Makerspace Innovation Manager at Fayetteville Public Library

Exempt: Yes

Department: Information Technology – Center for Innovation Division

Reports To: Director, IT/AV & Innovation

Location: Fayetteville Public Library

Safety Sensitive: No

Salary Grade: 8

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GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF POSITION

As the Makerspace Innovation Manager, you help create an experience that makes our community say, "I love Fayetteville Public Library!" As a manager, you will lead by exemplary example. When you work at FPL, you are working alongside a dedicated team that brings their passion and pride to all that they do. You share your technical and product knowledge with customers and other staff, contributing to the overall success of the Library. You relate easily to others, building rapport and collaborative relationships with both the staff and customers. You can communicate and interact with all customers, create a welcoming and inclusive experience, are a good listener and enjoy working with people. You have a passion for what you do and enrich the customer's experience by using your knowledge to determine the customer's needs and exceed their expectations. You are comfortable in a changing environment, with multitasking, and with learning new systems and procedures.

The Center for Innovation is a 6400 sq. ft. creation and learning facility with audio, video, and photography studios, a fabrication and robotics lab, simulation lab, podcasting booth, computer training lab, mac lab and communal creative space with various printers and fabrication technologies. Management of the programming and operation of the centers creative spaces are split between the AV Manager, overseeing the audio, video, photography studios, podcasting and edit suites, and the Makerspace Innovation Manager overseeing the fabrication and robotics lab, simulation lab, computer training lab, and the communal creative space and equipment.

As Makerspace Innovation Manager, under general direction, you will develop, organize, and manage all aspects, activities and staff within the Center for Innovation’s maker spaces. These activities include providing exemplary frontline customer service, establishing optimal workflow and staffing, communicating library policy to staff and customers as well as evaluating and improving department functions. You will be familiar with an assortment of tools and technologies including maker spaces, VR, graphic design, and digital fabrication. You will also hire, train, coach, develop, and dismiss Center for Innovation staff in support of these functions. 

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ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

•    Proactively greet and establish rapport with patrons, enthusiastically engaging them in conversations about all materials and services. 

•    Provide exemplary customer service in-person at the Center for Innovation and at all locations throughout the library. 

•    Answer questions about library programs and services and refer callers and visitors to the appropriate staff member or service desk. 

•    Lead Center for Innovation maker space staff to also consistently execute these behaviors. 

•    Effectively communicate with patrons regarding a variety of topics including, but not limited to, library products and services, policies, responsibilities, and code of conduct. Blend creativity, problem solving, and decision making to positively impact the customer experience, de-escalate any negative situations and resolve customer questions and concerns. Lead and train staff to execute these same behaviors. Monitor customer feedback. 

•    Diffuse difficult, volatile, and/or inappropriate customer situations, keeping safety in mind.

•    Ask open-ended questions to assess, understand, and ascertain customer needs, determine how to tailor your approach, and provide recommendations using your institutional knowledge to connect our customer with the right solution. This includes both routine and complex patron inquiries. 

•    Train and coach Center for Innovation maker space staff to do the same.

•    Direct and evaluate Center for Innovation makerspace workflows to continually improve work processes. 

•    Establish and monitor performance metrics, track and analyze data, and prepare reports. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and effectiveness, document procedures, test and implement solutions. 

•    Develop and implement policies, procedures, and work standards for the Center for Innovation.

•    In coordination with department director, prepare and administer annual makerspace budget and establish budget priorities.

•    Research and develop grant proposals in coordination with Development department to enhance and expand library services. Ensure grant compliance and accurate reporting as assigned.

•    Orient new staff in Center for Innovation maker spaces, ensuring a smooth acclimation to the Library and our culture. 

•    Coordinate training of new staff members. Seek out ways to train, develop, and coach Center for Innovation staff in the moment to enhance their job performance and skills. Hire, schedule, supervise, train, develop, coach, evaluate, assign work, monitor, and dismiss Center for Innovation makerspace staff, volunteers, and interns.

•    Ensure that the department is staffed with qualified personnel and oversee their continued professional development.

•    Communicate and interpret library policies and procedures for Center of Innovation makerspace staff. Hold meetings as necessary. 

•    Identify and communicate staff ideas and concerns to the department director and other library managers. 

•    Work with the AV manager and other teams across the library to implement services, programs and procedures that assist with the delivery of exemplary customer service. Recommend and respond to requests from other departments regarding access and services offered in the Center for Innovation maker spaces.

•     Partner with outside vendors and trainers for programing opportunities.

•    Identify, develop, and nurture community partnerships that will result in impactful programming and services for Center for Innovation patrons and staff.

•    Utilize partnerships to broaden the reach of the Library and Center for Innovation. 

