Customer Advisor - Libraries

About the role

Do you want to be part of a team providing excellent customer service to the local community? Do you want a role where no two days are the same, where you can make a real difference to people’s lives? Are you a confident communicator with keen listening skills? If so, this might be the role for you.
We have an exciting opportunity to join our LibraryPlus team as a Part Time Customer Advisor (21.5 hrs per week) to deliver a wide range of services and events to the local community. North Northamptonshire Council Libraries are community hubs and our Customer Advisors are at the heart of the frontline assisting customers to develop IT skills, coaching volunteers and dealing with a variety of enquiries. With a wide range of events on offer, our Customer Advisors have the opportunity to plan, organise and deliver events in line with the service plan to a wide audience including adults, families and children.

What will you be doing?

What will you be doing?
1. Provide a first point of customer service for a diverse range of customers and enquiries. Using enquiry skills, identify customer needs and the appropriate resolution. To understand and deliver the Quality Standards for presentation and behaviour which contribute to the customer care ethos. Ensure that volunteers and partner organisations are aware of and adhere to these standards in day-to-day activities.
2. Be familiar with the current offer provided by partner organisations, including the internal partners such as Adult Learning and Registration Services, to support them in delivering their services and to refer and signpost customers effectively.
3. Promote volunteering opportunities. Recruit, coach and mentor volunteers and newer members of the team to ensure the delivery of excellent customer service.
4. To deliver and support activities and services for the whole community including those for families with children under 5
5. To undertake tasks and activities relating to the day-to-day operation of the library and to be responsible, in the absence of the Library Manager, for making decisions and taking appropriate actions to ensure the health, safety and security of users and the building. To be familiar with and comply with all policies and procedures relating to health and safety within the service.
6. To be knowledgeable and effective in the use of a variety of IT systems to:
• Understand the benefits of social media to develop new audiences and engage with service users
• Support customers to be confident in using online services, to build a digitally confident community
• Support business need including promotion of the service and data monitoring
• Deliver library services to our customers using the Library Management System
7. To be responsible for self-development ensuring an awareness of North Northants Council and LibraryPlus strategies in order to contribute to the continuous improvement, culture, and consistency of service delivery.
8. Be aware of all targets set for the library and be proactive in supporting the generation of income for your library.

About you

We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and people focused Customer Advisor to ensure people have a positive experience when visiting Oundle Library.  Reporting to the Library Manager you will work as part of the team to deliver on our key priorities tailored to the local community. This is a role which will require you to work frontline with customers and also with colleagues, volunteers and partner organisations.

As the successful candidate, you will bring:
• Experience of customer service delivery
• Excellent communication skills with ability to understand the individual needs of our diverse customer base
• Experience of working with volunteers or an understanding of the volunteer experience
• Experience of IT including M365, social media & online services or a willingness to learn
• Enthusiasm with a flexible, positive attitude
It would also be beneficial for you to have:
• Experience of coaching
• Experience of working in a library environment

Where & where you will be working: This role is based at Oundle Library. This role will require alternative Saturday working and candidates will need to be flexible to the business needs of the service. This post requires an ability and willingness to travel to, and to work at, other libraries within the area if required.

Next steps:
If you like what you have read and want to know more about the role, then please contact Clare Boughton by email clare.boughton@northnorthants.gov.uk.

If you wish to apply, please do so via the Recruitment Hub paying particular attention to the Person Specification attached to complete the Supporting Statement to demonstrate how you meet the requirements.

Closing date for applications is May 17th 2024

Provisional interview dates will be May 30th and 31st 2024

Our benefits

We offer:

• a competitive salary
• a pension scheme, where we pay a significant contribution on top of your contribution. It provides life cover and ill-health protection.
• opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and potential in a large unitary council
• generous leave entitlement (28 days, rising to 33 days) and bank holidays, plus the option to buy up to an extra 10 days
• agile and flexible working arrangements to help you with a healthy work-life balance.

About us

We are a new unitary council, established in April 2021; we are one of the largest unitary councils in the country. Our vision for North Northants is to be 'A place where everyone has the best opportunities and quality of life'.

Our priorities are:

• helping people live active fulfilled lives
• caring for our young people, providing them with high quality education and opportunities
• enabling a thriving and successful economy
• leading on a green and sustainable environment
• ensuring our communities are connected so they can shape their lives and where they live
• providing modern public services

Our values, as chosen by our staff, are - Customer-focused, Respectful, Efficient, Supportive and Trustworthy.

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