Library Manager

Lead: Children and Young People

Barnsley has an ambitious strategy to re-energise our Library Service, creating community and digital hubs at the heart of our communities and developing a vibrant events and activities programme to engage all members of our communities. The Library Service is an Arts Council England National Portfolio Organisation delivering multiple arts and cultural activities across all libraries. We have recently refurbished 9 of our branch libraries and alongside our flagship, town centre Library@TheLightbox, this is an exciting time to join the Service.

We are looking for a highly motivated person with a passion for Libraries to provide operational and positive team leadership, ensuring the delivery of a high performing, customer-focused public library service that meets the needs of local communities. The successful candidate will lead our Children and Young People offer, working with colleagues and partners to develop and deliver a varied activity programme, engaging with diverse groups and organisations to develop libraries as community and digital hubs.

You will possess strong communication, interpersonal and presentation skills with the ability to communicate clearly and effectively with members of the public (including the elderly and vulnerable), partners, other employees, parents and children, sometimes in areas of tension or conflict. You will be able to work flexibly as part of a team and in partnership with others to achieve common goals, promoting a positive culture at all times.

This is a demanding role so the ability to understand issues affecting operational service delivery and manage your own workload under pressure and to deadlines are essential.

The ability to manage, motivate, support and enthuse staff, partners and members of the public is also essential. Successful candidates will also be imaginative and creative in the development of events and activities, with practical organisational skills.