We are excited to offer a position based within the Curriculum Engagement team in the Library Engagement and Innovation team. We are seeking to appoint a dynamic, enthusiastic, and proactive Principal Library Assistant specialising in Curriculum Engagement. This is a full-time permanent post.

The Curriculum Engagement team has the following areas of focus: supporting students by ensuring that learning outcomes relating to library research skills are effectively embedded, and that students can engage in imaginative and distinctive ways with in-curriculum and co-curricular learning. In addition, working with colleagues to ensure that all our users are confident with digital skills required through their studies and in the future. Engagement Librarians in this team engage directly with academics and students in all subject areas and levels across the whole university.

The post holder will play a key role in supporting the work of the Engagement Librarians in this team by coordinating their administrative support in a comprehensive, effective, and efficient manner. This will include but is not limited to the following key areas of administrative support: teaching and training support; support for enquiries in Curriculum Engagement; and support for the lifecycle management of learning objects in Curriculum Engagement. The post holder will also line manage two direct reports. The role requires the ability to apply judgement and provide detailed, specialist advice and guidance on the work of the Curriculum Engagement team to maintain operational effectiveness.

You must be able to work with minimal supervision, organise workflow to agreed targets, take the initiative in problem-solving, determine priorities and meet deadlines. You will have excellent interpersonal and customer service skills and will provide assistance and support to team colleagues and direct reports in day-to-day activities. A good level of computer literacy is essential, as is the ability to work with a high level of accuracy.

The University of Southampton is committed to excellence in all we do, applying our insights and inventiveness to solve the most complex societal and environmental challenges. As a world-leading, research-intensive university, with a strong and high-quality educational offering, we are renowned for our innovation and enterprise and are within the top 1% of universities worldwide.

What’s in it for you?

• Competitive salary - and pension scheme.
• Generous annual leave - plus the ability to buy additional holiday days.
• Flexible, agile and hybrid working - we support a culture of both flexible and agile working to help manage the demands of work with personal life subject to business requirements.
• Lifestyle Benefits - A wide range of discounts including, cycle and electric car schemes, travel, and hospitality discounts.
• Inclusion, for all of us– With multiple languages spoken across Southampton, we want to create an inspirational, inclusive learning and working environment, celebrating the diversity of our University community in our everyday conversations.  Our student population is already incredibly diverse, and we want to ensure this is reflected across our colleague profile as well.
• Wellbeing support - dedicated services and facilities to support your mental and physical health, ranging from an Employee Assistance Programme and counselling to sports and fitness facilities, including discounted gym memberships.
• Southampton – A vibrant maritime city nestled between the New Forest and the sea in the beautiful county of Hampshire. It has excellent transport links, and with affordable city, suburban and rural living options to suit a wide range of lifestyle choices. Rich in history, but full of lively and modern art, culture, restaurants, and nightlife. More information about Southampton.

We celebrate equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI), and know that it is critical for our success. More about our commitment to EDI. If you need any adjustments made to the application or selection process so you can do your best, let us know.

If you would like more information about the role, please get in touch with Anna Hvass, Head of Curriculum Engagement a.m.hvass@soton.ac.uk