District Library Manager (North/East Nottinghamshire)

Hours: 37 Hours Per Week

Interview Date: 14th May 2025

Closing Date: 22nd April 2025

Salary: Hay Band D (£45,718 - £50,788 FTE)

**Once you have submitted your application, please email recruitment@inspireculture.org.uk with your name, vacancy title and application reference so that we can check that your application has been received**

Are you an inspirational public library leader?

We’re looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and committed library leader to lead the management of around 20 libraries in Nottinghamshire.

You will be experienced in leading frontline library services and be focused on excellent customer service and developing services to meet community need. You’ll join a friendly and innovative Library Management Team, and will be happy to develop, lead and contribute to projects across the organisation. Experienced in staff management, you will be able to work alongside different services to lead our colleagues to deliver a high quality, integrated service offer.

Inspire is a values led community benefit society delivering library services on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, alongside culture and learning services.

We are focussed on delivering positive impact for our customers, and this is a role where you will be able to make a real difference to our communities.

For further details, please contact Kirsty Ellis: kirsty.ellis@inspireculture.org.uk

Job Description

District Library Manager

Hay Band D

Job Purpose 

To lead, coordinate and deliver the full range of Inspire Cultural, Learning and Library services to customers and learners across the network of libraries as an integrated service offer. To be accountable for the achievement of the Inspire business plan across a locality and manage relevant staffing, resources, properties and related budgets including income. Ensure customer service and satisfaction levels/targets are met

Key Responsibilities

1. To lead and manage local teams, including Principal and Cluster Library Managers and their teams, liaising and working effectively with lead tutors and colleagues across Inspire.
2. To deploy and develop staff and library resources to provide a joined up and inclusive customer service offer
3. To work with programmers to customise the offer to meet the needs of local communities, including the delivery of the agreed core offer for each library
4. To ensure all tasks and administrative processes required for the delivery of and to ensure the quality of the Inspire offer are completed as required.
5. To initiate, lead and facilitate engagement with the community, stakeholders and partners to develop, organise, promote and deliver the integrated cultural, learning and library service offer.
6. To resolve any service delivery issues within available resources.
7. To lead and manage income including grant income streams and achievement of income generation targets
8. To lead projects and county wide service development and initiatives and ensure they deliver on time, meet outcomes and deliver within budgets
9. To ensure buildings are welcoming, safe, meet presentation standards and to act as the nominated property officer
10. To lead the district management team and be part of the Inspire senior leadership team and library management team
11. The post holder will work in accordance with all Inspire policies and procedures, Inspire Brand guidelines, contractual requirements, and professional best practice
12. The post holder will perform any duties or tasks assigned by management required to meet service needs as appropriate to the role.
13. The post holder will assume the role of Appointed Person and/or First Aider as required

Education and Knowledge Required for the role

1. Evidence of continuous professional development.
2. Knowledge and understanding of the main issues affecting the service area.
3. A detailed knowledge and understanding of the main national and local policies, issues and influences driving the modernisation and shaping of public libraries within the statutory framework.

Skills and Experience

1. Managing large and distributed teams
2. Managing multiple sites – e.g. libraries and learning centres
3. Initiating, managing and delivering complex projects to budget and time and quality
4. Reviewing and delivering service improvement

Role Dimensions

1. Responsible for 15-20 libraries across Nottinghamshire Districts
2. Responsible for 6-8 Direct Reports – indirect 100(tbc) staff
3. Responsible for budget of £1.5M +

Inspire Competencies

Customer Service (Competency Level 3) 

1. Demonstrates effective customer service skills – in person, online, email or on the phone - identifies and satisfies customer needs, adjusting their style with a friendly and professional approach as appropriate for the customer, respecting confidentiality, equality & diversity and prioritises the customer over tasks where appropriate
2. Responds positively to customer concerns, acts to resolve or reassure customers as needed, agrees solutions with the customer or hands over to an appropriate colleague
3. Responds positively to any complaint or suggestion and seeks to resolve it within limits of their authority or hands over to a more senior manager as appropriate
4. Monitors, analyses and acts upon customer service data to maintain and/or improve the service. Considers the impact on customers when implementing change

