Senior Research Librarian (Policy, Research and Analysis Community)

Hybrid (on-site and remote)

UK Parliament

GBP 41K+ Full Time Senior

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Published 2 days ago

Positions 1 Band / Grade B1 Salary £41,340 - £47,975 per annum Contract Type Permanent Working Pattern Full Time Location Hybrid (on-site and remote) Leave entitlement Starting at 30 days per annum, pro-rata Closing Date

2nd February 2025 at 23:55

Interview Date(s) Interview dates to be confirmed. Job Description Senior Research Librarian (PRAC) Job Description.docx – 933KB Opens in a new window
Converted File Senior Research Librarian (PRAC) Job Description.docx.pdf – 405KB Opens in a new window Additional File House of Commons Benefits and Support.pdf – 581KB Opens in a new window

House of Commons

The House of Commons is a unique and exciting place to work right at the heart of the UK's thriving democratic system.

Behind the scenes, the House of Commons Service is made up of more than 3,000 employees who support and facilitate the smooth day to day running of the House. They provide professional services to Members of Parliament, their staff, and the wider parliamentary community.

Staff Benefits

In addition to your salary, we offer an attractive range of benefits including:

30 days’ annual leave (increasing to 35 days after first full leave year).
Civil Service pension with an average employer contribution of 28.97%.
Access to training and development.
Flexible working.
Interest free season ticket loan and bicycle loan.

Introduction

The Research and Information team is home to the House of Commons Library and the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology (POST). We make sure that MPs and their staff have accurate, reliable information at their fingertips. Our mission is to keep trusted information and analysis at the heart of Parliamentary democracy. We also publish our impartial research on our websites, which are viewed around 18 million times a year. We are proud to provide an essential service for the UK Parliament, and an invaluable resource for everyone.

The Research Information Service (RIS) is part of the Library Services directorate within the House of Commons Library. It provides a range of information services to support the Library’s eight research teams and POST. This includes the selection of information resources, provision of current awareness reports, training and support on the discovery and use of information tools and resources, reference enquiries, literature searching and bibliographic assistance for the production of briefings and publications.

The Policy, Research and Analysis (PRAC) community was established to link research and analysis in Research and Information (R&I) and the Select Committee Teams (SCT). It operates under a hub model, organised by policy area, to provide a new framework for collaboration between staff in the Select Committee Team and R&I. It provides new opportunities for knowledge exchange, professional development and improved service delivery for MPs.

The Role

Are you a people-focused and service orientated individual looking to make a difference in a unique library environment? Then consider a role in Research and Information at the House of Commons. This post supports the work of the Policy, Research and Analysis Community (PRAC) and the Select Committees (SCT) to ensure the effective and efficient use of information tools. A professional qualification in library and information management is essential to this post.

Comprising around twenty people, the Research Information Service is a team of highly skilled information professionals who connect the wider Research and Information research community with the resources (physical, digital and human) they need to complete their work. The Senior Research Librarian will work closely with other senior staff to ensure continued high quality service delivery in line with strategic goals.

This is an exciting opportunity to help us shape the support that we offer to our research community and make Parliament happen. The postholder will work closely with research and policy specialists to keep them informed of key developments and ensure their information needs are represented. There will also be the chance to undertake research work in the form of literature reviews and reading lists. Strategic management of resources is a crucial element of this role and the postholder will need to work with a number of teams to ensure a consistent level of access. No prior knowledge of the workings of Parliament is needed - the postholder will be supported to develop this over time. We are looking for someone with excellent communication skills, high levels of information and digital literacy and a willingness to try new things.

Some of the responsibilities for this role include:

Undertake active liaison with the PRAC Hubs and Select Committee teams, to understand and advocate for their research and information needs with colleagues across Research and Information and promote the resources on offer.
Coordination and delivery of key information products including current awareness bulletins, reading lists and literature reviews on a range of topics.
Proactively developing innovative new services to ensure that users have the information they need to effectively support democracy in a rapidly evolving digital world.
Line management of specific Research Librarian roles, with a coaching and mentoring approach.

Skills and Experience

To be successful in this role you will demonstrate:

You will hold CILIP-accredited degree level Library or Information Management qualification or be in the process of obtaining such a qualification.
You understand and have a good knowledge of the information resources required to support policy research and advice. You have experience of planning and delivering services in a research library or Parliamentary context.
You have the ability to provide an effective liaison service, understanding the diverse needs of users and the importance of managing user expectations.
You are able to translate aims into practical objectives, ensuring high quality service delivery across multiple teams.
You are able to communicate complex issues to non-specialists and actively communicate to different audiences using a variety of methods using your excellent oral communication and interpersonal skills.
You have experience of supervising and motivating colleagues. You have an aptitude for coaching and can work successfully within a team whilst upholding the values of equality, diversity and inclusion.

Next Steps and Additional Information

Application Form - If you would like to apply for this role, please submit an application providing evidence against criteria 2-6 in the Job Description.

More information on the role and the full criteria can be found in the Job Description.

Please note that most job offers will be made at the minimum of the salary range, other than in exceptional circumstances.

Please ensure that you anonymise your application by removing any identifiable factors from your CV or Supporting Statement.

We may close the vacancy prior to the closing date stated due to a high volume of applications.

Information Sessions

As part of the process, we will be running virtual information sessions on MS Teams for you to find out more about this role and working at Parliament.

These sessions will be on: