Library

Grade 5: - £22,417 - £25,941 per annum (pro rata)
Fixed Term - Part Time
Contract Duration: Until 30 August 2022
Contracted Hours per Week: 17.5
Closing Date: 29-Jun-2021, 6:59:00 AM 

Please note that we anticipate a high volume of applications for this position, so it may close before the specified date. Early application is therefore encouraged.

The Department and role purpose   

In January 1833 Bishop William van Mildert donated 160 volumes to found the University Library, located on Palace Green. Today the University Library and Collections offers spaces, collections, expertise and services supporting education, research, the wider student experience and cultural and educational outreach. Collections and services operate across a wide estate of libraries, archives, museums, galleries and exhibition spaces, including the UNESCO World Heritage Site on Palace Green. Our nationally and internationally recognised collections span early books, archives and manuscripts, museum objects and art, print and electronic materials and include a repository of digitised materials, research outputs and research data.

We are an ambitious and developing team with a focus on providing the best experience for our students, researchers and the wider community. We are valued partners working with students, professional services and academics across the University, and professionals and organisations regionally, nationally and internationally.

The University Library and Collections is made up of six sections: Collections; Customer Services; Education, Learning and Engagement; Research and Systems; Museums, Galleries and Exhibitions; and Finance and Administration. Staff work flexibly between the sections, 7 enabled by cross-cutting groups, Collections, Education, Engagement, Marketing and Communications, Operations, Research, Staff Development and a Programme and Project Steering Group.

The Customer Services Team, under the leadership of the Head of Customer Services provide all front-line (face to face and virtual) customer, visitor and enquiry services. They ensure service across our estate which includes 21st century buildings providing library and study facilities, and listed buildings housing archives and special collections. Our venues (including a nationally recognised Oriental Museum), provide space for education, learning, research and outreach to a wide range of stakeholders including the local community.

Customer Services Co-ordinators are responsible for the efficiency and quality of services provided to customers alongside other supervisory colleagues. This will involve shared responsibility for the oversight and delegation of tasks for front line services and the administration tasks necessary to support these. The post-holder will have designated periods of responsibility for a wide range of services. Co-ordination of Library Assistants and/or other colleagues delivering this service, according to set services standards, will be required. Responsibilities include involvement in a wide range of areas to support the delivery of library services to stakeholders. The role includes participation in direct and indirect service to library customers, it will contribute to and support the daily management of the University Library sites as part of a team. Specific duties may include circulation and shelving oversight, disability support and digitisation of reading list materials.

Core responsibilities:

• Act as more knowledgeable team member with some oversight and responsibility for team members.
• Resolve queries and requests for information and advice and escalate more specialist and complex queries or issues to more experienced team members.
• Provide advice, guidance and training where necessary to less experienced team members to disseminate and share practice.
• Provide feedback on individual performance and identify development needs, conducting regular staff Annual Development Reviews and performance reviews.
• Supervise the implementation of changes to service procedures and practice.
• Contribute to collaborative decision making within the team with joint planning and team objectives to meet excellence in the stakeholder experience.
• Provide feedback to team members about the monitoring and achievement of team objectives and performance expectations.
• Work collaboratively across the organisation and/or externally with colleagues and stakeholders to deliver a service.
• Provide guidance and advice to resolve problems and queries for a broad range of service users.
• Plan and organise own workload and activities for others with or without involvement with other project work streams.
• Organise and schedule resources, activities and events.
• Analyse work activities to ensure the effective and efficient use of capital and consumable equipment and resources.
• Liaise with contacts internally and possibly externally to build links to pass on information for effective working.
• Advise others and make recommendations into work processes and procedures for consideration by senior management to improve services.

Role responsibilities:

• Deliver support services to ensure the effective and efficient running of outreach, internal and external activities that enhance the Durham reputation or business processes and systems.
• Monitor feedback and identify service changes to meet service level agreements.
• Monitor and evaluate service delivery to ensure compliance with procedures and standards.
• Collaborate within the service team and across other services to ensure the seamless provision of products and services.
• Contribute to service user engagement, promotion and communication activities, events and presentation with or without team members.
• Identify and expand the service user knowledge base for service desk working and update team members on changes.
• Liaise across the organisation to update and exchange key service information to ensure advice given to users is the most up to date and accurate.
• Implement and update processes and procedures, including related documentation where appropriate.
• Work with internal and external partners and suppliers to deliver cross-functional products and services.
• Accurately record information and data and disseminate within internal networks.
• Monitor data accuracy checks to ensure the integrity of data and information.
• Update data and information on systems for record-keeping, discovery, communication and informing service users and team members.
• Analyse data and statistics and provide reports for higher level decision makers.
• Any other reasonable duties.

Specific role requirements

You will be required to work early mornings, evenings, and weekends according to service need.

Bank Holiday working may also be required.

You will be required to work at any of the Library and Collections sites.

Library work involves considerable manual handling and physical activity, for example: packing and lifting books, lifting boxes, and pushing trolleys. Appropriate training will be provided.

