Senior Librarian (Communities)

Would you thrive on working area-wide to support teams, build partnerships and champion Leeds Libraries? We are looking for a Senior Librarian for the new Communities Team within Leeds Libraries. As the Senior Librarian for one area of the city, you will lead on overseeing development and delivery of the library offer across a range of community hub and library sites. Resourceful and engaging, you will line-manage a team of Community Librarians and will work closely with colleagues in Customer Services to enable provision of a high-quality and accessible community library offer. Supported by the Principal Librarian (Communities), you will help to shape and deliver services and programmes of activity detailed in the service plan and support librarians to create and implement library development plans . Working with your team of community librarians, you will create local strategies for audience development and engagement and link these up to citywide aims. Your focus is on ensuring access to high quality services and resources for all library users across your area through the network of community libraries. You'll champion ideas, support your team's development, and enable your team to contribute towards future planning and development of services. As part of the wider Library Management Team, you'll play an important role in helping to inform and influence decision-making from a community perspective, and in the implementation of the Library Strategy. You'll work closely with the other Senior Librarians, using your communities experience and insight to help shape and inform all library development workstreams. You'll build positive and productive internal and external partnerships and support your team to ensure partnerships are successfully cultivated and linked up at local levels. You'll use data to help support strategy and decision-making, and produce reports to share with stakeholders including elected members. In a challenging financial climate, you will also need to consider financial sustainability and contribute to service funding bids., To play a key role in ensuring the development and delivery of high quality library services. As a committed library leader you will support the implementation of the Library Strategy through:

• developing and maintaining specialist knowledge in a specific field
• providing leadership and management to relevant staff and/or project teams
• working collaboratively with others to make a positive contribution to the annual business planning process.
• leading the development and management of one or more key areas of library activity, ensuring best practice is embedded in approaches to service delivery.
• efficient and effective management of the delivery of library services
This is a generic job description and you will also be expected to deliver on one of the key service areas detailed below:
• Management of the LMS (Library Management System), acquisitions and procurement processes, financial and administrative support, including management of staff.
• Community engagement (West, East or South), through developing and delivering community based library services and activities, in coordination with Community Hub colleagues, including management of librarians
• Audience engagement through the development and delivery of social media channels, marketing materials and press engagement.
• Digital engagement through the development and delivery of digital learning and activity for children and adults. Ensuring a skilled workforce through training, capable of delivering a digitally based programme of customer engagement
• Local & Family History and Special Collections, through management of the department, collections, librarians, staff training and by delivering outreach activity. Specific responsibility for the collections disaster recovery plan.
• Information & Research, including the Business & Intellectual Property Centre, through the management of the department, collections, librarians, staff training and by designing and delivering programmes of activity, including outreach.
• Stock & Reader Development, through strategic stock management, monitoring and training, including management of librarian. Leading on Reader Development and cultural programmes for the city's diverse communities, and supporting key initiatives, including ongoing literacy work.
• Arts Engagement, through the management of the departments (Arts, Music, Studio 12), collections, librarians, staff training, and by delivering outreach activity
• Children & Young People, through stock selection, staff training, development of programmes of activity, including delivery via storybuses
• School Library Service, through supporting schools to develop a vibrant reading culture. Providing books, reading resources and professional librarian support to Leeds primary schools, including management of librarian.
Responsibilities
• You will be required to actively manage stock/resources and advise on procurement to meet service requirements. This will include responsibility for the performance of your area of specialty.
• You will keep up to date with the latest developments and initiatives in your field ensuring the implementation of best practice within the service
• You will ensure policy and procedure are fit for purpose and embedded throughout the service, leading on reviews as appropriate
• You will develop and maintain relevant partnerships
• You will develop knowledge of the diverse communities of Leeds in order to inform your work
• You will ensure all activity within your area contributes to the delivery of the library business plan
• You will lead and/or contribute to projects that will develop activity which enables the delivery of the library business plan
• You will identify funding opportunities and secure external funding as appropriate
• You will contribute to the development and delivery of promotional campaigns to increase audience engagement across the Service.
• You will creatively promote and publicise activity to all sectors of the community both within the library and through outreach work
• You will be proactive in ensuring an excellent customer experience
• You will apply HR policies and procedures consistently, including managing attendance, special leave, improving performance, disciplinary and grievance.
• You will follow LCC financial procedures and regulations.
• You will deputise for managers and colleagues in a variety of forums and duties as required, commensurate with grade.
• You will be required to carry out risk assessments and implement safe systems of work.
• You will be responsible for your personal health and safety and that of other people who use the library service. You will be expected to be vigilant for the safety of the building, opening and closing as required. Completing the duties of fire marshal, fire warden and emergency incident officer as assigned. There may be occasions when you are working on your own.
• You will carry out the role of duty manager as assigned
• You will work within multiple teams and at other venues as required, be flexible in working hours within your contracted hours and work evenings and weekends as required, including events outside of library opening hours. The work is physical and involves standing, lifting and carrying.
• You will carry out duties in accordance with the Council's Equal Opportunities Policy and other policies which respect the rights and needs of customers and colleagues
• This post involves direct work with the public in an open access setting, the post holder will need to display resilience to some demanding situations
• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion with colleagues and appropriate CPD programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work, and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days/events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g., child protection, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, and promoting the values, standards, and equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse of equal opportunities, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures.
• The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.
• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and this role will be expected to work within these parameters.
  
  As a Senior Librarian, you will bring to the role:
• You are able to demonstrate a passion for the role of public libraries and an ability to advocate for the library service among partners and stakeholders
• You are a leader and a highly motivated team player, able to energise and support the wider library staff team
• You are able to persuade, influence and negotiate with a wide range of people
• You are committed to customer service excellence, able to deal positively with feedback and challenging situations
• You have experience of managing / supervising others either through employment, or project based work, You will have a degree / postgraduate degree in Library and Information Science or a degree in a relevant field and / or are able to evidence relevant experience of public library management., You are able to demonstrate a passion for the role of public libraries and an ability to advocate for the library service among partners and stakeholders
• You are able to inform the development of the service, e.g. through the business planning process
• You are able to manage projects, set objectives, priorities and targets
• You have excellent digital skills, are confident with using new technology and maximising its benefits
• You have good communication skills, both written and verbal
• You are able to persuade, influence and negotiate with a wide range of people
• You are committed to customer service excellence, able to deal positively with feedback and challenging situations
• You have highly developed organisational and decision making skills and can evidence excellent attention to detail
• You are a leader and a highly motivated team player, able to energise and support the wider library staff team
• You are skilled and proactive in customer engagement
Knowledge required
• You have a detailed knowledge and understanding both of the role libraries play in society and best practice public library sector initiatives
• You will have a degree / postgraduate degree in Library and Information Science or a degree in a relevant field and / or are able to evidence relevant experience of public library management
• You have a good knowledge of your specialist field and are able to demonstrate awareness of current trends and initiatives within it
Experience required
• You have experience of managing / supervising others either through employment, or project based work
• You will have experience of planning, ensuring the delivery of actions on time and within budget
• You will have experience of delivering learning sessions to groups or individuals
• You will have experience of assessing customer information needs and using a variety of accredited resources to support
Behavioural and other Characteristics required
• Committed to continuous improvement.
• Able to work flexibly across different work locations, areas and specialisms as appropriate. 
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.
• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.
• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge, skills, and continuous professional development
• Understand and embrace our values, behaviours and codes of conduct.
  
  Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
  
  a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays
• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions
• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements
• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities
• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further