Deputy Director

Location: Yellowhead Regional Library, 433 King Street, Spruce Grove, Alberta

Reports to: Director

Salary Range: $93,241 to $106,013 based on the 2025 salary grid and excluding benefits.

Benefits: This position is eligible for a Local Authorities Pension Plan. YRL offers health and dental care (must be part of the group plan), extended health care benefits, and a health care spending account.

Other benefits:

• Vacation: Four weeks per year to start.
• Manager time in lieu: An extra six paid days off per year instead of overtime.
• YRL is closed between December 25 and January 1; staff receive an additional three days of paid time off unless operationally required to be on site.
• Provision of paid sick leave as well as paid time off for appointments.
• This position will have funds available for professional development opportunities.

Job Type: Permanent Full-Time; 35 hours per week

About Yellowhead Regional Library

YRL is a “library for libraries.”

YRL is a dynamic and forward-thinking library system founded in 1971 to provide quality library services to 54 urban and rural municipalities and three school divisions in west-central Alberta. Our member libraries support a population of over 300,000 Albertans and almost 9,800 full-time equivalent students. Located in Spruce Grove, our regional area stretches from the metro-Edmonton area west to Jasper; north to Swan Hills, Whitecourt and Westlock; southeast to Wetaskiwin and New Sarepta; and southwest to Drayton Valley and Alder Flats.

YRL participates in several collaborative projects with other regional systems, and is an active participant in partnerships (TRAC) along with provincial and national consortia (The Alberta Library, Canadian Urban Libraries Council).

YRL is a certified Living Wage Alberta employer.

Our mission: YRL provides materials and services to public and school libraries, and other organizations, to assist them in meeting the informational, educational, cultural and recreational needs of their communities.

Our values: collaboration, inclusion, responsiveness, value for investment.

We promote innovation, intellectual freedom, literacy and lifelong learning, and service and organizational excellence.

To see our mission and values in action, please review our current strategic plan.

Position Overview

The Deputy Director serves as a key member of the leadership team. This position will support the Director in overseeing the effective and efficient operation of YRL. The Deputy Director will lead strategic initiatives, manage day-to-day operations including communications, and oversee the Administrative Services functions of YRL. This role requires a strong, pragmatic and practical leader with a deep commitment to public service, a passion for public libraries, respect and understanding of rural areas, and expertise in management and leadership.

This position works closely with the staff in the Administrative Services department and serves as the Director’s “Second Brain.”

Essential Functions 

The essential functions of this role are:

• Providing positive and professional leadership to YRL managers and staff.
• Contributing to the development of a respectful and psychologically safe workplace.
• Contributing to the achievement of organizational goals.
• Representing YRL professionally at the local, regional, provincial and national levels.

For details on how these functions are measured, please refer to the job description.

Qualifications  

Education: ALA-accredited Master of Library and Information Studies (MLIS) degree is required.

Experience: Five plus years of progressive experience in public libraries, including library administration. Prior formal leadership and/or management positions an asset.

Other Skills

• To be successful in this role, the candidate should have strong knowledge of library services, operations and technologies with experience in budgeting, financial processes and resource management. Knowledge of Alberta’s public library systems and familiarity with regional and rural community needs is helpful.
• The successful candidate should demonstrate an ability to positively lead and manage teams, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Understanding how to facilitate discussions, negotiate and collaborate with stakeholders, government departments, funding organizations and vendors is important in this role. Must be able to build relationships with diverse populations and demonstrate a strong sense of political astuteness.
• The successful candidate will demonstrate an ability to work effectively under pressure and manage multiple competing priorities. Strong problem-solving and critical thinking skills are needed, as is an ability to be pragmatic and consistent when making decisions.
• This position requires someone who can work with ambiguity, changing environments and demonstrate independent decision making.
• For a fuller description, please refer to the job description.

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment. Note: YRL is not open to the public.
• Working hours: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• YRL has a work from home policy which this position is eligible for.