Searchroom Assistant

Calling all local history enthusiasts with an interest for the local area! Are you looking for a rewarding career that combines your passion for customer service and knowledge of archive services?

If so, we'd love to hear from you!

Salary: GBP23,500 to GBP23,893 per annum, GBP18,800 to GBP19,114 (pro rata for part time)

Contract Type: 12 month fixed term contract. Start and end dates will be confirmed with successful candidate.

Working Pattern: Part–time (29.6 hours per week, Tuesday to Friday), with occasional evening work to help at special events.

Location: West Sussex Record Office, 3 Orchard Street, Chichester, PO19 1DD

Interview Date: 27 June 2024

Internal candidates wishing to apply for this role will be considered for a secondment position. Please can you therefore discuss and agree this with your manager before applying for this position.

You will join our busy Searchroom team at West Sussex Record Office in Chichester, helping members of the public to access historical records dating back over 1,200 years.

The Opportunity

As a Search Room Assistant, you will assist visitors in navigating our extensive collection, ensuring they have a seamless research experience. You will provide an effective administrative service including responding to specialist enquiries by telephone, post, and email.

In this role, you will have the opportunity to be involved in all aspects of working in a busy county record office, including: supervising the public and volunteers in the Searchroom; dealing with face–to–face, telephone, e–mail and postal enquiries; retrieving documents from the strongrooms; providing occasional help in Reception; and carrying out administrative tasks. You will also deliver outreach activities, digitise records and catalogue archives under the direction of archivists.

It will also be an active role, with periodic requirements for lifting or carrying heavy records and documents and pushing or pulling loaded trolleys daily.

For more information on the Key Skills as well as the Qualifications and/or experience required, please refer to the Job Description attached.

About You

We're looking for someone who is self–motivated and a proven track record of working in a customer focussed environment. You will also have sound and accurate IT knowledge.

You will be able to demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills, communicating on several different levels with multiple stakeholders and adapting your style accordingly.

With a minimum of two A–Levels, or relevant NVQ level 3 or equivalent qualification or experience demonstrating a good level of numeracy and literacy, you will be computer literate with excellent communication skills.

You will be a team player who can foster and nurture positive working relationships. Alongside strong communication skills, you can prioritise tasks to meet deadlines.

To thrive in this role, you will be comfortable using your initiative to follow procedures and instructions with minimal supervision.

An interest in family history and in the county's history and archives would be an advantage. If you're organised, detail–oriented, and have a passion for historical knowledge of the county and local area, this is the perfect opportunity for you.

Rewards and Benefits

Along with a generous holiday entitlement of 25 days plus opportunity to buy additional leave).

Upon joining us you will have access to a range of benefits including the following:

• A excellent local government pension scheme
• A range of flexible working options, depending on your job role
• Maternity, paternity, dependency and adoption leave
• volunteering opportunities
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• A range of discounts giving our staff access to hundreds of offers; groceries, travel, cinema tickets, days out, leisure activities, high street retailers and the opportunity to save over GBP1,000 a year through our West Sussex Choices benefits platform (see our Staff discounts page if you are a business looking to offer a discount)
• Health and wellbeing benefits including access to our Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and Voluntary Health Cash Plans.

For a full list this can be found at our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CPP00940 .

Does this sound like the opportunity for you? Click apply below, upload your CV, and complete the application form, explaining how you meet the key skills in the attached job description. Please ensure all that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV.

Please ensure you apply directly through the West Sussex County Council job website: Job search – West Sussex County Council

Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to 3 years referencing and a health check.

Equity, inclusion and accessibility is very important to West Sussex County Council. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, as this helps us build a diverse and talented workforce, that reflects the communities we serve. We ensure our approach to recruitment is flexible and supportive to enable all applicants to be at their best and to ensure they have the best possible chance of success.