CV

Personal Profile

I have a continual improvement disposition and a passion for improving libraries. I enjoy networking and collaborating with colleagues across the sector, working in partnership to develop new initiatives to benefit students. I have strong analytical skills which I used to introduce tangible change in line with strategic priorities. I am a naturally approachable, professional person with the ability to communicate at all levels. I have a proven track record in leading a team to achieve, supported by my positive, encouraging nature.

Key Achievements

  • ­Provided consultancy services to university strategic leaders and libraries on an international basis to improve the customer experience.
  • Led the team through uncertainty caused by Covid-19 enabling library services to be provided at a distance.
  • Created a new team and strategy to integrate library information literacy live training with the university tuition strategy, resulting in improved student success.
  • Redesigned the library helpdesk service in line with student needs and reducing resource, leading the team through change.

Employment History

The Open University                                                                                      

Associate Director
May 2020 – Present

My remit includes leading the development and delivery of strategies for the Library to meet the needs of the OU community. I represent Library Services at a strategic level across the University in order to maximise engagement and impact, and inspires a customer focussed continual improvement culture.

Associate Director (acting)
March 2019 – April 2020

Leading the development and delivery of strategies within Library Services, meeting the needs of the Open University community to support learning, teaching, and research. I inspire a customer focussed continual improvement culture, ensuring the Library is able to respond to user needs and expectations.

Senior Library Manager (Engagement & Insight)
October 2017 – April 2019

  • Developed and led the implementation of the insight and advocacy strategies for Library Services.
  • Led the Library building renovation project, based on user-centred design.

Senior Library Manager (Student Engagement)
January 2015 – September 2017             

  • Fostered cross-departmental working relationships supporting strategic developments.
  • Developed Library Services annual reports for the academic schools identifying key successes and opportunities for improvement.

Cranfield University                                                                                       

Library Quality Officer                                                     
2005– December 2014

  • Managed library assessment activities to improve the student experience, ensure the strategy was fit for purpose and represented value for money.
  • Developed a annual improvement cycle incorporating student insight and business intelligence into strategic planning.

Assistant Team Leader 
2009 – Six month secondment    

  • Led a team of six academic liaison librarians and two library assistants.

Research and Development Officer
2002 – 2005

  • Executive assistant to the Director and Deputy Director of Information Services, responsible for strategy and policy creation, research, statistical analysis, marketing and electronic library developments.

Professional and Voluntary Roles

Current

  • Member of the International Conference on Performance Measurement in Libraries conference board
  • Director of the Library Performance Measurement Conference Community Interest Company

Previous

  • Elected academic-related member of The Open University Senate
  • Participant in the Library Integration in Institutional Learning Analytics (LILLA) project
  • LibQUAL+® Support Officer (Europe) on behalf of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)
  • Administrator of the SCONUL LibQUAL+® Consortium
  • Member of the Library Assessment Conference organisational committee
  • Member of the Journal Usage Statistics Portal (JUSP) Community Advisory Group
  • Member of the SCONUL Working Group on Performance Quality,     Performance Portal Sub-Committee
  • Social media manager for a local charity music festival

Professional Development

  • AdvanceHE Future Professional Directors
  • Introduction to project management
  • Risk identification and management workshop 
  • Introduction to agile
  • Influencing skills
  • Supporting your team through change
  • Challenging conversations
  • Managing performance & absence
  • Recruitment, selection & interviewing
  • Understanding unconscious bias
  • Cultural Intelligence
  • Career development and staff appraisal (CDSA) for managers
  • Employment law for managers
  • Conducting equality analysis
  • General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
  • Prevent (Counter-Terrorism)

Software Application Experience

  • Microsoft Office including advanced Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Visio, Publisher
  • Microsoft Outlook, Teams and Skype for Business
  • Microsoft Sharepoint and OneDrive
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • NVivo Qualitative Coding Software
  • Social media for professional use including facebook, twitter, flickr, Instagram and hootsuite
  • Website creation and editing including WordPress and Drupal
  • Canva graphic design