The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea
Library Officer
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This position is a Part-Time role (18 hours p/w) on a Fixed Term Contract (until 31 March 2027). This vacancy will be limited to the first 100 applications received. To avoid disappointment, we strongly encourage early submissions as we reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Late submissions will unfortunately not be considered.
Connect people, spark curiosity and support local learning in our inclusive library spaces. As a Library Officer, you’ll be at the heart of our local communities in Kensington and Chelsea. It’s a role with real everyday impact – a chance to welcome residents, connect them with vital resources and create safe, inclusive spaces where everyone can learn, explore and thrive.
Working Style
You’ll be based in our borough libraries up to four days a week, playing a hands-on role in serving the local community. Whether you’re helping a visitor navigate digital tools, running a children's story session or collaborating with local partners, you’ll be part of a dedicated team making a real difference to residents’ lives.
What You’ll Be Doing
Your focus will be making our library spaces vibrant, accessible and welcoming to everyone who steps through the door. You’ll support residents with their learning, information and digital needs, empowering them to access the council resources and practical support they require.
A typical day will involve balancing routine library operations with meaningful community interaction. You’ll maintain a safe, clean and appealing environment, signpost residents to relevant council services and manage core operational functions. You’ll also plan and deliver creative activities for children and young people, bringing energy and imagination to our library programming.
Collaboration is key to this role. You’ll work alongside volunteers, NHS teams and local arts organisations to promote library services right across the borough. Because daily needs in our libraries can shift quickly, you’ll multi-task with confidence, adapt to changing priorities and handle every customer query with care and efficiency.
For further details, please review the Job Description and Person Specification [https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/pdf/jds/Library Officer - JD.pdf].
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What You’ll Bring
You’ll bring outstanding customer service and communication skills, with a warm, inclusive approach to supporting visitors from all walks of life. You’re comfortable with technology, bringing strong IT skills and the patience needed to guide residents through digital resources step by step.
You’re adaptable and calm under pressure, able to manage multiple priorities while keeping routine operational tasks running smoothly. You work brilliantly in a team, bring genuine enthusiasm for the value of public libraries and feel confident putting forward new ideas to help extend our service offer.
Most importantly, you’re someone who genuinely cares about people – dedicated to providing a supportive, welcoming environment and making a positive impact in our local community.
Why Join Us
At RBKC, we’re all in – investing in our people, our communities and our future.
This role offers a direct, deeply rewarding connection to local residents and the opportunity to make a visible difference every day. You’ll join a collaborative, welcoming team where your ideas are encouraged and knowledge is shared freely.
We will invest in your growth through tailored learning programmes, career development support and opportunities to gain experience across different library branches. Alongside a competitive salary, you’ll enjoy continuous learning options and comprehensive wellbeing perks within an organisation that truly values inclusive service delivery.
About Us
Kensington and Chelsea is home to diverse communities, thriving businesses and unique local places. Everything we do is focused on supporting our residents, strengthening our approach and creating a fairer borough.
As a competent and caring Council, we take pride in our work every day, ensuring our services are delivered with care and competence. We listen to our residents, act with integrity and work together to build a borough that is greener, safer and fairer for all.
In this role, being 'all in' means getting stuck in on the library floor to keep our spaces vibrant, accessible and welcoming for everyone. Local government financial constraints mean we are constantly exploring new ways to deliver services, but your commitment turns operational challenges into creative opportunities. Whether you’re hosting a children’s workshop, helping someone build vital digital skills or working with community partners, your effort helps build stronger provision and touches lives right across the borough.
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Interview Details and Position Requirements
Interviews for this position will be held in person week commencing 7th September.
This position requires a satisfactory Enhanced DBS check, which will be conducted as part of our pre-employment checks.
This is a part-time role (18 hours per week) on a fixed-term contract until 31 March 2027. The salary is based on a full-time rate of £34,359 a year (equating to £17,179.50 p/a pro rata), with your actual total earnings calculated based on your start date. This does not include any additional allowances, enhancements, or overtime.
We also invite current RBKC employees to apply to this position as an internal secondment opportunity.
Ready to Join Us?
We’re all in – are you? If you share our values and have the skills to contribute, we’d love to hear from you.
Please apply online, explaining how you meet the requirements set out in the person specification and job description.
We reserve the right to extend or close this vacancy early without warning, subject to the volume of suitable applicants.
THIS VACANCY WILL BE CAPPED TO THE FIRST 100 APPLICATIONS RECEIVED. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED.
We are committed to promoting equality and respecting diversity, and we welcome applications from all sections of the community.
We are a Disability Confident Employer – committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.
We are committed to fair, transparent, and consistent pay practices. New hires will start at the minimum of the advertised salary range. Employees receive annual salary increases until they reach the top of the pay scale. In addition, employees will receive any agreed cost of living pay rises.
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