Library and Community Services Director (20691922)

THE COMMUNITY

The City of Menlo Park is a thriving community with tree-lined neighborhoods, active commercial areas, excellent schools, spaces to enjoy the outdoors, and opportunities to engage in local activities. Located conveniently between the major metropolitan areas of San Francisco and San Jose, Menlo Park is home to approximately 34,000 residents in its 19 square miles. The stunning natural surroundings of the city afford views of the San Francisco Bay to the east and the Pacific Coastal Range to the west.

Menlo Park’s residents reflect a diverse range of backgrounds and interests who are actively engaged in community life. As home to numerous venture capital firms and neighbor to Stanford University, Menlo Park is well situated to benefit from and help shape new technologies and innovations originating from Silicon Valley. The city hosts such major employers as Meta, SRI International, Grail, Pacific Biosciences, Rosewood Hotel, and Exponent.

Incorporated in 1927, Menlo Park is a General Law city operating under a Council-Manager form of government. The City Council is the City’s five-member governing body whose members are elected by district to four-year overlapping terms in general municipal elections. The Mayor and Vice Mayor each serve one-year terms and are selected annually by the City Council in December. The City Council appoints the City Manager and City Attorney as well as members of the City’s numerous Commissions and Committees. The City Manager appoints all executive and management level positions. City staff report to one of six departments: the City Manager’s Office, Administrative Services, Community Development, Library and Community Services, Police, and Public Works, which includes Menlo Park Municipal Water. Fire protection and sanitary services are provided by separate special districts. The City is supported by approximately 296 full-time equivalent employees with over 55 funds and a total expenditure budget of $216 million. As evidence of the City’s sound fiscal stewardship and solid financial standing, Menlo Park is one of the few cities in California that consistently maintains an AAA bond rating, in large part due to its healthy reserves and strong revenue base.

THE POSITION

Under administrative direction from the City Manager or Assistant City Manager, the Library and Community Services Director manages all major initiatives, projects, and programs of the Library and Community Services Department including public libraries, early childhood education, school age childcare, indoor/outdoor recreation, aquatics, gymnastics, older adult (senior) services, special events, and other assigned areas. The Library and Community Services Director establishes the appropriate budget, service, and staffing levels for the Library and Community Services Department and manages the implementation of goals, objectives, policies, procedures, and work standards.

As a representative of the City and Library and Community Services Department, this position regularly interacts with residents, government agencies, community groups, educational institutions, consultants, interest groups, and businesses to resolve questions, concerns, and other inquiries about activities. This position provides highly responsible and complex professional assistance to the City Manager in areas of expertise, including development of strategic planning and proposing amendments to City policies.

The Library and Community Services Director selects, trains, motivates, directs, and evaluates personnel, including implementing discipline and termination procedures and responding to staff questions and concerns. This position manages and participates in the development and administration of the department’s operating budget and directs fiscal control. The incumbent is accountable for accomplishing departmental planning and operational goals and objectives and for furthering City goals and objectives within general policy guidelines. Other duties include but are not limited to:

• Identifies and evaluates current and future community needs and develops and implements initiatives and changes to improve department services.
• Plans, develops, and directs comprehensive long-term planning in the areas of public libraries, early childhood education, school age childcare, indoor/outdoor recreation, aquatics, gymnastics, older adult (senior) services, and special events.
• Participates in city-wide strategic planning.
• Continuously monitors and evaluates the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery methods and procedures, identifies opportunities for improvement, and directs the implementation of change.
• Directs the assessment of the condition of department facilities, ensures participant safety and directs requests and completion of maintenance projects for City facilities.
• Directs those who monitor and control supplies and equipment including the ordering of supplies and materials.
• Directs departmental organizational and operational studies and investigations; implements improvements and modifications to programs, policies, and procedures.
• Directs development, implementation, and administration of contracts and use agreements.
• Monitors changes and ensures compliance with relevant health, safety, and licensing laws and guidelines.
• Directs maintenance and updates of all records required by Federal, State, and local regulatory agencies.
• Directs the evaluation of community, library and recreation needs and interests, including the preparation of community surveys, analysis of resulting data and development of new library, recreation, and social services programs or improvements to meet community needs.
• Reviews staff, financial, and statistical reports related to grants, program participation and analysis, expenditures, and revenues.
• Performs related duties and responsibilities as required.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The City of Menlo Park is seeking a collaborative, community-oriented professional to serve as the Library and Community Services Director. The ideal candidate is a highly organized team player with a high degree of professionalism, competency, effectiveness, and political astuteness. Knowledge of and experience in the effective municipal management of public libraries, early childhood education, school age childcare, indoor/outdoor recreation, aquatics, gymnastics, older adult (senior) services, special events, strategic and master planning, community and civic engagement, volunteerism, systems management, contracts and use agreements are required for this role. Successful performance requires knowledge of public policy, municipal functions and activities, including the role of an elected City Council, the Parks and Recreation Commission, the Library Commission, and the Youth Advisory Committee, and the ability to develop, oversee, and implement projects and programs in a variety of areas. Knowledge of applicable Federal, State, and local laws, regulatory codes, ordinances, and procedures are required.

