Librarian - National Portfolio Organisation

Job Description

Job Title

Librarian

Inspire: Culture, Learning & Libraries

Grade

Hay A

Job Purpose

To ensure effective delivery of the Inspire Offer in libraries, working with the district team to ensure excellent customer service, engaging with communities, promoting the offer and coordinating local activities to support need and demand.

Key Responsibilities

1. To deliver the Inspire Offer in libraries as required by the Libraries and Culture Manager, ensuring customer focussed and professional delivery and meeting Inspire’s mission to inspire people to read, learn and enjoy culture.

2. To lead service delivery and development projects, activities and tasks across library, arts, heritage and learning services and throughout the county as required to deliver best practice and innovative services.

3. To contribute to collection and stock management as required.

4. To promote the Inspire offer within Inspire sites, and within schools and the community.

5. To engage with designated communities and other stakeholders, coordinating local activities as needed to meet community needs and feeding back to the local team and countywide teams to ensure continuous improvement.

6. To support all aspects of service delivery as needed, as directed by the Libraries and Culture Manager and liaising with the Library Managers, Principal Library Managers and Lead Tutors, ensuring excellent customer service.

7. To work flexibly in location and time to meet service needs.

The post holder will work in accordance with all Inspire policies and procedures, Inspire Brand guidelines,
contractual requirements, and professional best practice

The post holder will perform any duties or tasks assigned by management required to meet service needs as appropriate to the role.

The post holder will assume the role of Appointed Person and/or First Aider as required

Education and Knowledge Required for the role

1. Graduate/postgraduate qualification in librarianship/information science/literature/creative arts.

2. Knowledge of national and local priorities for cultural, learning and library sectors.

Skills and Experience

1. Experience of working with the public in customer facing roles within the sector.

2. Experience of planning and delivering projects, events and activities within relevant sectors.

3. Excellent organisational skills, delivering projects to time, budget and quality standards.

Role Dimensions

1. Service delivery across a large locality in a variety of library, heritage, learning and cultural disciplines.

2. Frontline delivery of services within a library environment.

Job Title: Librarian

Inspire: Culture, Learning & Libraries

Grade: A

Inspire Competencies

Competency

Level

How we work at Inspire

Customer Service

3

1. Demonstrates effective customer service skills – in person, online, email or on the phone - identifies and satisfies customer needs, adjusting their style with a friendly and professional approach as appropriate for the customer, respecting confidentiality, equality & diversity and prioritises the customer over tasks where appropriate

2. Responds positively to customer concerns, acts to resolve or reassure customers as needed, agrees solutions with the customer or hands over to an appropriate colleague

3. Responds positively to any complaint or suggestion and seeks to resolve it within limits of their authority or hands over to a more senior manager as appropriate

Deliver the service offer

4

1. Knows and/or accesses information to advise and promote the Inspire Service Offer to all customers – to meet their immediate needs and other services that could be of interest or benefit them

2. Embraces any changes to the offer and any associated changes to processes or working practices positively, takes responsibility for their own development and engages with and makes the most of development opportunities provided

3. Shares feedback about the Inspire offer with their line manager and contributes to meetings, discussions and related activities to ensure service delivery and/or improve our offer

4. Leads work to develop, enhance or create new elements of the Inspire service offer and where appropriate ensure there is an integrated customer offer and journey

Communicating Well

3

1. Communicates clearly and effectively in person, on the phone and in writing respectfully and in a style appropriate to the person and situation and uses and engages with Inspire’s online communications

2. Communicates effectively in a meeting or other group situation, respectfully and in a style appropriate to the group and situation with a solutions-based / can-do approach

3. Debates, positively challenges and/or discusses issues with colleagues and line manager, sharing views and acknowledging and respecting the views of others, seeks to reach agreement and respects the final decision made

Working Together

4

1. Adopts a friendly, helpful, supportive and respectful manner when working with others

2. Acts in a way that shows they are trustworthy, reliable and transparent in their dealings with others, respecting privacy and confidentiality as appropriate

3. Forms positive and effective working relationships, makes and implements decisions fairly, using good judgement and with integrity, in line with Inspire values and role modelling Inspire management and leadership behaviours

4. Forms and maintains effective internal and external working relationships across the organisation, with external partners, stakeholders and funding organisations, motivated by achieving the best for our customers and in the best interests of all concerned

Managing Others

NA

Leading the Way

3

1. Incorporates the spirit of Inspire’s mission, vision and values in the work they do with customers, colleagues and stakeholders, plays their part in implementing Inspire policies and procedures and management decisions

2. Articulates and shares Inspire’s mission, vision and values to enthuse and focus the efforts of colleagues

3. Contributes to the decision-making process, stands by decisions made and owns them when implementing them

Working Efficiently & Cost Effectively

3

1. Uses Inspire resources and their time effectively to meet service demand, objectives and/or targets

2. Plans ahead, making best use of time and resources available to achieve service delivery, maximising the use of technology available, minimising unnecessary travel or waste, prioritising work and working within spending limits

3. Resolves competing or conflicting demand for resources and time effectively to meet the needs of themselves, colleagues and customers

Skills and Qualifications

5

Experienced Qualified (3 years or more): Foundation Degree and post grad service specific qualification or relevant HND