Customer Services Assistant (Chelmsford Library)

Permanent, Part Time £25,959 per annum (full time equivalent)

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Fixed‑base worker

The role will be based across both Chelmsford and North Melbourne Libraries and requires mobility throughout all libraries in the Mid Area. This is a part–time position working 18.5 hours per week and includes working Saturdays and Sundays with the following rota pattern:

• Friday 9:00 am – 7:00 pm
• Saturday 9:00 am – 5:00 pm
• Sunday 10:30 am – 1:30 pm

The pro‑rate salary will be £12,979 per annum. Due to the different areas where you may work, this role requires you to be mobile throughout the operational area.

The Role

You’ll join a service that is undergoing change. Libraries around the UK are evolving to meet the differing demands of our customers. This role involves supporting book circulation and issuing, signposting customers to different services, and acting as our ears and eyes for what makes a difference to our customers.

The Opportunity

Our Customer Service team are at the heart of what we do – they are the face of our libraries. To join them, you’ll need to be confident helping a diverse range of customers, with demands that change daily. We have an inclusive environment – your experience, age and perspectives are welcome.

Key Responsibilities

• First and foremost – you like helping people.
• When you have IT skills – self‑taught or not – that’s ideal; we use self‑service equipment and customers need your empathy and patience at all times.
• Arrange and conduct Rhymetime, an inclusive session for all families with babies and toddlers.
• Health & Safety is key. We’d like you to be the kind of person who sees things that need sorting and helps sort them out.
• Help with promotional activities. We generate income in all our libraries and value your ideas, especially those that can be rolled out across all libraries.
• Assist customers to use the library catalogue and learn to use the full library offer.
• Ensure seamless stock circulation and management, involving sorting, shelving, tidying, and handling reservations, fines, and membership activities.
• Data drives us – you’ll help us look at it in different ways, ensuring we focus on customers and staff to improve what we offer.
• Our smaller libraries have less staff, so we’ll ask you to help with unlocking/locking up and to be a trusted keyholder.

Experience and Qualifications

• Possession of a Driving Licence.
• Demonstration of IT skills or the ability to learn.
• Customer service experience in any area.
• Confidence in speaking to customers and signposting them to library services, other council services and partner organisations.
• Enthusiasm and ideas.
• Enjoy working within a team to make us as brilliant as possible.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) if your role requires a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and is committed to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum requirements of the job. We are also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements of the role.

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email christine.simmons@essex.gov.uk.