Library Experience & Engagement Manager

Salary: £43,128

Closing date: Sunday, 24 November 2024

Contract type: Permanent

Wellcome Collection is part of Wellcome Trust, a global charitable foundation that supports science to build a healthier future for everyone. Wellcome Trust plans to spend £16bn over the next ten years, funding new discoveries in life, health, and wellbeing, and taking on three global health challenges: mental health, infectious disease and climate and health.

Wellcome Collection is a free museum and library working towards a world where everyone's experience of health matters, where you can enjoy exhibitions, museum and library collections, public events, and a vibrant shop and café. We also publish books and online stories.

This is a great time to join Wellcome Collection as we embark on an exciting period of development, having recently launched our new ten-year strategy.

We are looking for a Library Experience and Engagement Manager to join our team on a permanent basis.

Where in Wellcome will I be working?

You will be working in the Library Experience Engagement team within Curatorial and Public Practice reporting to the Head, Library Experience and Engagement.

The Library Experience and Engagement team works collaboratively with teams across Wellcome Collection to provide a safe and inclusive space for visitors.

We provide support to users in the library by welcoming visitors, answering enquiries, and retrieving collection items from our closed stores for visitors and colleagues.

The Library Experience and Engagement team also works to engage our visitors with our collections and our spaces, sharing expertise and knowledge through a range of activities including collection orientated visits, tours, and library-based public events. We're also developing our approaches to participatory practice and community-engaged co-design for spaces and services and are keen to explore how to build on what we have learnt so far.

What will I be doing?

As one of three Library Experience and Engagement Manager's within the team, you will be working with the Head (of), Library Experience and Engagement to deliver a responsive offer to our visitors, ensuring that access, diversity and inclusion is at the core of everything that we do.

We are looking for someone who can:

• Jointly manage and support the team of Library Experience and Engagement Facilitators, Library operations Officers, and Library, Information and the Archive Services Assistant Apprentice.

• Deliver an inclusive library space, working closely with other teams in Curatorial and Public Practice to embed best practice and accessibility throughout our venue.

• Provide consistently efficient and professional library services, ensuring all users - onsite and online - receive accurate and timely access to information and resources.

• Co-chair the Library Experience and Engagement working groups: Admissions, Movement Control, Engagement and Library Futures.

• Co-ordinating and facilitating engagement activity, tours, events, and collaborations with key teams in Curatorial and Public Practice.

• Work in partnership with the team to identify and deliver on personal and professional development.

• Contribute to a diverse and inclusive culture across the organisation, collaborating across departments.

Is this job for me?

You will be an experienced team leader with significant experience in line management and a proven ability to lead, motivate and develop a team.

We are looking for someone with a passion for libraries, engaging people with collections, and working to create inclusive environments in a library setting.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has a demonstratable track record of inspiring colleagues to find solutions and promoting a culture of continuous improvement.

• Has experience of developing and managing operations in a museum or library setting, including desk rotas, retrieval and shelving services, facilities and equipment.

• Has knowledge and experience of duty manager responsibilities including dealing with visitors, complaints, security and health and safety issues.

• Has experience of managing projects and of planning, implementing and reviewing development.

• Has leadership skills to engage and inspire staff to achieve their objectives and deliver change.

• Has strong influencing and negotiation skills, with an ability to deal effectively and confidently at all levels, internally across departments and with external contacts.

• Is confident using information technology in a library or information context including library management systems, catalogues, databases, and e-resources.

To apply please upload your current CV and complete our short application.

Interview dates: Week commencing Monday, 9 December 2024

You can view the full job description on our website

You can read more about the benefits we offer our employees on our website

The Library Experience and Engagement team contributes to a daily rota, supporting the library service open 6 days a week. Working patterns will include a regular rota of Thursday evenings and Saturdays. At the moment the team supports a day off rota each fortnight, which can be worked onsite or at home.

Diversity and Inclusion is at the heart of everything we do

Diversity and Inclusion is a priority at Wellcome. We are committed to cultivating a fair and inclusive environment, where everyone can be themselves and thrive. We are happy to discuss flexible working options for all roles. We work to ensure that our recruitment processes are as inclusive as possible to everyone. This includes making adjustments for people who have a disability or long-term condition. Please visit our website for more information on adjustments and accessibility, or contact us at .

Upon a conditional offer being made, the successful applicant for this position will be required to undertake a Basic Disclosure and Barring Service (or equivalent) criminal record check to disclose any 'unspent' criminal convictions or conditional cautions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The criminal record check with not show anything that is 'spent'.

For further guidance on disclosure of criminal records please see this UK Government Guidance. You can view our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-offenders here. You can view our Privacy Statement here.

- KC1