Library Enquiry Services Manager - HEO
Wales, United Kingdom Full-time Posted 1 week ago
Vacancy title
Library Enquiry Services Manager - HEO
Closing date
19/06/2026, 16:00
Advertising basis
Permanent
Actual starting salary
£37,111
Salary range or pay band
HEO £37,111 to £45,378
Allowances
No
Work pattern
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Group
Corporate Services and Inspectorates
Directorate
DDaT
Branch
Knowledge, Information & Records Management
Location (s)
Cardiff
Main office base
Cathays, Cardiff
Purpose of post
The Welsh Government’s Knowledge and Library Service provides information and research services to policy and legal teams based in multiple locations. The library collection comprises print and digital resources supporting the development of policy and legislation in Wales and includes the official publications archive. The Library’s print collection is held in Cardiff although most services such as training, literature searching and enquiries are provided remotely.
Following a retirement in the Welsh Government Knowledge & Library Services team, we are seeking an Enquiry Services Manager to deliver services to Welsh Government’s policy and legal teams. The post currently line manages three librarians and task manages other team members, so experience of leading teams is essential. You’ll be working alongside two other team leaders to allocate and share resources and prioritise work.
Reporting to the Head of Knowledge & Library Services, you’ll have day to day responsibility for managing the literature search and enquiry services and helping develop these to meet changing needs. You’ll ensure customer satisfaction through effective monitoring of feedback and identify areas for improvement. You’ll also be involved in helping develop and define our training offering. As subject matter expert, you’ll also provide professional advice to support the Head of Knowledge and Library Services and the Chief Librarian.
Key tasks
This is an opportunity to develop experience at HEO level. You’ll broaden and develop your knowledge of research in order to support your team and provide an effective, high-quality service to library users. You’ll also develop your management skill set as you task and line manage the library team in collaboration with the other library managers. In this role you’ll develop an understanding of the work involved in developing government policy and will be making a contribution to the development of Welsh Government policy.
The postholder will represent Welsh Government in a number of professional networks. In addition to developing a wider awareness of professional issues, involvement in the wider Government Knowledge & Information Management network will develop awareness of the sector.
Other vacancy related information
Basic
Number of posts
1
Contact point for further information regarding the post
library-enquiries@gov.wales
Welsh language requirements
3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this post, they are however desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.
Understanding by reading
0 - No skills
Speaking and being understood
0 - No skills
Understanding by listening
0 - No skills
Writing and being understood
0 - No skills
Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
Behaviour 1
The selection process and stages are:
Delivering at Pace
Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.
Behaviour 2
Leadership
Ensure colleagues and stakeholders have a clear understanding of objectives, activities and timeframes.
Evidence to provide
CV, Experience questions
Experience 1
Experience of providing information retrieval or enquiry services in a library or information service. Ensuring the service meets organisational needs. Your CV will be considered as part of this question to assess overall professional experience and qualifications.
Technical 1
Desk Research: Setting parameters for service levels, taking into account available resources and team and organisational priorities. Provide guidance on selection of resources or development of search methodology. Ensure training is provided and refreshed as necessary.
Technical 2
Information Literacy: Understand the role of library services in improving information and digital literacy skills.
You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.
Nationality Requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales . Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.
How To Apply
All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system.
Unless stated otherwise in the 'Other vacancy-related information for advert', the Welsh Government cannot offer Visa sponsorship. Welsh Government holds a Visa sponsorship licence, but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
Applications are welcomed from people with a diverse range of lived and professional experiences. We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation which represents the diverse communities we serve. There are a number of Diversity networks that staff can participate in, which include the Disability Awareness and Support Staff Network; Minority Ethnic Staff Network; Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (LGBTI+), Women Together and the Neurodivergence Network.
If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, please email our recruitment team. You can:
You should check your Application Centre regularly for updates to your application. Please also check your spam/junk folder in case any communication regarding your application and/or assessment details finds its way there.
Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form. You must complete this and submit it before the deadline on the closing date. We will not consider an incomplete application form.
If you would like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the Change Language link on this page. We welcome applications in Welsh, and applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English.
Please see the candidate guidance for more information on the recruitment process.
For information on Civil Service Success Profiles please click here .
