Are you passionate about Libraries and committed to being involved in their future?
Kirklees Libraries mission is to provide inclusive and accessible services and spaces, utilising partnerships based in the heart of communities, enriching, and positively impacting on the lives of people across Kirklees.
As part of the Library Service’s senior management team the role of Assistant Area Manager is key in delivering this mission through effective management, clear leadership, and a flexible and innovative approach. You will have an ambition to develop and deliver effective library services and have a passion for making a difference. Library experience is essential for this post.
You will be working in a fast-paced and challenging environment supporting the Service Manager and Area Managers; you will be allocated specific areas of responsibility and will act as lead on key projects; you will be expected to work independently with little day to day supervision, effectively prioritising and managing broad and constantly changing workloads.
Our newly created Strategic Vision outlines our priorities and approach with a focus on the national ‘Universal Library Offers’. These offers shape everything we do and as Assistant Area Manager you will lead on at least one of these; currently this is likely to be either ‘Culture and Creativity’ or ‘Reading’ but this may change at any time. In addition, you will have responsibility for key areas such as safeguarding, health and safety, insight and data, information governance and represent the service within the council and externally across these areas of responsibility.
As a member of the senior management team high level teamwork skills are essential in this role, closely collaborating on complex issues and projects that are often time sensitive. You will need to be able to effectively communicate and report on your areas of work and support the workloads of others when needed.
You will have the ability to manage staff effectively providing a positive working environment which promotes and encourages development and high achievement along with setting clear expectations around performance and responsibilities.
You will need to be able to communicate effectively with a range of services, councillors, partners and with communities to promote and develop the service. Libraries have a significant number of volunteers and community support such as Friends Groups who are essential to our service delivery and with whom positive and effective relationships must be maintained.
Please note that, on occasions, you will be expected to work weekends and evenings. Working across the whole of Kirklees is part of the role as is working ‘in the office’ on set days alongside the rest of the senior management team. You may have direct line management and/or building responsibilities depending on the focus of the role undertaken.
Please contact Stephanie Shaw on 01484 221000 for a conversation about this post.