Recruiting to this post 

In order to be considered for interview, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification.

In some cases, the recruiting panel may also consider the desirable criteria, so we recommend you evidence all criteria in your application.  

Please note that some criteria will only be considered at interview stage.

How to apply 

We prefer to receive applications online.

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.dur.ac.uk/ig/dp/privacy/pnjobapplicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What you are required to submit

1. A CV; 
2. A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above;
3. Examples of how you satisfy the essential criteria in the person specification, this will require completion of the 'Questionnaire' application section.

The Realising Your Potential Approach criteria is for information only, but may be referred to during the interview process.

Please ensure that you submit all documentation listed above or your application cannot proceed to the next stage.

Contact details 

For further information please contact;  Katharine Davidson-Brown, Library Customer Services Manager j.k.davidson-brown@durham.ac.uk 

At Durham University, our aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work.  We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities.

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails

Job Family: Community, Participation and Engagement Services

OUR CHARACTERISTICS: We are a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, in a unique and historic setting.    

OUR VALUES: We are inspiring, challenging, innovative, responsible and enabling.

Durham University

Durham University is one of the world's top universities with strengths across the Arts and Humanities, Business, Sciences and Social Sciences. We are home to some of the most talented scholars and researchers from around the world who are tackling global issues and making a difference to people's lives. 

The University sits in a beautiful historic city where it shares ownership of a UNESCO World Heritage Site with Durham Cathedral, the greatest Romanesque building in Western Europe. A collegiate University, Durham recruits outstanding students from across the world and offers an unmatched wider student experience.

Durham University seeks to promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment for work and study that assists all members of our University community to reach their full potential. Diversity brings strength and we welcome applications from across the international, national and regional communities that we work with and serve.

It is expected that all staff within the University:

• Contribute to our learning culture by engaging in mentoring, training and coaching.
• Positively contribute to fostering a collegial environment; as well as demonstrating commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Have due regard to Health and Safety requirements appropriate to grade and role.

Family key attributes

Roles in this family provide an excellent stakeholder experience for our diverse and supportive community.   

Overall family purpose

• Provide excellent student support services, development and extra-curricular activities.
• Align and deliver programmes and activities to meet operational and strategic objectives to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Respond to stakeholders at the point of service delivery, either in situ or remotely.
• Facilitate the development of excellent colleague and academic engagement.
• Provide a stakeholder focussed service designed to increase widening participation and diversity.
• Promote the Durham reputation by establishing and broadening national and international community links to enhance the cultural and economic viability of the City and region.
• Enhance the Durham wider student experience by developing extra-curricular activities.
• Contribute to and enhance active, inclusive and supportive communities of stakeholders.
• Work collaboratively and network across the University with staff in other families to ensure a smooth, timely and high-quality delivery of service.
• Engage with suppliers, consultants and specialist professionals to deliver programmes and activities to enhance the stakeholder experience.
• Engage and encourage outreach and participation with external professionals, schools, alumni and donors.
• Engage and network with both internal and external stakeholders to facilitate knowledge exchange and impact through local, national and international communities. 

Link to key strategic plan

• An economically and environmentally sustainable approach to delivering stakeholder focussed services across the University;
• A world-class student, alumni and donor experience;
• Focussed on the needs of all users working together to deliver front-line services as part of the Wider Student Experience;
• Learn from and match best practice in the Wider Student Experience around the world;
• Opening up our world-class sporting facilities to local clubs and athletes;
• Support and facilitate activities as part of the Widening Student Experience at Durham;
• A stakeholder-focused orientation, offering satisfying careers to all staff;
• Ensure that an increasingly diverse workforce is treated equally, fairly and with respect, and that all staff are demonstrably valued and actively engaged.

Person specification - skills, knowledge, qualifications and experience required

Essential Criteria: 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally.
• Proven IT skills, including use of Microsoft Office.
• Five GCSE’s at least Grade C or level four (or equivalent) including English Language and Mathematics (or equivalent experience). 
• Post-16 qualification or equivalent experience.
• Evidence of personal development to maintain skills.  
• Relevant experience in a customer services role / environment. 
• Experience of working on the front line with service delivery and the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines without compromising on quality.
• Demonstrable ability to proactively work with team members to ensure the delivery of high quality services.
• Ability to solve problems as part of a team and resolve issues, plan solutions and make pragmatic decisions.
• Ability to effectively network and exchange advice and information for development purposes. 
• Ability to contribute to planning at operational level.

Desirable Criteria: 

• Demonstrable supervisory experience.

Realising Your Potential Approach

The Realising Your Potential Approach clarifies the behaviours expected to be demonstrated by all staff across Professional Services in the University regardless of their role. Along with the core responsibilities, role responsibilities and the person specification, the Realising Your Potential Approach behavioural indicators are used to inform the recruitment and selection process. Further information on the Realising Your Potential Approach is available here.

DBS Requirement: Not Applicable.