The
Portland Public Library (PPL), serving the greater Portland community
for over 150 years, seeks a collaborative, strategic, and innovative
cultural leader and library professional to serve as its next Executive
Director. As the state’s largest public library system and most visited
cultural institution, PPL is a cornerstone in the community providing
access to information, advancing literacy, and enriching the lives of
the growing and increasingly diverse population in Portland.
PPL
seeks an outstanding leader with a demonstrated commitment to leading
an organization through change in a diverse community, embracing new
measures to support community-wide justice and equity. The next
Executive Director will have the opportunity to engage in a strategic
planning process that articulates a vision for the future of the Library
and its relevance among the changing population of Portland. Overseeing
multiple physical locations, as well as a bookmobile and a growing
virtual presence, the Executive Director will lead an organization with
over 60 full-time staff that is ready for thoughtful change. This
individual will be an experienced library executive who will lead in
providing a direction for the vital role of Portland Public Library in
an exceptional location. Portland, Maine is ranked in the top 10 best
places to live in America by U.S. News and World Report for 2022-2023, offering a variety of arts and cultural, recreational, and educational opportunities in a growing city.
The ideal candidate will have a thorough knowledge of public library
current trends and best practices. The next Executive Director will
bring a pragmatic and fiscally responsible approach to public library
leadership with a focus on building community engagement and investment.
PPL seeks a candidate who will bring experience and success in donor
cultivation and stewardship to further the mission of the organization.
They will have the political savviness to foster and navigate
collaborative relationships among a variety of internal and external
constituents and key stakeholders.
Portland Public Library has
retained Isaacson, Miller, a national executive search firm, to assist
in this important search. All applications, inquiries, and nominations
should be directed in confidence to: www.imsearch.com/8695.
PPL
is committed to hiring and maintaining a diverse workforce of highly
qualified staff to ensure broad perspectives, promote equity and
inclusion, and connect to our wide community. Applicants with racially,
ethnically, or culturally diverse identities or backgrounds are
encouraged to apply.
