Library Team Leader

Information Services- Library

This role may be eligible for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If requiring visa sponsorship, the successful applicant will also need to meet a range of individual criteria to satisfy Home Office requirements. If the role is offered on a part-time basis, this might also affect eligibility.

Applicants are encouraged to individually assess whether they may be eligible for visa sponsorship prior to applying. More information on eligibility can be found on the Government website.

The University Library is seeking to appoint an experienced librarian to lead and develop activities related to learning, teaching, engagement, and user support. The post holder will work closely with other senior library staff to coordinate operational liaison with academic schools and professional service departments. The university will have a new academic structure in place from August 2026, providing the opportunity for the successful candidate to be involved from the start in developing approaches to liaison and support with new departments.

In addition to strategic coordination, the post holder will oversee and enhance the delivery of services in learning, teaching, engagement, and user support. This will include responsibility for the overarching information literacy and digital literacy skills development strategy, and direct involvement in teaching delivery. The post holder will work closely with specialist library activity leads for areas including (but not limited to) resource access, cultural and research, and collections. In addition, the post holder will serve as part of the senior library leadership team to ensure services are efficient, effective, and well-integrated, delivering maximum positive impact across the University.

As Team Leader, the post holder will lead the operational delivery of services within their remit, playing a pivotal role in shaping and maintaining high-quality frameworks and standards that support student success, academic engagement, and inclusive learning experiences. Working in partnership with colleagues across the University, they will ensure that services remain responsive, innovative, and aligned with institutional priorities.

The successful candidate should have the following:

• A first degree plus a postgraduate library/information science qualification; or a first degree in library/information science; or CPD with a commitment to work towards CILIP (or international equivalent) professional certification.
• Significant experience of leading or managing a team.
• Experience working in an academic or advanced training environment and collaborating with academic schools or external education partners.
• Extensive experience supporting information literacy development.
• Experience designing and delivering instructional programmes in online, face-to-face and classroom settings.
• Strong negotiating and influencing skills, with the ability to work effectively across all organisational levels and with external bodies.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to interpret stakeholder needs, maintain effective relationships and handle sensitive issues appropriately.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report writing and presenting.
• Ability to manage conflicting priorities in complex situations.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly to specialist and non-specialist audiences.
• Confident teaching and facilitation skills.
• Ability to apply institutional learning and teaching concepts to inform service development.

ABOUT US

The University of the West of Scotland is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic modern universities. Our reach across the country, together with our London campus, means that UWS is a significant force in global knowledge creation, innovation, and a leading provider of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree education. Our degrees provide students with a transformational experience; equipping them with highly sought-after graduate skills that set them up for global success in world-leading sectors, industries and businesses.

UWS is officially ranked by Times Higher Education in the top 200 universities worldwide under 50 years old (2024 Young University Rankings)

Our professional services teams are the backbone of UWS, providing robust and innovative solutions to support the vast range of work across learning and teaching, and research and innovation. You will join a supportive and dedicated team, playing a key role in a range of work that will help drive forward our ambition to deliver world-leading research, and graduates who will design, shape and build a new future.

We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes:

• 24 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays
• An additional days leave on your birthday
• Defined benefit contribution pension scheme (including death in service benefits upon joining the scheme
• A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance
• Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers
• Fitness facilities across our campuses
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Professional, career and research development opportunities.

Closing Date: Sunday 12th April

Interview Date: Wednesday 29th April

Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception, where evidence would need to be provided).

The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.