(Library) Team Manager - Enquiries Learning and Enterprise

We are seeking an experienced Team Manager to play a pivotal role in leading a provision of a specialist area of library services across the county.

The Library Service is statutory and universal, providing access to books and information. We promote the benefits of reading for learning, health and wellbeing through campaigns, events and activities. We help people get online and navigate the digital world. We provide targeted services for hard to reach or vulnerable groups and we offer services to support employment and enterprise. Our online platforms offer a download service for books, newspapers and magazines, plus access to trusted information resources.

During a period of significant and fundamental change, we continually seek to improve and develop our customer offer, meeting residents' high expectations, contributing to the national sector development and consolidating our value to communities.

The Opportunity

Salary: £46,731 to £49,764 per annum (£31,575 to £33,624 per annum, pro rata'd per annum)

Working Pattern: Part-time, 25 hours per week

Location: Based at either Crawley Library, Worthing Library or Power Place in Chichester and working countywide across our network of 36 libraries

Interview date: w/c 19^th May

As the Team Manager for the Enquiries, Learning and Enterprise Team in West Sussex Library Service, you will have sound knowledge of information and enquiries services, plus an excellent understanding of how libraries support skills and learning, particularly with job seekers and those wishing to start or develop a local business. You will lead a small team of Librarians to support frontline staff in their delivery of services locally.

As the Team Manager, you will be engaged in some truly exciting and rewarding work, which will include the following:

• Develop the work we do to enable enquiry handling and community-based support.
• Shape and articulate the support we offer to residents seeking employment and library-based business.
• Promote and deliver the library service local history and heritage offer, liaising with the Record Office to develop local history and heritage work.
• Plan and deliver strategic projects to engage and support residents and colleagues.
• Champion all elements of Enquiries, Learning and Enterprise as a core priority, contributing to the design of the Library Service plan working with managers across all localities and teams.
• Promote the work of the Enquiries, Learning and Enterprise Team with colleagues across the Communities directorate and the wider County Council and working collaboratively with a range of partner agencies and organisations.

What are we looking for?

• Genuine passion for libraries and their role in providing access to trusted information. Excited by the challenge of providing an accessible and universal information service across library networks.
• Experience in curating specialist information for targeted audiences.
• Relevant experience in managing staff and demonstrating strategic leadership with the ability to inspire and motivate action in others.
• Track record of delivering impact for the community through projects and partnerships.
• Chartered Librarian or equivalent level of expertise and good knowledge of information resources and ideally to have experience relevant to public libraries.
• Excellent communication skills with an open mind and positive outlook. Strong interpersonal skills to build impactful working relationships with colleagues and partners.
• Commitment to developing and enhancing the West Sussex library offer.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.

Working for us

As well as adding real value to our service users and our communities, as an employer we recognise our employees are central in being able to achieve this. To recognise this we want to help support your development and provide an great place to work ensuring you can fulfil your full potential, have access to a range of benefits including:

• an excellent local government pension scheme
• generous holiday entitlement of 29 days (plus opportunity to buy additional leave)
• a range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
• maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
• volunteering opportunities
• training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• a range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over £1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see ourStaff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
• health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further information

The reference number for this role is CPP01074.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Hiring Manager Katie Gledhill (Lead Manager Library Service)at .For issues or queries regarding your application please contact .

To apply, please follow the links below to upload your CV and Cover Letter. In your cover letter please outline your motivations for applying and explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role (please refer to the key skills) ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that have a disability, are a veteran or are a care leaver. More information can be found on our application help page.