special Collections. We proudly celebrated our 40th anniversary as a Patent & Trademark Resource Center in 2024.
Since 2023, we improved 16 positions in the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) Investment Index (moving from 57 to 41), reflecting strengthened national competitiveness. As we look ahead and align with the University’s Impact 2030 strategy, we are prioritizing spaces and services for students and instructors, deeper integrations with our research enterprise and artificial intelligence initiatives, and further cultivating our strong service-oriented culture.
Information and Inquiries: This faculty search is being managed in partnership with Summit Search Solutions, Inc. To learn more about the position or share a nomination, please contact Lyndi Hewitt at
[email protected] or by phone at 615-423-0525. You may also contact Melanie Hawks, Assistant Dean for Organizational Development, at
[email protected]. Additional information about the application process can be found at
https://lib.utah.edu/faculty-faq.php.
Required Qualifications:
- ALA-accredited MLS/MLIS or the equivalent combination of a relevant degree and experience working in an academic library.
- Evidence of ability to meet the professional requirements of a tenure-track position through research, librarianship, and service. Appointment at either the Associate Librarian or Librarian rank will require advanced research and librarianship to qualify for tenure at time of appointment.
- Evidence of success in an administrative leadership role and a successful history of managing, and mentoring people.
- Knowledge of and demonstrated experience with at least two of the following areas: teaching and learning, student engagement, makerspaces, or user experience in a research library.
- Understanding of and interest in existing and emergent technologies, and the research library’s role in enhancing digital and AI literacy.
- Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with library colleagues and the campus community.
- Exceptional organizational and interpersonal communication skills (written, verbal, and visual).
- Exceptional problem-solving skills, with demonstrated experience of collaborative, inclusive, and creative approaches with successful implementation.
- Commitment to fostering a welcoming educational environment and ability to work with students, faculty, staff, and community populations from a variety of backgrounds.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Strong record of engagement with information literacy, etc. at the institutional and national level. Familiarity with issues related to research intensive university libraries.
- Familiarity with trends in higher education related to emerging & creative technologies and their application to experiential learning and research.
- Leadership experience related to shared governance and faculty governance procedures regarding retention, promotion, tenure.
- Leadership experience in mentoring and faculty development.
- Experience with budget planning, resource allocation, and donor relations.
- Ability to use assessment data to inform planning and decision making.
Criteria for Faculty Appointment: To be eligible for appointment at the Associate or Full Librarian rank, you must have demonstrated a record of achievement sufficient to be awarded tenure concurrent with the appointment. At the time of appointment, a packet demonstrating evidence of active participation in professional associations and a record of scholarly engagement will be required.
The successful completion of a criminal background check is required by Utah state law (http://www.regulations.utah.edu/humanResources/5-130.html).
Compensation: Salary will be dependent on qualifications and rank appointment. The anticipated hiring range is $175,000-$195,000, which includes an administrative stipend. Our excellent benefits include a 14.2% retirement contribution to TIAA-CREF/Fidelity, medical and dental coverage, and generous paid sick and vacation time.
Application instructions: All candidates should submit a curriculum vitae, a cover letter describing the strengths you would bring to the role/organization, and contact information for five professional references. References will only be contacted after prior notice to the applicant. Reference letters are not requested.
Preferred consideration will be given to all applications received by July 12, 2026
