Friends Library Administrative Assistant

THE FRIENDS

JOB DESCRIPTION

SUMMARY:

The Friends of the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, is a voluntary organisation and registered charity based in one of the UK’s top NHS hospitals, supports the work of the hospital for the benefit of patients, their families and staff.

This is an excitingtime for the charity, as we continue to develop oursuccessful services. The role would suit an enthusiastic candidate who is looking for an administrative role with a difference. The post offers a rewarding and unique environment for a cheerful caring and tolerant person dedicated to the ideals of service and support in a healing environment.

We are very fortunate to have a patient library in the hospital and it is one of our treasured resources. If you love books and people andenjoy being creative then this job is for you!

Days/Hours:Tuesday, Wednesday & Friday 9:30am – 5pm, with an hour for lunch.

Reports to:Friends Charity Manager

Job Scope:Administering / Oversee the Friends Patient and Staff Library

Responsibilities include:

Administering the Friends hospital library, including

  • Caring for and maintaining approximately 8,000 – 9,000 books, by dusting, cleaning and repairing them when necessary;
  • Managing donations; covering, labelling and cataloguing them;
  • Maintaining relations with sympathetic publishers and sourcing new publishers should the need arise;
  • Periodically weeding out old books to make room for replacements, recycling or donating them to other charities or online selling;
  • Organising and keeping tidy the storage area within the outpatients department;
  • Organising and sourcing books for annual Fairs, including writing to publishers
  • Replacing money tins and books around the hospital departments

Responsible for the Friends book trolley visits to the wards, including

  • Loading trolleys and recruiting, training and managing volunteers for trolley rounds on the wards on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings;
  • Chasing up missing books loaned to patients on the wards;
  • Undertaking ward rounds in the absence of volunteers.

Responsible forthe Friends hospital book sale, including

  • Preparing books for Friday book sale, overseeing volunteers and staffing the stand.
  • Sourcing books, and publicising and running the Friday book sale;
  • Accounting for book sales and deposit cash with the Friends Manager.

Overseeing the Friends bric-a-brac sales, including

  • Help to set up the sale on Wednesday mornings
  • Supporting Bric-a-Brac volunteers and craft trolley volunteers and dealing with any related problems (Bric-a-Brac items stored on the Basement Level and craft trolley kept in the Library);
  • Disposing of unwanted books and items of Bric-a-Brac at local charities or hospital skip.

Promoting and marketing the Library

  • Building and maintaining stakeholder relationships
  • Attending internal and external events
  • Developing reading and book projects from the Library
  • Organising open afternoons for staff and patients to visit

Assisting with other Friends activities as reasonably requested by Friends Manager or Committee, which may include

  • Support marketing of the charity
  • Support team with Fundraising activities
  • Contributing to the charities social media presence
  • Website updating
  • Regular management committee meetings of the Friends. Attendance will be decided by the Chairman as will your right to see the minutes of the committee meetings

Person specification:

Essential / Desirable
Personality
  • Interest in books and enjoyment of reading
  • Friendly, tolerant, tactful, discrete, cheerful and optimistic
  • A good listener with patience in dealing with people and problems
  • Charity interest
  • Organisation and time management skills
  • Adaptable
/
  • Passion for books and Libraries
  • Interest in health charities
  • Experience in working with Volunteers

Skills & Competencies
  • Computer literate
  • Administration Experience
  • Social Media awareness
  • Work using initiative
  • Able to work to the Friends ethos as well as the Trust.
  • Handling money/petty cash.
/
  • Marketing Experience
  • Business Development support experience
  • Experience within a small charity
  • Events Management
  • Currently using social media platforms