Director of Copyright & Scholarly Communication Services

Job Description

The University of Virginia Library is seeking a dynamic leader in copyright and scholarly communication services to shape future outreach efforts. This new position will transform the Library’s copyright and scholarly communication services to faculty and students in support of innovation in scholarly production, open access initiatives, and rights and risk assessment of digital content.  The Director of Copyright and Scholarly Communication Services will build crucial partnerships both within the library and across grounds with faculty and students. Strengthening these relationships will enhance services, engage with the UVA scholarly community, and encourage compliance with federal open policies. This role is pivotal in fostering a collaborative environment that supports open-access initiatives, copyright education, and upholds ethical standards in intellectual property use.

We are seeking a collaborative leader with practical and operational knowledge to advance these efforts.  This position requires expertise in change management and a deep understanding of service models that effectively engage a robust research community.  Reporting to the Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and Content Strategy, the Director of Copyright and Scholarly Communication Services will oversee a comprehensive suite of services. These include copyright services, open-access initiatives, institutional repositories, oversight of the Aperio open-access publishing platform, and rights and risk assessment of digital content. This leadership role is critical in driving forward the University of Virginia Library’s commitment to supporting and promoting scholarly communication in an evolving academic research landscape.

Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: The Director will provide leadership in copyright and scholarly communication services. This includes managing a team of four FTEs, ensuring the unit aligns with the library’s mission and the university’s academic priorities.

Outreach and Engagement: Transforming outreach efforts to faculty and students is central. The Director will lead efforts to engage with the scholarly community, promoting copyright, innovation in scholarly production, open access initiatives, and effective digital rights management.

Partnership Building: Building and strengthening partnerships both within the library and across campus is critical. This involves collaborating with various stakeholders to enhance services, support open-access initiatives, and ensure compliance with federal open policies.  Serves as the library liaison with the Office of the University Counsel and maintains a productive relationship with the Executive Director for Federal Relations.

Advocacy and Compliance: Advocating for ethical standards in intellectual property use and promoting compliance with copyright laws and open access policies will be a key responsibility. This includes staying abreast of legal developments and best practices in scholarly communication.

Collaboration: Fostering a collaborative environment within the library and across campus is fundamental. This includes collaborating with campus stakeholders and with units across the library that support resource sharing, collections, special collections, open access initiatives, digital assets, and research and learning services.

Required Qualifications

• A Master’s degree in Library Science, or an ABA accredited Juris Doctor in Law with specialization in copyright.
• Experience working in libraries, museums, or in higher education.
• 7 years of relevant experience required; including 5 years of direct supervisory and/or management experience.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and implement strategic directives with strong problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
• Copyright expert with experience advising stakeholders on copyright law compliance, fair use, licensing agreements, and intellectual property matters.
• Demonstrated understanding of the academic environment and the ability to navigate complex technical, legal, and policy issues.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 years of experience in copyright law, privacy, and intellectual property.
• Knowledge of ADA law as it impacts copyright.
• Demonstrated ability to lead change and to engage and support others in the change process.
• Experience in teaching, instruction, and public speaking.
• Knowledge of international open access policy trends.
• Demonstrated experience building coalitions and maintaining collaborative relationships.

The UVA Library is interested in reviewing candidates with a broad range of experiences, education, and qualifications. We are dedicated to building a diverse, inclusive, and dynamic workplace, so if you are excited about this role but your past experience doesn’t align perfectly with every preferred qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

Anticipated Hiring Range:  $110,000 – $125,000 Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile.

This position is primarily in person, with the possibility of occasional remote work.

TO APPLY:

Please visit https://jobs.virginia.edu/us/en/job/R0065114/Director-of-Copyright-Scholarly-Communication-Services

Complete an application online and attach:

One or two- page cover letter to include your interest in the position and your knowledge, skills, abilities, and experiences.
Resume or CV

***Please note that you MUST upload ALL documents into the CV/Resume box. Applications that do not contain all the required documents will not receive full consideration. ***

The selected applicant will be required to complete a background check prior to their first day of employment per university policy.

For questions about the application process, please contact Rhiannon O’Coin, Senior Academic Recruiter, rmo2r@virginia.edu or Carmelita Pickett, Associate University Librarian for Scholarly Resources and Content Strategy, cpickett@virginia.edu.

About the University of Virginia Library: The University of Virginia Library is here to ensure that the University community has the information it needs for teaching, research, and enrichment. Regularly ranked in the top quartile of ARL libraries, UVA Library has six locations, more than 220 staffers, and more than 100 student employees. Additionally, as a major research institution, the Library regularly collaborates with professional organizations such as the Virtual Library of Virginia (VIVA), Virginia Library Association, Association of College and Research Libraries, and others.

For more information about UVA and the Charlottesville community please see  www.virginia.edu/life/charlottesville  and https://embarkcva.com/

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This is primarily a sedentary job involving extensive use of desktop computers. The job does occasionally require traveling some distance to attend meetings, and programs.