Reference Services Manager

at  House of Lords

JOB SUMMARY

We are looking for a Reference Services Manager to join our Library at the House of Lords. This is a position where you will be responsible for providing reference and information services to Lords Members to support their parliamentary work. You will have a key role in enabling frontline staff to deliver consistent, quality enquiry responses by providing appropriate guidance and feedback to staff, and through organising regular training and development opportunities for the service delivery team. You will ensure delivery of an impartial, authoritative, and timely service.
You will lead the provision of a seamless customer service for Members contributing to regular desk shifts, with responsibility for overseeing the Library’s enquiry handling process, and making sure relevant Library products and resources are available and accessible to users.
You will work in partnership with Library colleagues, including those responsible for research services, collections management and training, to ensure a consistent customer experience across all delivery channels, in line with the Customer Service Excellence standard to which the Library is accredited.
You will be expected to take a lead role in the quality assurance of enquiry responses, reviewing feedback across in-person, onsite and digital services.
This is an opportunity to work on a hybrid basis where you will be able to work 1 day from home and other days onsite at Parliament – this will vary depending on the business of the House.

NATIONALITY REQUIREMENTS

This job is broadly open to the following groups:

• UK nationals
• nationals of the Republic of Ireland
• nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS) (opens in a new window)
• nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
• individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
• Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service

Further information on nationality requirements (opens in a new window)

YOU’LL BE ACCOUNTABLE FOR:

• Day to day operational management and co-ordination of the Library’s reference enquiry service, encompassing two sites, both in person and remote service delivery.
• Managing oversight of the desk duty rota for the Library’s enquiry points, and ensuring that there is appropriate cover to deliver all services.
• Providing an excellent reference enquiry service as part of the desk rota, including supervising the work and training of colleagues.
• Providing guidance and acting as a visible point of consultation for all enquiry staff, including giving timely and constructive feedback on the quality and development of enquiry work & customer service.
• Working under pressure as part of a frontline service team and using problem-solving skills, to ensure delivery of accurate results to users with challenging deadlines.
• Overseeing circulation of Library materials and the management of key processes such as inter-library loans and overdue notices.
• Documenting customer service policy and practice. Ensuring guidance material is updated, informative & communicated to relevant stakeholders.