Director of HKS Library Services
Listed on 2026-08-07
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Education / Teaching
Education Administration, Information & Knowledge Management
Company Description
By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.
Why join the Harvard Kennedy School?The John
F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is one of 12 graduate and professional schools at the university. Harvard Kennedy School’s mission is to improve public policy and leadership so people can live in societies that are more safe, free, just, and sustainably prosperous. By combining cutting‑edge research, the teaching of outstanding students, and direct interaction with practitioners, we have an impact on solving public problems that no other institution can match.
When you work at Harvard Kennedy School, you make a difference.
The Director of HKS Library Services leads the ongoing development of library services and collections supporting world‑class research and teaching in public policy and government, working directly with Harvard Kennedy School stakeholders and with colleagues across Harvard Library, and is the senior leadership role for the HKS Library.
The Director reports to the Chief Research Enablement Officer (CREO) as part of the research and library services department, and is a member of the CREO’s management team, along with the Director of Research Computing and Data Services, the Executive Director of Research Administration, the Manager of Community Engagement and Special Projects, and the Senior Administrative Coordinator. The Director works closely with the Vice President for the Harvard Library and University Librarian or delegates.
The Director plays a central role in shaping a modern, research‑driven library that integrates deeply into the School’s research and learning ecosystem and cultivates a welcoming, user‑oriented environment for students, faculty, fellows and staff. Collaborating closely with other Harvard Library units, the Director oversees the HKS Library staff, collections, services and space, ensuring the development, stewardship and accessibility of resources that align with evolving faculty, student and fellows research, teaching and learning needs and expanding access to policy‑relevant data and scholarship.
The Director collaborates closely with other HKS research and library services teams such as Research Computing and Data, Research Compliance and Sponsored Awards, and academic leadership to support the full research lifecycle, with particular emphasis on discovery, data services, digital scholarship, open science and scholarly publishing. The Director champions innovation in library services, including the integration of emerging technologies, support for data‑intensive research, and the evolving role of libraries in an AI‑enabled research landscape.
As a key partner to faculty, the Office of Communications and Public Affairs, and HKS research centers, the Director helps identify emerging information needs, supports interdisciplinary inquiry and enhances the visibility and impact of HKS research outputs.
The ideal candidate brings a strong record of leadership in university research libraries, experience managing services in a complex environment, and a collaborative approach suited to a highly networked, matrixed organization.
Job‑Specific Responsibilities- Provide strategic leadership in the ongoing evolution of library services, collections and facilities that advance research, teaching and learning in public policy and government.
- Lead the HKS Library, overseeing teams that manage collection development (with a focus on e‑resource licences shared with other Harvard libraries, data and other digital resources), research services (in‑person and virtual consultations, academic integrity training and support for research dissemination including research data management, digital scholarship, open science, copyright and publishing), course services (including course materials and instruction), and space utilisation, working closely with university‑wide library services and…
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