Customer Service Assistant (Libraries)

Salary Basis: Per annum

Leave Entitlement: 26 days

Application Deadline: 11/07/2025, 23:55

Anticipated Interview Date(s): TBC

About the Borough:

In Sutton, there is much for us to be proud of both as a council and as a borough. This includes high levels of resident satisfaction, the quality of our services, our success in addressing our financial challenges to date, the way that we involve and engage with residents on key issues facing the borough, and the enthusiastic and motivated staff that we employ.

Looking ahead, there are plans for the delivery of new homes and new schools and the London Cancer Hub is being developed, while the Council is also seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment.

All of this demonstrates a good track record and an authority that is ambitious and set to deliver more improvements for the borough. We’ve set out our vision for the future of Sutton in our corporate plan - Ambitious for Sutton. This strategic plan will shape the outcomes we achieve, the services we provide, and the impact we have on residents, to make Sutton a great place to live, work and raise a family.

Situated in Zone 5, Sutton is less than 30 minutes by train from central London, and south and south west London are easily accessible by public transport. There are 10 train stations which serve key neighbourhoods within the borough providing direct connections to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Blackfriars and St Pancras International. Sutton also has direct rail connections with Epsom, Dorking, Guildford and Horsham, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and West Croydon for the London Overground. There’s also an extensive road network which provides close and easy access to the M25 and M23.

About the Role and our Ideal Candidate:

A front line customer role in libraries, serving the public, handling cash transactions, answering basic enquiries and carrying out routine library duties such as shelving and tidying the shelves.

• Check and validate records using a range of databases and systems to ensure accuracy of customer and service management information.
• Provide information to customers on the availability of or use of Council services in accordance with Council procedures.
• Operate the library management ICT system requiring a degree of specialist training in order to support customers.
• You will need to be confident in using IT for your own work and in helping customers use IT equipment and software, such as scanners, printers, apps, social media, setting up emails, etc.
• The role requires a degree of multi-tasking and working under pressure during busy times. This role is not a traditional customer service role and no two days are the same.
• You must be a good team player and enjoy working with a diverse range of customers and volunteers as you will be delivering the day to day library service, and will be an ambassador for providing excellent customer care as well as helping to deliver events and activities that increase visits and issues.

Our Ideal Candidate:

• Experience of dealing with customers in a calm professional manner.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service.
• Ability to take part in promotional activities and deliver events for adults and children e.g. Rhymetime or story time.
• Working knowledge of IT and the internet.
• Ability to use own initiative.
• Ability to deliver under pressure.
• Flexibility to travel to all 8 sites as at when required with enough notice.
• Ability to work within a single staffing model.

• Previous library experience.
• Working knowledge of Sirsi Dynix.
• Working knowledge of digital productions.

About Us:

Sutton Council’s Cultural Services is made up of a network of eight public libraries, three heritage houses and a year-round cultural programme for all ages. Cultural Services provide a key part of community life in Sutton, supporting everything from early years development, digital literacy and community activities, to study space, cultural celebrations and access to Council services. Sutton Council’s Cultural Framework sets out the Council's ambition to expand cultural activity in Sutton, supporting the Borough's approach to developing place, economic growth and community cohesion.

Our Offer To You:

As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We’re constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across - however big or small - will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.

In addition, we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff, supported by our IT infrastructure, including Google Chromebooks and Google Apps. Our Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme embraces new ways of working. It provides improved work life balance for our staff as it allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week.

Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply).
• General Council Flexi-time (Please note, this applies to roles at grades 1-9 only).
• Public Health Service Localised Flexi-time Scheme - accrual of up to 5 days per year.
• Three volunteering days per year in Sutton.
• Comprehensive learning and development programme.
• Local and national discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure activities.
• Interest free season ticket loans.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Car parking scheme.
• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme.
• Zip car scheme.
• Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses.
• Confidential wellbeing and counselling support.
• Subsidised gym membership.

Application Process:

Please apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Please ensure you refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application.

To support our diversity agenda and reduce the risk of bias in our recruitment activities, our short listing process completely anonymises personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc. Our hiring managers review and short list applications based on the information provided as part of your application as to how well you meet the requirements and criteria for the role, as outlined in the job profile.

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Enhancements/Additional Payments: 1 in 2 Saturday enhancements.

Additional Information:

We pride ourselves on being a diverse, inclusive and welcoming Borough and we aim to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve - the key highlights from our recent Equalities Workforce Report can be seen here. We are respectful of difference and realise the positive value of diversity in our workforce. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce. As part of our Disability Confident Committed status, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role.

We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums, and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.

The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.