Director – East Orange Public Library (NJ)

The East Orange Public Library (NJ) Board of Trustees seek a dynamic, motivated, and politically savvy leader to be its next Director.  Serving over 68,000+ residents with a $4.4 million budget and 36 FTE from a single location, the library is a necessary and critical resource to its community.  The nine-member board desires a director who will promote the library by establishing connections through outreach and advocacy in the community.  Key initiatives include completing the ongoing library renovation process; reestablishing the community’s connection to library services and programs post-pandemic; maintaining and growing the organization’s relationship with the city and local partners; and shepherding the library through a strategic planning process. 

As a part of the greater metropolitan New York area, East Orange provides all the amenities of big-city life with a small-town feel.  Nicknamed “The Crossroads of New Jersey,” East Orange is conveniently located at the intersection of the Garden State Parkway and Interstate 280, just several miles from Newark Liberty International Airport and less than 30 minutes from New York City with two train stations that offer direct service to midtown Manhattan. Comprised of five distinct wards, East Orange is a diverse cultural mecca of people representing countries from around the globe (including Africa and the Caribbean) and combines the best of urban and suburban living. Spacious and affordable housing, main commercial corridors, distinctive Caribbean and Southern cuisine, a growing population of young professionals, transit access, and historic green spaces make East Orange a quintessential city to call home.  

Responsibilities: The Library Director oversees program planning, directing, and integrating library programs and departments; establishes internal library policies and procedures; assists in the development and planning of the library budget and funding; controls library expenditures; recruits and assigns new employees, supervises work, and establishes work schedules; and prepares and oversees the preparation of clear, accurate, and informative narrative and statistical reports. 

Qualifications: A Master’s Degree in Library or Information Science in a library program accredited by the American Library Association is required. The ideal candidate will possess experience leading in a union environment, create an open, honest, and positive work culture; communicate transparently and fairly with staff; understand the needs of an urban community; enable staff to provide creative and dynamic services and programming; and implement new and appropriate technologies for a library. 

Compensation: The hiring salary range is $105,000 – $125,000 (with placement negotiable dependent on experience and qualifications) and an excellent fringe benefits package. 

For further information, contact Bradbury Miller Associates (https://bradburymiller.com/). Apply via email with a meaningful cover letter and your resume as Word or PDF attachments to Brian C. Hare (brianhare@bradburymiller.com). This position closes on Sunday, December 4, 2022. 

View this announcement in its entirety along with accompanying links and information at https://bradburymiller.com/job/east-orange/.

Submit specified application materials to brianhare@bradburymiller.com.