Position: Head of Instructional Services
Position Number: FA8620
Position Location: Doha, Qatar
Position Begins: January 2, 2012
Review of Applications Begins: November 1, 2011 and continues until position is filled.

VCUQatar (www.qatar.vcu.edu) is the Qatar campus of the prestigious Virginia Commonwealth University School of the Arts in Richmond, Virginia. Established in 1998 through a partnership with the Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development, VCUQatar offers students the opportunity to earn a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Fashion Design, Graphic Design, Interior Design and Painting & Printmaking and a Master of Fine Arts degree in Design Studies.  Located in Doha, the capital city of Qatar, VCUQatar is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design, The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, and the Council for Interior Design Accreditation. The current student body represents a diverse range of nationalities with students coming from more than 40 different countries.

VCUQatar strives to provide an engaged, learner-centered environment that fosters inquiry, discovery and innovation in a global setting. The university hosts the biennial international design conference Tasmeem Doha and supports the biennial Hamad bin Khalifa Islamic Art Symposium, attracting globally recognized designers, academics and thinkers while fostering sustainable, university-community partnerships that enhance the educational, economic and cultural vitality of Qatar.  The university has substantial involvement with the emerging design industries in Qatar and is a significant catalyst for that growth. It has established itself as a center of excellence for education and research in art and design.
VCUQatar has 131 full-time faculty and staff and a student body of 249. VCUQatar was the first campus established in Education City, a unique 2500-acre campus community. The university has since been joined by Georgetown University School of Foreign Service, Carnegie-Mellon University, Texas A&M University, Weill Cornell Medical College, Northwestern University, and HEC Paris.

Qatar is a liberal, hospitable and progressive country in the Arabian Gulf and remains one of the healthiest economies in the Gulf region. English is the standard second language and the population of Qatar is approximately 1.65 million and growing – 350,000 Qatari, the remainder expatriates. Doha offers all the conveniences found in a contemporary and cosmopolitan city, and also maintains a traditional Arab flavor, evident in the old markets and the city’s Islamic Arab architecture. The Museum of Islamic Art, designed by I.M.Pei opened in November 2008 and the Arab Museum of Modern Art (MATHAF) opened in 2010. The US Embassy considers Qatar among the safest countries in the world for Americans.

Position Description:

Reporting to the Director of Libraries, the Head of Instructional Services provides leadership, vision, planning and management of the library instruction program and reference services. This position also serves as the liaison providing instruction, collections, and research services to students and faculty in the Fashion Design, Interior Design and Liberal Arts and Sciences departments.

Major Responsibilities:

• Envisions, plans, develops and oversees the information literacy and library instruction program. This program is integrated across the curriculum and is delivered collaboratively with library faculty and other faculty;
• Utilizes traditional and state-of-the-art practices to provide information literacy instruction and reference services;
• Provides subject specific instruction for liaison areas;
• Develops print and online user guides, and other materials and exhibits to educate, promote and facilitate optimal use of the Library;
• Oversees reference and public services including circulation services, document delivery, interlibrary loan, reserves, shelving management, and statistical analysis of usage and scheduling;
• Formulates policies, procedures and assessment to manage public services workflow, schedules and services;
• Oversees two Library Specialist staff positions;
• Build and support collaborative relationships with the intent of sharing information and resources with the School of the Arts Dean’s Office and VCU Libraries;
• Serves as the liaison to the Interior Design, Fashion Design and Liberal Arts and Sciences students and faculty providing leadership and vision for building collections, planning and delivering instruction, and supporting undergraduate and faculty research;
• Develops and manages onsite collections of print and electronic resources supporting the Interior Design, Fashion Design and Liberal Arts and Sciences degree programs;
• Promotes and facilitates the effective use of those resources by working closely with faculty and students to assess their instructional and research needs;
• Works individually with faculty and students to develop in-depth research strategies;
• Develops and implements outreach strategies targeted to students, many of whom speak English as a second language;
• Engages actively in scholarship and service activities and contributes to developments in the field;
• Participates in reference and in general library instruction;
• Serves on Library teams and participates in evening and weekend public service rotation;
• Assists the Director of Libraries as needed;
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Required:

• ALA-accredited graduate degree in Library Science or advanced degree in a related and relevant discipline.
• Experience in a responsible role leading instruction and reference services in an academic library setting.
• Experience with a variety of teaching concepts, learning styles, and instructional technologies.
• Experience developing curriculum for and teaching first year university students.
• Knowledge of current and emerging technologies and the ability to utilize them in delivering library instruction and public services.
• Demonstrated commitment to teaching and public service in an academic setting and enthusiasm for work with students and faculty.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and customer service skills, and ability to motivate and encourage students.
• Knowledge of information literacy concepts, trends, and standards.
• Strong commitment to proactive library service.
• Ability to develop and manage strategic initiatives.
• Ability to work in a culturally diverse environment.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Ability to meet the research and scholarship requirements of full-time VCUQatar faculty.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Demonstrated experience working in and fostering a diverse faculty, staff, and student environment or commitment to do so as a faculty member at VCU and VCUQatar.

Prefered:

• Academic degree or professional experience in art, design, social sciences or business.
• Managerial experience and proven leadership abilities.
• Knowledge and awareness of current trends in the Fashion and Interior design fields.
• Familiarity with ALEPH or comparable library information system.
• Experience working in a multi-cultural environment.
• Experience working with English as a Foreign Language students.
• Experience creating websites and online resources.
• Knowledge of the Arabic language.

Benefits

• Competitive international salary
• Tax protection for U.S. Taxpayers
• 30% Off-shore supplement to base salary
• Medical Insurance (100% employer funded premium and employer cost shared options available)
• Fully furnished villa or apartment including wireless internet
• Annual travel allowance to home of record (to include a spouse and dependents relocated to Qatar)
• Monthly transportation allowance
• Educational reimbursement for up to 4 dependent children enrolled in an accredited K-12 program
• International Professional Development and Research Opportunities

Application Process:  Qualified applicants who have a record of achievement appropriate to VCUQatar should submit a letter of interest with a curriculum vitae, unofficial transcripts, and the names of five references including email and telephone contact information to Tomaree Porter (tlporter@vcu.edu), Human Resources Administrator, Qatar Support Office. Only Electronic submissions will be accepted.

Virginia Commonwealth University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.