Library Attendant Supervisor (Night shift)

Salary: £25,742 to £26,444 with progression to £27,979 per annum, pro rata

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 23 May 2024

The Role

Newcastle University Library is a multiple-award winning service. We are the only University Library in the UK to have received the Charter Mark five times, and now hold the Customer Services Excellence award which replaced it. It illustrates our dedication to delivering a friendly, professional, and efficient service to all our customers and putting them at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to developing and delivering innovative services as stated in our Library strategic plan.

To explore the possibilities and read more about us, please click here

This is a place-based role in a busy vibrant campus.  In this position you will play a key role in ensuring the delivery of consistent, high-quality frontline customer focused services across the Library’s extensive opening hours. We are looking for someone who can co-ordinate and supervise colleagues as well taking responsibility for the secure operation of our Library services and library building out of hours.

The role available is a part time, term time only position (31 weeks per year) consisting of 24 hours per week, working overnights (midnight-8am). The shifts will be from 00:00 on Friday night to 08:00 on Saturday morning, 00:00 on Saturday night to 08:00 on Sunday morning, and 00:00 on Sunday night to 08:00 Monday morning

To apply, please upload an up-to-date CV and a letter of application (no more than one page) which outlines your fit for this role and any relevant experience to the key accountabilities listed below.  Please note, you are only required to complete the mandatory application fields.

Informal enquiries may be made to Louise Fitzpatrick: Louise.Fitzpatrick@newcastle.ac.uk

Applicants must be available for training August and September - minimum 10 hours per week. Contracted hours to begin in October.

Key Accountabilities

• Supervision of a team of Library Attendants, including allocation and direction of their duties on shift and performance management.   Arranging cover for planned and unplanned absences
• Line management responsibility for a group of attendants, including regular catch ups, arranging training requirements, performance management, absence reporting and conducting PDR’s
• Dealing with customers’ enquiries while providing a Library reception service and helping users to locate library materials and resources and to access library services
• Ensuring security of the library and its users, with operational responsibility for emergency evacuations, closing off parts of the building when necessary, monitoring the entry and exit gates and book security system; liaising with University Security services and City Police as needed. Acting as a designated Library Key Holder and responding to emergency situations in the library
• Assisting customers in the operation of the library’s self-service equipment, vending machines, photocopiers, book bins, etc
• Assisting customers by overseeing loans and returns of equipment such as laptops and locker keys during periods of self-service
• Involvement in the recruitment and selection of staff and responsibility for the induction and training of new team members
• Responsible for routine safety and building checks, reporting defects via the appropriate channel, liaise with contractors working in the library – especially overnight - and with the Safety Office to ensure that staff and contractors comply with mandatory Health and Safety regulations
• Providing first aid, following appropriate training. Designated Fire Marshall/Warden.  Required to undertake mandatory health and safety training as required of the role
• Monitoring the condition of the public areas of the library, with responsibility for ensuring that bins are emptied, that furniture is in order, and that incidental cleaning and replenishment of sanitary supplies take place when necessary
• Providing a key point of contact between the Library and Facilities Management cleaners and other staff
• Troubleshooting basic equipment faults, carrying out minor maintenance and repair tasks, portable appliance testing and testing of emergency equipment (e.g., fire alarm and tannoy equipment)
• Assisting the Library Attendants in their duties when required to ensure operating standards and Library performance standards are maintained at the required level
• Assisting with emptying the book sorter, fine sorting, floor clearing and shelving when necessary
• Any other duties within the scope and general nature of the grade which may be required

The Person 

Knowledge, Skills and Experience 

• Good numeracy and literacy
• A working knowledge of manual handling, and Health and Safety legislation
• Experience managing or supervising staff 
• Team work and people skills, good communication skills
• The ability to act on own initiative and with an active approach to problem solving
• IT skills, with ability to use Microsoft Windows, email and internet searching
• Experience of working in a customer focused service environment
• Capable of pushing trolleys, carrying books and furniture, and working at height
• Experience of working in a building or facilities management environment
• Experience of dealing with difficult customers and diffusing conflict

Attributes and Behaviour

Team-working               

• Building team spirit and working across teams
• Willing to help others and share workload

Planning and Organising              

• Identifies what is important and prioritises accordingly

Finding Solutions    

• Uses initiative to overcome obstacles      

Delivering Services     

• Demonstrates energy and commitment to the delivery of excellent services

Projecting Confidence          

• Remains calm when responding to challenging situations

Qualifications

• 5 GCSE’s or equivalent at grade C or above

 Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect.  As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society.  We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent.  We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality.  We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC.  We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. 

Requisition ID: 26309