Principal Librarian

We're looking for a Principal Librarian to join our Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) team!

Reporting to the lead manager, you will support projects and priorities including the development of the West Sussex County Council Disability Register, library-based support and service for SEND. You will work with a range of partners and providing training, expertise and support to front line staff.

The Disability Register collects detailed information from families with children and young people with SEND. This data is analysed and shared in formats useful to local service providers, stakeholders and decision makers. It is a powerful tool for enabling SEND children and young people, and their families, to make their voices heard, and an important resource for making sure this insight is shared to help improve services and provision.

In West Sussex, the Disability Register has been part of the Library Service since 2022 and is linked to our existing library offer for families, including library membership, so we can promote services that support families and SEND, including regular Story Magic sensory story sessions.

You can find more information on our Disability Register webpage and watch our Story Magic film on YouTube

Salary: GBP37,336 to GBP40,221 per annum (GBP18,668 to GBP 20,110 pro rata for part time)

Contract Type: Permanent

Working Pattern: Part-time (18.5 hours per week)

Location: Countywide, with a base location in either Power Place (23 Terminus Road, Chichester, PO19 8UJ) Crawley Library (Southgate Ave, Crawley RH10 6HG) or Worthing Library (Richmond Rd, Worthing BN11 1HD). Final arrangements will be confirmed with successful candidate.

Interview Date: 07 March 2024

We're open to discussion for what the pattern of hours could look like, including occasional weekend work. There's also flexibility for where the post can be based, but the successful candidate needs to be able to travel to all parts of West Sussex.

You will need to be able to travel independently around the county, including to areas that may not be easily accessible by public transport. Pool cars and pool bikes available.

The Opportunity

Following the promotion of the existing postholder, we are looking for someone to take the lead on continuing the growth of the West Sussex Disability Register 0-25. The role will lead the development of this work, building links within our service, across the council and with local partners and stakeholders. Based in one of our libraries but working across the whole county, you will lead a small team of staff to manage, develop and promote the register.

Our work in libraries is diverse and any given day can often feel very different from the next! However, as manager of this area of work there will be some key responsibilities likely to feature in a typical week, including:

• Joining a stakeholder meeting to advocate the register and wider library service.
• Working with Excel to analyse and present data for a report requested by a partner agency.
• Supervising staff managing the data entry and customer enquiries for the register.
• Communicating with families via newsletter, on the phone and in libraries
• Working with library teams to facilitate events to enable families and key partners to meet.

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

About You

We're interested to meet candidates from a diverse range of backgrounds; you may have work experience in:

• Championing or representing the voice of minority groups.
• Researching and reporting on issues that impact specific groups in our communities.
• Promoting and delivering high quality services for children, young people and their families, including those with SEND.

You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, communicating on several different levels with multiple stakeholders and adapting your style accordingly.

You will have keen attention to detail, be comfortable working independently and be at ease in this fast-paced, agile environment with rapidly changing deadlines, workloads, and priorities.

You should be a Chartered Librarian or be able to evidence the equivalent level of significant experience. If you are a proactive individual with excellent communication and pragmatic problem-solving skills, we want to hear from you!

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CPP00883.

Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Click apply below, upload your CV, and complete the application form, explaining how you meet the key skills in the attached job description and experience you can bring to the role.

Please ensure all 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 5 years referencing, Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Check 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.