•    Work with subject matter experts in the Center for Innovation makerspaces to develop training for the public that promotes their ability to fully and independently utilize the resources of the Center.

•    In conjunction with CFI staff, create, develop, implement, and evaluate multiple high-quality, relevant programs for makerspaces. Topics will cover a broad range in STEAM, robotics, electronics, computing coding, VR, graphic design, digital fabrication and other technologies for all age ranges. Speak, instruct and/or perform in front of library and outreach audiences (frequently up to 750+ participants). Negotiate speaker fees and contracts.

•    Coordinate with Marketing to create marketing collateral to promote the services of the Center for Innovation.

•    Monitor the need for and plan, develop and implement specific types of services to meet the goals of the Center for Innovation. 

•    Work closely with staff to understand trends in the areas of digital fabrication, graphic design including game development, technologies of the FabLab (3-D design, coding and robotics), VR studio, and simulation lab.

•    Ensure that the Center for Innovation equipment is in proper working order and report the requirement for repair or service. 

•    Recommend requirements for new or additional equipment to enhance training opportunities for the Center for Innovation and the system as a whole.

•    Display excellent time management skills, attention to detail, problem solving skills, strong organizational skills and the ability to work proactively to balance multiple tasks and prioritize work. 

•    Complete work at an appropriate pace with a sense of urgency.

•    Work as a member of the management team to evaluate and improve overall library services to resolve shared issues, streamline workflow efficiency and create, support and implement library policies and procedures. 

•    Serve on/chair library committees. 

•    Assist with library services, programs, and outreach opportunities as needed. Represent the Center for Innovation and the Library in public, media, Library Board of Trustees meetings, and professional associations. 

•    Seek out opportunities and utilize networking events to promote recognition and use of the Center for Innovation and the Library.

•    Pursue professional development, which may involve travel, to keep informed of current and emerging technology training, workforce development, and library trends. Provide assistance and coaching to colleagues. 

•    Maintain professional and technical knowledge through attendance of educational workshops, review of professional publications, establishment of networks, and participation in professional organizations.

•    Drives a motor vehicle to attend meetings and visit various work sites.

•    Assume personal responsibility for the building's condition and solve minor issues and problems as they arise.

•    Complete special projects as assigned.

•    Protect library assets and ensure building security adhering to library policies and following appropriate closing procedure. 

•    Learn and carry out emergency procedures. Provide leadership in response to emergency situations.

•    Develop and monitor a safety plan for the Center for Innovation that includes direction on hazardous materials handling and disposal, as well as exposure precautions and access to proper safety equipment.

•    Perform any other related duties as required or assigned.

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QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty mentioned satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

Education and Experience

1.    Bachelor’s degree (B.A., B.S., etc) plus 5 years related experience and/or training, and 2 years related management experience, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

2.    High language skills including ability to read and understand documents such as policy manuals, safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; Ability to write routine reports and correspondence. Ability to effectively communicate information and respond to questions in person-to-person and group situations with customers, clients, general public and other employees of the organization.

3.    Basic math skills including the ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.

4.    High reasoning skills including the ability to solve practical problems and deal with several variables where only limited standardization exists and the ability to communicate this information.

5.    High computer skills including knowledge of office productivity software and ability to operate standard office equipment.

6.    Familiarity of technologies used in Center for Innovation maker spaces, including but not limited to 3D printers, Laser cutters, CNCs.

7.    Basic working knowledge of technologies used in Center for Innovation to be able to assist patrons with basic troubleshooting and teach introductory level courses for various suites.

8.    Excellent customer service skills including the ability to resolve difficult customer situations.

Skills and Competencies

1.    Ability to work a flexible schedule as assigned that includes evenings, weekends, and holiday shifts is required.

2.    Creativity and awareness of community needs to design and implement library services and programs for adults, teens, and children.

3.    Strong organizational, time management, and interpersonal skills.

4.    Ability to work both independently and as an effective and valued team member.

5.    Work under pressure on multiple projects with frequent interruptions and tight deadlines.

6.    Ability to provide own cell phone.

7.    Multilingual skills a plus.

8.    Must possess a valid State Drivers’ License.

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WORK ENVIRONMENT & REQUIREMENTS: The following physical activities described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions and expectations.

1.    Ability to tolerate moderate noise that comes from an office environment with typical HVAC performance, constant visitors, telephone calls, computers, and printers; ability to tolerate increased noise during library programs.

2.    While performing the functions of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to work near moving mechanical parts, risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

3.    While performing the functions of this job, the employee is continuously required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel; regularly required to stand, walk, sit, reach with hands and arms, talk or hear; occasionally required to climb or balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds; frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and color vision.