Deliver the service offer (Competency Level 4)

1. Knows and/or accesses information to advise and promote the Inspire Service Offer to all customers – to meet their immediate needs and other services that could be of interest or benefit them
2. Embraces any changes to the offer and any associated changes to processes or working practices positively, takes responsibility for their own development and engages with and makes the most of development opportunities provided
3. Shares feedback about the Inspire offer with their line manager and contributes to meetings, discussions and related activities to ensure service delivery and/or improve our offer
4. Leads work to develop, enhance or create new elements of the Inspire service offer and where appropriate ensure there is an integrated customer offer and journey

Communicating well (Competency Level 4)

1. Communicates clearly and effectively in person, on the phone and in writing respectfully and in a style appropriate to the person and situation and uses and engages with Inspire’s online communications
2. Communicates effectively in a meeting or other group situation, respectfully and in a style appropriate to the group and situation with a solutions-based / can-do approach
3. Debates, positively challenges and/or discusses issues with colleagues and line manager, sharing views and acknowledging and respecting the views of others, seeks to reach agreement and respects the final decision made
4. Communicates complex information concisely and clearly using the most effective means, negotiates effectively across teams, services or with external partners and reaches agreement with all affected parties 

Working together (Competency Level 4) 

1. Adopts a friendly, helpful, supportive and respectful manner when working with others
2. Acts in a way that shows they are trustworthy, reliable and transparent in their dealings with others, respecting privacy and confidentiality as appropriate
3. Forms positive and effective working relationships, makes and implements decisions fairly, using good judgement and with integrity, in line with Inspire values and role modelling Inspire management and leadership behaviours
4. Forms and maintains effective internal and external working relationships across the organisation, with external partners, stakeholders and funding organisations, motivated by achieving the best for our customers and in the best interests of all concerned

Managing others (Competency Level 4) 

1. Effectively supervises and supports the day-to-day activities of a colleague(s) to enable them to perform their duties, planning and co-ordinating the activity of colleague(s) to deliver tasks or activities over time to meet service demand effectively and efficiently
2. Manages and reviews performance and attendance of individuals effectively, setting goals, agreeing targets, and organises training as needed, tackling poor performance or attendance if required using Inspire policies
3. Manages their team and indirect teams effectively, empowering them to perform well, monitoring group performance against service targets and acting proactively and positively in response to performance data to ensure service delivery targets are met
4. Conducts investigations in the event of discipline or grievance fairly and respectfully, communicating findings and making recommendations ethically and in the best interest of all parties

Leading the way (Competency Level 4) 

1. Incorporates the spirit of Inspire’s mission, vision and values in the work they do with customers, colleagues and stakeholders, plays their part in implementing Inspire policies and procedures and management decisions
2. Articulates and shares Inspire’s mission, vision and values to enthuse and focus the efforts of colleagues
3. Contributes to the decision-making process, stands by decisions made and owns them when implementing them
4. Makes decisions in the best interest of Inspire, its customers, staff and stakeholders that are sound, ethical, socially responsible, shares rationale for them, implements them and stands by them

Working efficiently and cost effectively (Competency Level 4) 

1. Uses Inspire resources and their time effectively to meet service demand, objectives and/or targets
2. Plans ahead, making best use of time and resources available to achieve service delivery, maximising the use of technology available, minimising unnecessary travel or waste, prioritising work and working within spending limits
3. Resolves competing or conflicting demand for resources and time effectively to meet the needs of themselves, colleagues and customers
4. Manages a budget, forecasting activity and required spend, monitors service activity and actual spend and takes pro-active action to ensure budget target and/or savings targets are met

Skills and qualifications (Competency Level 6) 

Experienced Qualified (3 years or more): Degree or Service Specific qualification 

**Once you have submitted your application, please email recruitment@inspireculture.org.uk with your name, vacancy title and application reference so that we can check that your application has been received**