Skip to content

Our vacancies

Search Posts  

Operations and Visitor Services Assistant

Please Note: The application deadline for this post has now passed.

Overview

Our aim is for everyone in the National Church Institutions (NCIs) to feel that they belong, and are valued for who they are and what they contribute. Together, our people contribute in different ways towards our common purpose, whichever NCI they work in and whatever their background.

Lambeth Palace Library (LPL), founded in 1610, is the historic library and record office of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Following the merger with the Church of England Record Centre in 2020 it is now the principal repository for the archives not only of the Archbishop of Canterbury but also of the National Church Institutions in London. Further details may be found on the Library’s website: www.lambethpalacelibrary.org

Post Introduction

We are looking for a new team member to support the vision and mission of the Library by providing a high-quality service to all users.

You will be accessioning archival material; responding to requests for files and deeds and associated filing and system maintenance; providing copies in digital formats.

With responsibilities including engaging with the public in regular “front of house” duties, you will need excellent people skills, with the ability to deal with a variety of visitors in a friendly and efficient manner.

Self-motivated, you will enjoy working collaboratively and on your own initiative with an organised and methodical approach to everyday tasks while being flexible and open to new ideas.

The working hours are 28 per week worked over 4 days, Tuesday – Friday. Your salary will be prorated giving a range of £19,046 p.a. rising to £19,992 p.a. after probation, for 28 hours per week.

To arrange an informal conversation about the role, please contact tracey.wade@churchofengland.org

In return we offer a unique environment with opportunities for continuous learning, generous annual leave for work life balance, season ticket loans and a range of benefits including discounted entry to attractions and what we feel is a market leading package when it comes to our pension scheme.

Role Responsibility

The Role

Operations Support

  • Retrieving, issuing, tracking, and returning files and deeds at LPL in response to loan requests from internal customers to Service Level Agreement deadlines.
  • Receiving, checking, accessioning, and depositing files and deeds including necessary data entry, amendments, and filing.
  • Answering enquiries from departments, concerning the collections at LPL and advising on sources elsewhere.
  • Assisting on a rota basis with Reading Room services, including document production, scanning and other related duties.
  • Handing away or destroying archives, records and deeds as required.
  • Help maintain the Repositories (including relocating, sorting, cleaning, boxing, stock-taking).
  • Data entry and cataloguing of archival records onto current records management and archival databases.
  • Implementing the agreed quality control mechanisms and updating the relevant computerised (or manual) records systems across all types of work.
  • Improving role appropriate collections knowledge through regular continuing professional development activities.
  • Working with colleagues to ensure the security and safe use of the collections.
  • Contributing to continuing improvement of the services provided by the Library.

Visitor Engagement/Front of House

  • Participating in, and where necessary delivering, role appropriate outreach and engagement activities to support the Library’s vision to be accessible to all.
  • Engaging with readers and public visitors to promote the use of the collections.
  • Acting on a rota basis as one of the first points of contact for the library both by phone and face to face, dealing professionally and tactfully with people at all levels who contact the library.
  • Helping with preparation and set-up for Library events to ensure they run smoothly.
  • Any other duties that may be reasonably required from time to time.

The Ideal Candidate

The Requirements

Essential

Skills/Aptitudes:

  • Good IT skills, including accurate keyboard skills and familiarity with databases.
  • Excellent communication skills and written English.
  • Good clerical and administration skills.
  • Organised, tidy and methodical in day-to-day duties.
  • Self-motivated and able to work with minimal supervision.
  • An interest in, and enthusiasm for, historical library and archive collections.

Knowledge/Experience:

  • Good knowledge of Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel.
  • Proven experience of a customer focussed working environment.
  • Ability to follow processes and to contribute recommendations for improvements.
  • Experience of working in a library or archive environment.

Personal Attributes:

  • Good interpersonal skills and the ability to deal politely, confidently, and efficiently with internal and external users.
  • Able and willing to learn new software, new systems, and new processes.
  • Adaptable and flexible, open to new ideas.
  • Effective team working.
  • Able and willing to use own initiative and work with minimal supervision (once processes and procedures have been learnt).

Education:

  • Good general education, including English GCSE or equivalent.

Circumstances:

  • Ability to handle items in diverse formats and conditions as necessary to the role in accordance with procedures relating to manual handling and working at height.

Desirable

Knowledge/Experience:

  • Previous experience of using Calm for either Records Management or Archives
  • Knowledge of British history

About Us

We in the National Church Institutions support the mission and ministries of the Church all over England. We work with parishes, dioceses (regional offices), schools, other ministries and our partners at a national and international level.

Excellence, Respect, Integrity

We follow these three values in everything we do, whether we are of Christian faith, another faith or no faith. To learn more about working for National Church Institutions and our benefits, please click here

As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively look to attract, recruit and retain those of you who are disabled.

As a member of the Armed Forces Covenant, we welcome applications from those of you who have served in our Armed Forces and their families.

We are committed to being an equal opportunities employer and to ensuring that everyone, job applicants, customers and other people with whom we deal, are treated fairly and not subject to discrimination.  We will do whatever is necessary to provide genuine equality of opportunity. We continuously review our policies and processes to support our aim to create a workforce as diverse as the nation the Church of England serves..


This website is using cookies to improve your browsing experience. If you navigate to another page without changing the settings below you consent to this. Read more about cookies.