Head of IT & Development

SLSP AG - Zurich

The Swiss Library Service Platform (SLSP) - headquartered in Zurich - provides services to libraries. Together with them, it operates swisscovery, the national library platform, which currently brings together scientific information from 500 libraries across Switzerland and makes it easy to access and find. SLSP also provides libraries with a shared system platform for managing their collections and delivering their library services.

At SLSP, you benefit from flexible working hours, at least five weeks of vacation per year, a centrally located workplace near Zurich main station, a co-working space in Lausanne, and the option to work from home office (remote work).

To strengthen our Technology Services department, we are looking for a committed person to join us as Head of IT & Development
, starting immediately or by agreement.

You lead IT & Development within Technology Services and manage the team from both a technical and people perspective. You are responsible for the technical design and implementation of new solutions.

You are a key contact for technical matters across SLSP. You translate our technology strategy into concrete initiatives, evaluate new technologies and turn them into practical applications, pilot projects and production ready solutions, particularly in AI/GenAI, cloud, data, integration and automation. As a technology-minded leader with a strong hands-on approach, you validate new ideas yourself through prototypes and proofs of concept and critically assess proposed technical solutions.

You work closely with internal teams, external service providers and technology partners.

You also ensure stable, secure and cost-effective IT operations.

• Technology and development: You put the technology strategy into practice, evaluate AI/GenAI, cloud, data, integration and automation, and develop new solutions. You test new technologies through prototypes, critically assess technical options and use the results to shape SLSP's technology decisions. You oversee the technical implementation of pilot projects, prototypes and proofs of concept through to production while strengthening SLSP's AI/GenAI expertise.
• IT operations and security: You ensure stable, secure and cost-effective IT operations, automate and improve the IT environment, and manage the lifecycle of applications and platforms. You are responsible for the technical aspects of contracts and SLAs, contribute to information security and cybersecurity, and manage external service providers and technology partners.
• Leadership and governance: You provide technical and people leadership, manage the budget and lead strategically important IT projects. You contribute to organisation-wide technology initiatives, represent IT in expert forums in coordination with the Head of Technology Services, and support strategic technology decisions.

Professional, technical and personal skills

• Degree in computer science, software engineering, business information systems or a comparable technical field; further training in IT management, architecture, AI/machine learning or cloud is an advantage
• Several years of experience developing and delivering technology solutions, particularly in AI/GenAI, cloud, integration or automation, combined with strong technological curiosity
• Excellent understanding of modern IT and software architectures; experience with cloud and SaaS environments, integration and API architectures, and API management
• Practical experience with automation and modern development and deployment approaches, as well as technical leadership of projects, pilot initiatives and proofs of concept
• A strong hands-on mindset and enthusiasm for evaluating new technologies yourself, building prototypes and critically questioning technical solutions
• Experience leading employees or technical service providers; you empower and motivate others, lead change, solve problems, communicate clearly, keep learning and deliver reliably with an entrepreneurial mindset
• Fluent English and either German or French, both at a level sufficient for negotiations; at least B2 proficiency in the other national language

SLSP is committed to making scientific knowledge in multilingual Switzerland accessible, connected, and sustainably disseminated. At SLSP, you will find short decision-making paths, plenty of…