SHARE Frome – Library of Things Assistant

Apply by midday on Thursday 4th April 2024

Introduction to SHARE Frome

SHARE Frome is a Library of Things. It’s a community venture, owned and run by the community to serve the community. From power tools to camping gear, party lighting to PA systems, kids costumes to candy floss machines, SHARE Frome has over 800 items people can borrow.

The first of its kind, SHARE Frome exists to help reduce the carbon footprint of the town by enabling borrowing instead of buying new and so reducing material production and landfill waste. Our service offers members a way to be kinder to the planet whilst also saving money and space in their homes. Hand in hand with this, SHARE provides a community space for people to donate, volunteer, connect and share and build skills.

We care passionately about delivering environmental, economical and social impacts and building a strong sense of community in Frome. By offering people a simple, practical and sometimes even fun way to shift their behaviours from individual consumption and ownership to borrowing and repair, they not only save money and space but become part of an amazing community of like minded people supporting each other to live well.

SHARE Frome operated as part of Edventure Frome since our inception but in 2022 we separated from Edventure to go it alone as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Since then we have worked hard to find our ‘community’ and to connect and collaborate with local groups and organisations to support each other and build a better network of services and support for Frome.

Job Description

SHARE Frome requires a confident and autonomous Library of Things Assistant to help run the shop and collaborate with the Operations and Marketing Manager to help improve and grow our sustainable services for the community of Frome.

Type of contract: Part Time Temporary Contract (see further details in hours section below)

Line Manager: Jess Gardiner – Operations & Marketing Manager

Duties will include:

  • Opening and closing of the library,
  • Customer facing management of the check outs/ins of items on MyTurn (library software),
  • Answering phone and email enquiries about borrows,
  • Calling and emailing customers who haven’t collected or returned items,
  • Managing petty cash and purchases of shop consumables,
  • Coordination of volunteers responsibilities when they are in the library,
  • Ensuring the library is tidy at the end of a shift and borrows are ready for the next day,
  • Training new volunteers when they start,
  • Cleaning the shop, item store, kitchen and toilet area,
  • Checking and cleaning items when they are returned to ready them for the next borrower,
  • Having an input into library organisation & improvements,

Person Specification:

Must Haves:

  • Must have experience using a CRM and/or be a quick learning when it comes to using software
  • Retail (preferably in a charity shop) or sales experience
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to handle difficult conversations calmly.
  • A positive, professional and courteous manner with a focus on good customer service.
  • A strong work ethic with the desire to always do the very best job you can
  • Physically fit enough to get up a ladder and lift and move reasonably heavy things up and down stairs

Desireable:

  • An ability to prioritise your work load in order to be able to deal with tasks swiftly and effectively.
  • A practical nature with good user knowledge of homewares, DIY and gardening equipment
  • Experience managing people or at least comfortable delegating tasks.
  • An organised and tidy approach to the way you work
  • Ability to develop good working relationships and work as a team.
  • Ability to use initiative and to be self-motivated.
  • Logical thinking with creative problem-solving ability and a decisive hands on approach to the job
  • An ability to prioritise your work load in order to be able to deal with tasks swiftly and effectively.
  • A flexible approach to working weekends and evenings to coincide with events or meetings.

Salary: Salary is £11.45p/h.

Hours:

  • Permanent shifts are Mondays (14:45-18:15) and every other Saturdays (8:45-12:15).
  • Temporary shifts that need covering are Thursdays (14:45-18:15) and Fridays (8:45-12:15). These shifts will need covering for a minimum of two months with the potential for longer or becoming permanent in the future.
  • We also require capacity and flexibility on Tuesday mornings (8:45-12:15) for covering for the other Library of Things Assistant when they take sick or annual leave.

Applications close on the 4th April 2024. If you are interested, please contact Jess on [email protected] ASAP, providing a CV and a cover letter.

We will be arranging face to face interviews with successful candidates on the week commencing 8th April. Job to start ASAP thereafter.