Service Manager (Libraries and Heritage) – Oxfordshire County Council

Service Manager (Libraries and Heritage) OCC158912

Oxfordshire County Council is seeking an outstanding candidate for its next Service Manager – Library and Heritage role.  We recognise that our libraries and heritage centres will play a key role in helping to deliver the council’s vision for a ‘Thriving Oxfordshire’. With a network of 44 libraries and working with over 1000 volunteers, we are now ready to take our library and heritage service to the next level.  

Job details

Salary range: £63,144 – £66,265 per annum

Work location: County Library, Oxford

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: Monday 26th July 2021

Interview date: Week commencing 16th August 2021 (provisionally Thursday 19th August 2021 and will be confirmed asap)

Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a criminal records check

About us

We strongly believe that our Libraries and Heritage service within our Cultural Services team is a great team to work for. We support each other and have clear values and behaviours that we work to. We are an integral part of operations at Oxfordshire County Council, and pride ourselves on our delivery, standards and customer service.

Please click the following link to find out more: https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/council/working-oxfordshire-county-council/service-manager-libraries

About the role

We are looking for an exceptional individual to join the Cultural Services Team as Service Manager – Library and Heritage. This pivotal role will be instrumental in maintaining our service response during the current Covid-19 pandemic and shaping our community recovery. Staff within our Libraries and Heritage Services have been at the forefront of creativity, innovation and our partnership response in these unprecedented times, adapting to new ways of working, launching new digital service offers and supporting residents impacted by Covid-19. Our new Service Manager – Libraries and Heritage will have the skills, experience, enthusiasm and commitment to inspire our staff, work collaboratively, foster innovation, engage with our partners and continue to deliver an outstanding customer service offer to residents across the County.

During a period of significant and fundamental change, we need strong, experienced, collaborative and cohesive leadership across our Libraries and Heritage Service, with a key focus on enhancing partnership working. We continually seek to improve and develop our customer offer, meeting residents’ high expectations, contributing to the national sector development and consolidating our value to communities. We are seeking a creative and innovative leader who can build on success, driving the service forward as we look towards what is bound to be a challenging future.

About you

We are looking for a Service Manager – Libraries and Heritage who will drive the service forward; building capability, accessibility, innovation, partnerships and engagement with community and statutory partners to deliver an effective, outcomes focussed library and heritage service which meets current and future needs of Oxfordshire.

The Service Manager – Libraries and Heritage will have a substantial track record of leadership within a library service or similar role, including significant evidence of strategic exposure and financial planning. You will demonstrate the ability to drive positive change and to provide leadership for the service and the council in relation to the changing role of the library and heritage service, its spaces and services.

You will be a creative and visionary individual looking for your next challenge.

Work location and agile working

This role will be based in the County Library in Oxford, however, the Council has a vision to move towards an agile workforce and service delivery model. You will be required to travel and work in allocated locations across Oxfordshire County Council in line with the needs of the service.

Rewards and benefits

We know work/life balance and wellbeing is crucial to our colleagues, so we currently offer:

• up to 32 days annual leave, in addition to bank holidays
• option to buy additional holiday
• flexible working culture/agile working
• the very best learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.
• employee assistance programme
• wellbeing initiatives
• access to a Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 19.9% of your salary
• a range of local and national retail discounts
• enhanced family friendly policies including carers leave and paid time off for volunteering.

Would you like to know more?

Please click here to view the Job Description and Selection Criteria.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Lesli Good, Interim Assistant Director for Cultural, [email protected]

Application Procedure

To apply, you will need to complete an online application form. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. You may attach a cover letter and/or CV to your application form, however it is not mandatory.

If you experience any difficulties whilst completing the application form, please contact the Recruitment Team using Recruitment Application Enquiry Form on the Home Page.

Our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support and safe spaces for staff.

Our commitment to safeguarding

Our Organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Guaranteed interviews

As a Disability Confident employer we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

We are open to discussions about flexible working. 

Apply link – https://careers.newjob.org.uk/OCC/job/Oxford-City-Service-Manager-%28Libraries-and-Heritage%29-OCC158912-OXF/694817501/?locale=en_GB