Staff Officer - Librarian

The Library Staff Officer post is a supervisory position and is assigned functional responsibility for the administration and management of a branch library, section, or team within the Library Service. The Library Staff Officer will work under the direction and management of the Executive Librarian, Senior Executive Librarian or analogous grade, or other employee designated by the County Librarian or Director of Services as appropriate.

As a Library Staff Officer, you will be working as part of a multidisciplinary team in the achievement of a common goal. You will be required to work and deal with a variety of people in a courteous, helpful, and professional manner. You will be required to manage your work and the workload of the section in an organised way and be open and flexible to new ways of doing things. This position will afford you opportunities to use your own initiative and work to a high standard. You will be required to operate the local authority’s existing and future IT systems as part of your work.

• Knowledge and understanding of the structure and functions of local government and library services

• Knowledge of current local government and library issues and key policies guiding the local government and library sectors

• Understanding of the role of Library Staff Officer

• An ability to supervise a team effectively to achieve a common goal, ensuring strong governance and ethics standards are adhered to and maintained

• The ability to motivate, empower, and encourage staff under his/her supervision to achieve maximum performance by supporting the current Performance Management and Development System (PMDS)

• Understanding of the changing and operational environment in the Council and be capable of leading change in order to deliver quality services to our citizens

• Effective financial and resource management skills

• Knowledge and experience of operating ICT systems

• Relevant administrative experience

• Experience of supervising staff

• Experience of working as part of a team

• Experience of preparing reports and correspondence

• Strong resource management skills

• Knowledge and experience of operating ICT systems

The post is wholetime (i.e., 35 hours per week) and appointment may be permanent or temporary. The post will include weekend and late evening working hours as part of a normal roster. The working hours may be reviewed at any time by the Council. The post may require flexibility in working outside of normal hours, including at weekends, as necessary. No additional remuneration will be paid in respect of such activities.

Louth County Council is currently inviting applications from suitably qualified persons for the above competition. Louth County Council will, following the interview process, form a panel for the post, from which future relevant vacancies may be filled subject to sanction approval from the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage. This panel will exist for 12 months and may only be extended at the discretion of the Chief Executive.

a) Have obtained at least Grade D (or a Pass), in Higher or Ordinary Level, in five subjects (or four subjects if Irish is included) from the approved list of subjects in the Department of Education Established Leaving Certificate Examination or Leaving Certificate Vocational Programme including Irish and/or English and one of the following: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation, or Economics; and b) Have obtained at least Grade C (or Honours) in higher level (or Honours) papers in three subjects in that examination (or two subjects if Irish and/or one of the following is included: Mathematics, Accounting, Business Organisation or Economics); or c) Have obtained a comparable standard in an equivalent examination; or d) Hold a third-level qualification of at least degree standard.

• Have at least two years satisfactory Library experience

• Have a current, full, clean, Class B drivers’ licence and access to own car

(a) Be a serving employee of a local authority or a regional assembly and have at least two years’ satisfactory experience in a post of Clerical Officer or analogous post.

Candidates will have to demonstrate from their application form to the satisfaction of a short-listing board that they possess sufficient skills and experience in the competencies listed below in order to be called for interview.

1. Understanding Purpose & Change2. Delivering Results3. Performance through People

Candidates short-listed for interview will then be assessed at the interview stage under the three competencies listed above in addition to Local Government Knowledge and Understanding.

Duties The duties of the office are to give to the local authority under the direction and supervision of its appropriate officer such services of an executive, supervisory or advisory nature as are required for the exercise and performance of any of its powers and duties and shall include the duty of deputising for other officers of the local authority when required and such duties as may be required in relation to the area of any other local authority.

The duties shall include but are not limited to:

• Managing a branch library

• Working as part of a management team in a main branch

• Managing service areas at Library headquarters

• Managing performance and service delivery to expected standards in line with library targets, plans, and policies

• Planning, organizing, and participating in library events and activities

• Building relevant partnerships and networks

• Managing events programme for city/county-wide branch library network

• Support role to the operation of My Open Library initiative

• Supervise and manage staff up to the position of the grade or analogous grades

• Deal effectively with conflict

• Ensure compliance with all organisational policies and procedures

• Assist with implementation of work programmes to achieve goals, targets, and standards set out in the Authority’s Corporate Plan

• Prepare and agree team plans for the section or function

• Contribute to policy development and review of policies, procedures, and systems

• Liaise and deal with colleagues, elected members, general public, customers of the local authorities and external agencies

• Prepare reports to and for senior officers and preparation of documents for meetings

• Ensure that healthy and safe systems of work are maintained and that all possible steps are taken to prevent accidents and minimise hazards to occupational health, in accordance with the Corporate Health and Safety Statement

• Participate & take part in the duties as required as part of the Organisational response to Climate Action to promote & ensure capacity building, empowering change and delivering action

• Undertake any other duties of a similar level and responsibility as may be assigned from time to time

The duties of this position are inclusive of all the responsibilities associated with the role of Staff Officer - Librarian as outlined and will also include the following specific duties:

• Planning and prioritising of work and preparation of Rotas

• Organising workflows

• Training Staff

• Assisting with Budgets and Plans