User Experience Assistant - Library Support Role

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Our Library is one that supports our communities to realise their ambitions by opening up new areas of knowledge & understanding and through fostering applied creative thinking.

At the centre of our approach is a high-quality student experience, outstanding student outcomes and supporting an excellent research environment. With this in mind, our teams deliver against three core strategic themes:

• Community - The original missions of libraries were not about repositories of books or as gatekeepers to knowledge, but about fostering communities of scholars. With that in mind, our focus is on how the Library supports the wide range of communities we have, fostering connection and empowering academic culture.
• Confidence - There is a fundamental role for the Library to ensure all students become confident, independent learners and researchers. We shall support students to develop confidence and applied creative thinking through our academic skills provision and an industry relevant skills offer that enhances performance whilst at university as well as into their chosen future.
• Content - Exploration and access to scholarly content is critical to the process of learning, teaching, research, and knowledge exchange. The Library plays a significant role provisioning scholarly content, working with our academic colleagues and students. We shall work to ensure that relevant content is delivered in a sustainable way and that we leverage technology a

As User Experience Assistant, you’ll be responsible for the delivery of operational activity in support of the Library’s user experience services, delivering to the operational plan. You’ll provide first line library support to users, working collaboratively to answer queries at service points, onsite and online, and offer guidance on navigating library services.

We have 3 positions available:

• 1 x 30 hours per week - Mon, Tue, Wed, Thu: 8.30am - 5pm
• 1 x 21 hours per week - Sun: 9am - 5pm / Wed:1pm - 6pm / Thu:1pm - 6pm / Fri: 9am - 1pm
• 1 x 16 hours per week - Wed: 9am - 1pm / Fri:1pm - 6pm / Sat: 9am - 5pm

The anticipated interview date is 29th October 2024.

To be successful in this role you will be self-motivated and able to work collaboratively. You’ll leverage your experience of user-focussed services with an emphasis on delivering information, advice, and guidance.

You’ll demonstrate excellent communication skills and build positive relationships with a wide range of colleagues.

You’ll be confident and self-assured with the ability to actively listen, to resolve queries and respond to user feedback.

You’ll be confident in approaching new technologies and have a strong ability to plan, prioritise and organise work to achieve objectives on time.

• Working collaboratively, provide operational support for library spaces and user experience, delivering against operational plans and placing strong focus on continuous improvement to align with university priorities.

• Deliver a general enquiry service, providing first line support and offering initial advice on finding and navigating resources and services, escalating as appropriate.

• Maintain a welcoming, safe and accessible environment, observing, investigating and reporting matters of concern regarding security, safeguarding and health and safety.

• Deliver circulation support across allocated sites, ensuring service points are fully staffed, throughout library opening times.

• Build positive and effective relationships with colleagues across the Library, working collaboratively to resolve issues and complete tasks.

• Capture data and feedback in respect of library spaces and user experience, in accordance with defined measures and benchmarks.

• Work collaboratively across the Library to assist with induction activities, including introductory tours of the library spaces.

• Regularly support the arrangement of stock and re-shelving of items and contribute towards tidying and organising library spaces.

• Assist in the promotion library resources, services and events and wear university-branded clothing provided at appropriate times and occasions in aid of this.

• Have an awareness of the Library’s provision of spaces for a variety of research and learning preferences.

• Actively participate as a member of working groups across the Library and, where relevant, the wider University to develop and implement policies and procedures, contribute towards decision-making, resolve issues and implement assigned projects.

• Actively promote and support inclusion through operational activities undertaken through the role.

• Undertake continuous personal and professional development in support of the role.

• Be flexible with working pattern and in working at different University sites and supporting other library teams, as required.

• Ensure compliance with relevant University policies and procedures.

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• Level 3 qualifications or equivalent professional experience.

Experience

• Experience of delivering user-focussed services with an emphasis on continuous quality improvement.
• Experience of delivering information, advice and guidance.
• Experience of building positive relationships and working productively in collaboration with a wide range of colleagues.

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion with the ability to role model, adhere to and advocate the University’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Policy.
• Confident and self-assured with the ability to actively listen, communicate confidently to resolve queries and respond to user feedback.
• Ability to plan, prioritise and organise work to achieve objectives on time.
• Confident in approaching new technologies and flexible approach to change.

Business requirements

• Ability to work across all University sites, as required.
• Ability to be flexible within the working pattern to meet the business needs, including working evenings, weekends or extended hours.

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

• Relevant customer service qualification.
• Relevant library and information qualification.

Experience

• Experience of working within an academic library.

Skills, knowledge, and abilities

• Knowledge and understanding of the post-16 education environment.

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