Library Services Coordinator

University of Bedfordshire; Luton; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous pension

Annual leave

Flexible working

Personal and professional development

Family-friendly policies

Job summary

The University of Bedfordshire is seeking a Library Services Coordinator to oversee the day‑to‑day running of Library Services at our Luton campus. You will lead a team of Library Services Assistants and collaborate with colleagues across the university to deliver high‑quality services to students and staff.

The role focuses on excellent customer service, people management, and continuous improvement, with a competitive salary and extensive staff benefits.

Qualifications

• Experience delivering excellent customer service.
• Experience leading and motivating a team.
• Flexible, adaptable management style with the ability to reprioritise as needed.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills with a proactive approach.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day running of Library Services and coordinate a team of Library Services Assistants.
• Collaborate with colleagues across the University to deliver high-quality services and drive improvements.
• Manage rotas, staffing coverage and workload planning to ensure service levels.
• Liaise with Estates, Facilities and other departments to support safe and efficient operations.
• Respond to user feedback and support continuous service improvement initiatives.

Skills

Customer service

Team leadership

Flexible management

Prioritisation

Decision making

Job description

Library Services is a vibrant and dynamic department at the heart of the student experience. We provide front-line support, responding to enquiries and delivering essential services that support students to achieve their full potential.

As a Library Services Coordinator, you will oversee the day-to-day running of the service, supporting a team of Library Services Assistants and adapting to changing priorities to ensure a responsive and excellent experience for students, staff and visitors. You will work collaboratively with fellow Coordinators within the department, and colleagues across the university to deliver high-quality services and continuous improvements.

You will bring:

• A proven track record of delivering and championing excellent customer service
• Experience of leading, motivating and supporting a team
• A flexible, adaptable and compassionate management style
• The ability to effectively manage competing demands and reprioritise work in response to changing service needs
• A proactive, solution-focused approach and the confidence to make decisions in a fast-paced environment

This is a dynamic role that requires a confident communicator with excellent interpersonal skills. You will be comfortable using a range of software systems, including Microsoft Office, and have experience of using data and insight to evaluate and improve services.

What we will offer

A varied and rewarding role within a supportive and collaborative team, where you'll have opportunities to influence service development, contribute to innovative projects and make a meaningful impact on the student experience. We value creativity, initiative and continuous improvement, and actively encourage colleagues to help shape the future of Library Services.

£32,080 £38,784

We offer a range of employee benefits including:

• generous pension and annual leave entitlement
• free fitness classes and gym membership
• flexible working arrangements
• personal and professional development
• family-friendly policies.

The post is onsite and will be based at Luton (with travel to other campuses as required).

The University is committed to equality of opportunity and values the diversity of all its workforce and student population.

At the University of Bedfordshire, inclusivity is a key University value, and we are committed to creating an environment in which we celebrate and value the diversity of our staff and student community and provide fair opportunity and outcomes for all.

We recognise that diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent and benefit from opportunities that the diversity of talent and thought creates.

We, therefore, particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in the University of Bedfordshire's workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority backgrounds, disabled people and LGBTQ+ people.

The University has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.

Principal Accountabilities

1. At all times to role model all Leadership Qualities expressed in our Leadership Framework Leadership Framework | University of Bedfordshire, which applies to all line managers, and includes four pillars: Future Focused, Connect and Include, Create, learn, Deliver, and, Build Brilliant Teams.
2. Ensure that all library users receive outstanding service. Champion the library service, role modelling outstanding customer service delivery skills for Library Services Assistants and acting as the escalation point for queries.
3. Contribute to supporting students, staff and visitors wherever needed. Examples of support may include but is not limited to:
   • Library lending transactions
   • Use of self-service equipment
   • Finding learning materials
   • Room bookings
   • Reservations
   • Printing and photocopying
   • IT queries (primarily related to Microsoft Office products)
   • Explaining current policy and sanctions
   • Supporting enrolment procedures related to library and IT services
   • Appointment booking
4. Provide line management for direct reports including:
   • Annual staff appraisals
   • Workload planning / objective setting
   • Staff performance management
   • Recruitment, induction, training, and development
   • Pastoral support and welfare Health and safety (including risk assessments)
   • CPD
5. Liaise with other academic and healthcare libraries, including the British library to support access to items as requested by students and staff.
6. Progress library membership access for visitors, including but not limited to Alumni and SCONUL students.
7. Library Services invoicing duties. This includes but is not limited to:
   • Identifying stock as returned, missing or withdrawn on the Library Management System and progress invoicing for billed items.
   • Progressing invoicing for the provision of items from other libraries in association with the Acquisitions team.
8. Produce and maintain rotas which ensure that library physical and virtual service points are consistently staffed during core opening hours (including open days). As needed, negotiate with team members to ensure adequate staffing coverage is in place. Maintain overtime records where required.
9. Liaise with Estates and Facilities pertaining to the opening, closing, cleaning and security of library buildings.
10. Respond to service user feedback, including management of complaints.
11. Under the oversight of the Head of Library and Academy Services, actively contribute to library service excellence auditing and review programmes. Examples of activities include but is not limited to:
    • Process reviewing
    • Stock management
    • Health and safety audits / risk assessments updates
    • Updating of websites
    • Data dashboards
12. Undertake enhancement projects related to library services (such as leading promotional campaigns).
13. Support the evaluation of Library and Academy Services team delivery in accordance with agreed frameworks and make recommendations as to how services can be enhanced. This will include supporting the process of consulting with the University community in relation to proposed changes.
14. Attend and participate in relevant university meetings.
15. Ensure the Library and Academy Services team recording of delivery meets university data analytics requirements. For example, institutional approaches to learning analytics / enquiry handling / CPD is recorded on the University's People Development Hub.
16. Participate in relevant training and professional development opportunities to stay current with best practices related to the role.
17. Adopt a flexible and student-centred approach to provision delivery. This may involve occasionally working at other campuses / at weekends / delivering support during the evening.
18. Act as a fire warden.
19. Support departmental health and safety requirements. This includes but is not limited to monthly local workplace inspections and fire safety checklists, in coordination with other departments.
20. Undertake such other duties as may be reasonably expected by the Head of Library and Academy Services or Director of Learning, Teaching and Libraries.