Candidates must possess excellent verbal and written communication skills as well as possess excellent customer service skills and the ability to foster positive and effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. Candidates must have experience preparing and administering large and complex budgets and allocating limited resources in a cost-effective manner. The ability to select, train, motivate, and evaluate the work of staff is crucial for this role. The ideal candidate will effectively represent the City and the Department in meetings with government agencies, contractors, vendors, and various organizations as well as organize and prioritize a variety of projects and multiple tasks in an effective and timely manner. Candidates must maintain current knowledge on technological, professional, and societal developments, current literature, and sources of information related to all functional areas of the Library and Community Services Department.

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Experience & Education

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in public administration, library and information science, education, business administration, or a related field.
• At least seven (7) years of increasingly responsible management and/or administrative experience in public administration, public libraries, early childhood education, school age childcare, parks and recreation, special events, aquatics, gymnastics, and/or social services, preferably in public agency.
• At least three (3) years as a department head, assistant department head, or management level.

Licenses, Certificates and Special Requirements

• Possession of, or ability to obtain, a valid California Driver's license by time of appointment is required.
• Fluency in Spanish is desirable.

Job PDF:

https://www.calopps.org/sites/default/files/Menlo%20Park%20Library%20%26%20Community%20Services%20Director.pdf

Additional Job PDF:

https://www.calopps.org/sites/default/files/job_pdf/Library%20and%20Community%20Services%20Director%20classification.pdf

Benefits

The Library and Community Services Director annual salary range is $204,654 - $276,282. Placement within this range is dependent upon qualifications and experience. The salary is supplemented by a competitive benefits package that includes, but is not limited to:

CalPERS Retirement - Classic members 2% at 60 and 2% at 62 for PEPRA members. Employees pay the full member contribution. The City does not participate in Social Security, except for the 1.45% Medicare contribution by both the City and employee.

Medical Plans - City pays 100% medical, dental, and vision insurance for employee and eligible dependents.

Educational Reimbursement - City reimburses up to $3,600 per year for tuition expenses.

Life Insurance - City provided policy equal to 1.5 times the employee’s annual salary up to $350,000.

Deferred Compensation - City matches employee contribution up to 4% of salary or to the IRS maximum, whichever is less.

Paid Time Off - Includes 338 hours of General Leave, 80 hours of Management Leave, and 11 official paid holidays per year. Up to 120 hours may be cashed out annually. Accrued General Leave is fully paid out upon separation from the City.

Health Reimbursement - City contribution of $2,500 per year for health reimbursement arrangement.

Auto Allowance - Employees who are not assigned a City vehicle receive an auto allowance of $278 per pay period. City is also enrolled in Caltrain GoPass and BayPass pilot program for free access to all bus, rail, and ferry services in the nine-county Bay Area.

Annual Bonus - City Manager may award a bonus of up to $20,000 per fiscal year.

Additional Benefits - City paid long-term disability and AD&D insurance. Counseling and referral services provided through the Employee Assistance Program. Access to on-site gym.

For more detailed benefit information, visit
www.menlopark.gov
and review the City of Menlo Park Management Compensation Plan for Unrepresented Appointees.

Special Instructions

If you are interested in this outstanding opportunity, please apply online at
Bob Murray & Associates
.

Filing Deadline: January 25, 2026

Following the closing date, resumes will be screened according to the qualifications outlined above. The most qualified candidates will be invited to personal interviews with Bob Murray & Associates. A select group of candidates will be asked to provide references once it is anticipated that they may be recommended as finalists. References will be contacted only following candidate approval. Finalist interviews will be held with the City of Menlo Park. Candidates will be advised of the status of the recruitment following selection of the Library and Community Services Director.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call Ms. Stephanie Dietz at (916) 784-9080.

Closing Date/Time: 1/25/2026 at 11:59pm

• 

• City of Menlo Park

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