For TS to G6 recruitment schemes: When presenting your evidence, you may find it useful to consider the expectations of the grade as set out in the Grade Description as well as the main responsibilities that are essential for the role.
Library Enquiry Services Manager - HEO
Closing date
19/06/2026, 16:00
Advertising basis
Permanent
Actual starting salary
£37,111
Salary range or pay band
HEO £37,111 to £45,378
Allowances
No
Work pattern
Full time (applications are welcome from people who work part time, as part of a job share or who work full time)
Group
Corporate Services and Inspectorates
Directorate
DDaT
Branch
Knowledge, Information & Records Management
Location (s)
Cardiff
Main office base
Cathays, Cardiff
Purpose of post
The Welsh Government’s Knowledge and Library Service provides information and research services to policy and legal teams based in multiple locations. The library collection comprises print and digital resources supporting the development of policy and legislation in Wales and includes the official publications archive. The Library’s print collection is held in Cardiff although most services such as training, literature searching and enquiries are provided remotely.
Following a retirement in the Welsh Government Knowledge & Library Services team, we are seeking an Enquiry Services Manager to deliver services to Welsh Government’s policy and legal teams. The post currently line manages three librarians and task manages other team members, so experience of leading teams is essential. You’ll be working alongside two other team leaders to allocate and share resources and prioritise work.
Reporting to the Head of Knowledge & Library Services, you’ll have day to day responsibility for managing the literature search and enquiry services and helping develop these to meet changing needs. You’ll ensure customer satisfaction through effective monitoring of feedback and identify areas for improvement. You’ll also be involved in helping develop and define our training offering. As subject matter expert, you’ll also provide professional advice to support the Head of Knowledge and Library Services and the Chief Librarian.
Key tasks
- Line and task management of librarians (EO) and library assistants.
- Advice, support and training to the information professionals undertaking literature searches to ensure that standards are met and maintained.
- Manage and develop the literature search service, including allocation of work, setting deadlines, and quality checking.
- Collection and analysis of statistics relating to customer experience and service delivery to inform developments.
- Manage the general enquiry service by maintaining staffing levels and developing mechanisms for knowledge sharing.
- Engagement with stakeholders, suppliers and professional groups
- Maintain an awareness of legislative developments as they relate to information and library management, including copyright, Re-use of Public Sector Information (RPSI), FoI Publication Scheme requirements and copyright.
This is an opportunity to develop experience at HEO level. You’ll broaden and develop your knowledge of research in order to support your team and provide an effective, high-quality service to library users. You’ll also develop your management skill set as you task and line manage the library team in collaboration with the other library managers. In this role you’ll develop an understanding of the work involved in developing government policy and will be making a contribution to the development of Welsh Government policy.
The postholder will represent Welsh Government in a number of professional networks. In addition to developing a wider awareness of professional issues, involvement in the wider Government Knowledge & Information Management network will develop awareness of the sector.
Other vacancy related information
- In the event of a large number of applications, an initial sift will be conducted against the lead assessment criterion: Experience 1. Candidates who pass the initial sift may be progressed to a full sift or progressed straight to assessment/interview
- The Welsh Government library is located in Cardiff. Regular travel to the office will be expected to provide services and support, this is currently 2 or 3 days per week but flexibility will be required as this could increase.
- Experience of working in libraries or information management is required for the role. Candidates are required to hold a degree or postgraduate qualification in librarianship, information studies or information management, this is an essential criteria and details of this should be included within your CV. Evidence will be requested at onboarding stage.
- Candidates are required to submit a CV as part of their application, CV’s should be of a maximum of 2 sides detailing your work experience and qualifications – CV’s will be scored against the experience criteria
- A reserve list may be held for this opportunity. Any candidate who is successful in being offered a reserve status, will remain on the reserve list for 12 months.
- A presentation/ test on ‘Delivering at Pace’ will be required at interview. More information will be provided in the invitations to that stage.
Basic
Number of posts
1
Contact point for further information regarding the post
library-enquiries@gov.wales
Welsh language requirements
3 - Welsh language skills are not essential for this post, they are however desirable and will be considered if two or more candidates receive the same score at the application or interview stage.
