Branch Manager

The National Library Board (NLB) nurtures Readers for Life, Learning Communities and a Knowledgeable Nation by promoting reading, learning and history through our network of 28 libraries across Singapore, the National Library and the National Archives of Singapore. At NLB, you can look forward to a flexible, hybrid work environment with rewarding, impactful deliverables that improve the lives of the community. With caring colleagues, you will be in an ideal environment for professional development, innovation and impact. We can offer you: • A chance to Impact the Community, bridge gaps and empower everyone with the opportunity for learning and discovery. • An opportunity to Innovate and Push Boundaries. We value ideas, curiosity and a passion for innovation to transform our libraries and archives. • An organisation that Cares for your Growth and Wellbeing through investment in staff development and wellbeing in a supportive and collaborative environment. As a Manager at the branch, your key responsibility is to ensure that the library functions smoothly and provides a conducive environment for the reading and learning needs of the community. Together with a team of librarians and library officers, you will oversee services provided at the branch and ensure that processes are aligned with service excellence and ISO standards. You will also build and maintain relationships with community partners to foster a greater sense of identity and activism amongst the community in supporting their reading and learning interests. Responsibilities Efficient Library Operations & Positive Service Experience • Oversee a library branch’s operations to ensure that they run efficiently aligned to operational policies and guidelines and the library is in optimal condition to serve the community. • Maintain a strong service culture within the library to deliver positive service experience by staff and service staff. Ensure escalated customer queries and feedback are promptly addressed to identify root cause and implement improvements if required. • Regular communications to staff to ensure that ISO Quality Management Standards are adhered to. • Oversee crisis management and manage the ground crisis response activities to ensure public safety at the library. • Prepare annual branch workplan, budget planning and optimise resource utilisation. • Analyse various operational data to develop insights to drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance library service experience, efficiency and productivity. • Ensure Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are met through proactive measures and continuous monitoring of performance. Community and Volunteers Engagement • Develop a sound understanding of the community profile served by the branch and identify community engagement opportunities and develop plans for community engagement with surrounding communities/partners to promote reading and usage of library services. • Sustain relationships with community partners and support intra-agency collaborations to broaden the library’s reach in the community. • Recruit and design meaningful roles for volunteers to support library operations, services, programmes and events. • Nurture a pool of library volunteers to build community ownership of the library through active engagement of branch volunteers to sustain the volunteers support at library. Collection Management and Promotion of Reading • Develop a sound understanding of the reading needs of the community through data analysis and insights and ensure the library’s collection is relevant and up to date to meet reading trends. • Work with librarians to curate and refresh collection display to create awareness of library collections and foster reading interest among library users. Staff Supervision and Development • Lead and provide guidance to branch staff to ensure staff deliver desired outcomes for the library. • Identify skills gaps and conduct training and developmental plans with staff to meet current and future job needs. Project and Function Team Involvement • Contribute to the overall development of standards, policies, processes and implementation of initiatives for related functions at Public Library Division and cross-division project involvement. Requirements • 5 to 8 years of relevant working experience, preferably with at least 3 years of supervisory experience • Skills in interpreting and analysing user/clients information needs • Systematic, meticulous, with strong process management skills • Experience in customer service with the ability to empathise with the difficulties that customers may face • Competent in the use of performance planning/management and budgeting tools • Good command of English and communication skills (writing and speaking) • Strong team player, ability to lead and motivate team; good networking and relationship-building skills • Library administrative skills and certification would be beneficial Work location will be at Jurong West Library or Punggol Library. Successful applicants will be appointed on a two-year contract in the first instance.