Person Specification

Essential Criteria | Desirable Criteria | Evidence

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• ECDL or CLAIT or equivalent IT qualification
• Library qualification
• Application Form
• Interview

Knowledge

• Knowledge of excellent customer service approaches
• Knowledge of the range of issues experienced by students at a UK university.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software.
• Knowledge of team leadership.
• Knowledge of health and safety.
• Application Form
• Presentation
• Interview

Experience

• Experience of having worked in a customer service role.
• Experience of providing information to others.
• Experience of working with PCs or ICT systems.
• Experience of managing a team.
• Experience of creating and managing rotas.
• Experience of having worked in a library
• Experience of having worked at a university
• Experience of being involved with organising emergency responses to fire or accident
• Experience or knowledge of having worked with a customer relationship management (CRM) system
• Experience of undertaking manual handling
• Experience of website editing.
• Application Form
• Interview

Skills / abilities / competencies

• Ability to role model and apply our Leadership Qualities in every-day decisions, planning and behaviours. Leadership Qualities are expressed in our Leadership Framework Leadership Framework | University of Bedfordshire, which includes four pillars:
  • Future Focused, Connect and Include, Create, learn, Deliver, and, Build Brilliant Teams.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal)
• Excellent customer service skills and positive attitude to customer care.
• Can stay calm when dealing with difficult customers.
• Competent user of Microsoft Office software.
• Good problem solving skills.
• Able to be discreet and diplomatic.
• Ability to cope with the physical demands of the job which include attending a counter for long periods, light to occasional heavy lifting, some twisting

Personal Attributes

• Approachable.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to work well in a team.
• Willingness to work flexibility (including occasionally across campuses and during weekends)
• The post holder is required to exercise considerable discretion when dealing with customer enquiries or complaints, operating to agreed service levels and judging the appropriate point at which to refer an enquiry or complaint to other colleagues
• Willingness to train as a fire warden
• Application Form
• Interview

Equality Statement

The University of Bedfordshire is fully committed to the principles of equality in all its actions. Members of the University's community are expected to respect and value individuality, differences and diversity; and work with others in an inclusive and consultative manner.

A commitment to equality of opportunity for all individuals irrespective of their age, belief, disability, gender, race, religion or sexual orientation is at the core of what we do and members of the community must actively promote a positive non-discriminatory work and learning environment for fellow staff and students. Employees should demonstrate an understanding of the University's commitments to equality and diversity as an integral part of the university's core values and be able to identify and challenge discrimination, harassment, prejudice and inappropriate behaviour.

Health & Safety Statement

All employees are required to ensure that all duties and responsibilities are discharged in accordance with the University's Health and Safety (H & S) at Work Policy. They should take reasonable care for their own H & S and that of others who may be affected by what they do or do not do. Staff should correctly use work items provided by the University, including personal protective equipment in accordance with training or instructions.

Environmental Statement

Employees must make proper use of any equipment and systems of work provided and take all reasonable steps to ensure that control measures are properly used. Employees must work with their Line Managers to ensure that an inventory is retained of all hazardous substances in the office that could be released into the environment. Employees are expected to identify operations that use significant amounts of energy, with a view to reducing consumption. This includes identifying operations that use resources, such as paper, and review the need for the current level of consumption, identifying savings where possible. Employees are expected to identify waste streams with a view to recycling and reuse, minimising office energy use in heating and lighting.

Briefing Note

the content of this Job Description does not preclude other work required by the faculty department. Details of accountabilities will be discussed at annual reviews.

Nominated Deputies (if applicable)

As a KEY POST at least one nominated deputy must be identified. The Job Holder must confirm that the Nominated Deputy(ies) receives a copy of, and is briefed on this Job Description.