Understanding by reading
0 - No skills
Speaking and being understood
0 - No skills
Understanding by listening
0 - No skills
Writing and being understood
0 - No skills
Welsh Government, like all other Government Departments use Success Profiles when we recruit. For each role we consider what you will need to demonstrate to be successful. This gives us the best possible chance of finding the right person for the job. It raises performance and improves diversity and inclusivity.
Behaviour 1
The selection process and stages are:
Delivering at Pace
Act promptly to reassess workloads and priorities when there are conflicting demands to maintain performance.
Behaviour 2
Leadership
Ensure colleagues and stakeholders have a clear understanding of objectives, activities and timeframes.
Evidence to provide
CV, Experience questions
Experience 1
Experience of providing information retrieval or enquiry services in a library or information service. Ensuring the service meets organisational needs. Your CV will be considered as part of this question to assess overall professional experience and qualifications.
Technical 1
Desk Research: Setting parameters for service levels, taking into account available resources and team and organisational priorities. Provide guidance on selection of resources or development of search methodology. Ensure training is provided and refreshed as necessary.
Technical 2
Information Literacy: Understand the role of library services in improving information and digital literacy skills.
You will be asked about your nationality and if you are legally allowed to work in the United Kingdom. This is to find out if you are eligible to apply for this vacancy. This is a requirement for working within the Civil Service. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/nationality-rules
If you do not meet the eligibility criteria your application will not progress. If it becomes clear at a later stage in the process that you are not eligible to apply, your application may be withdrawn, or the offer retracted.
Nationality Requirements
This job is broadly open to the following groups:
- UK nationals
- nationals of the Republic of Ireland
- nationals of Commonwealth countries who have the right to work in the UK
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities with settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- nationals of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein and family members of those nationalities who have made a valid application for settled or pre-settled status under the European Union Settlement Scheme (EUSS)
- individuals with limited leave to remain or indefinite leave to remain who were eligible to apply for EUSS on or before 31 December 2020
- Turkish nationals, and certain family members of Turkish nationals, who have accrued the right to work in the Civil Service
- Civil Service Pension Scheme
- 31 days annual leave (pro-rated for part time)
- training and development opportunities
- Cycle2Work Scheme
- Smart Working flexible working arrangement
- Green Car Scheme (subject to availability)
We recruit by merit on the basis of fair and open competition. Please see the Civil Service Commission's recruitment principles on the Commission's website.
If you feel your application has not been treated in accordance with these principles and wish to make a complaint please email complaints@gov.wales . Please ensure that you refer to the vacancy reference number.
If you are not satisfied with the response you receive from the Welsh Government, you can contact the Civil Service Commission: info@csc.gov.uk.
How To Apply
All applications for this vacancy must be made using our online application system.
Unless stated otherwise in the 'Other vacancy-related information for advert', the Welsh Government cannot offer Visa sponsorship. Welsh Government holds a Visa sponsorship licence, but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not qualify.
Applications are welcomed from people with a diverse range of lived and professional experiences. We are actively committed to becoming an increasingly diverse organisation which represents the diverse communities we serve. There are a number of Diversity networks that staff can participate in, which include the Disability Awareness and Support Staff Network; Minority Ethnic Staff Network; Mind Matters (Mental health and well-being); PRISM (LGBTI+), Women Together and the Neurodivergence Network.
If you have an impairment which prevents you from applying online, please email our recruitment team. You can:
- request an application pack in an alternative format
- request a recruitment adjustment to help you submit your application
You should check your Application Centre regularly for updates to your application. Please also check your spam/junk folder in case any communication regarding your application and/or assessment details finds its way there.
Once you've registered for an account and logged in, you'll be taken to the online application form. You must complete this and submit it before the deadline on the closing date. We will not consider an incomplete application form.
If you would like to apply for this vacancy in Welsh, please use the Change Language link on this page. We welcome applications in Welsh, and applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than applications submitted in English.
Please see the candidate guidance for more information on the recruitment process.
For information on Civil Service Success Profiles please click here .
For TS to G6 recruitment schemes: When presenting your evidence, you may find it useful to consider the expectations of the grade as set out in the Grade Description as well as the main responsibilities that are essential for the role.
