Toy Library Coordinator - Brunswick West
Position: Merri-bek Toy Library Coordinator – Brunswick West branch
Reports to: Committee of Management, Merri-bek Toy Library
Supervisor: President, Merri-bek Toy Library
Employer: Merri-bek Toy Library Incorporated
Type of Employment:
Casual Hours of work: Fridays 9:30am - 12:30pm and Saturdays 9:00am - 12:30pm
1.5 hours flexible on the weekday for administration
Salary: As per the Social, Community, Home Care & Disability Services Industry Award 2010, level 2
Location: Scout Hall, 14A Jolley Street, Brunswick West (and work from home outside of session hours)
How to Apply:
To apply for the role, please address the five selection criteria (1-2 pages) and provide your CV. Email your application or enquiries to: President, president@merri-bektoylibrary.org.au.
Applications will be reviewed upon receipt so please apply as soon as possible
About the Merri-bek Toy Library
Merri-bek Toy Library, a proud member of Toy Libraries Australia, has been lending toys to local families for 30 years. With almost 500 members and a collection of over 2,000 toys, the library operates across two branches in Pascoe Vale and Brunswick West.
As a registered charity, the Toy Library is managed by a volunteer Committee of Management, supported by two paid staff members: the Toy Library Coordinator – Brunswick West and the Toy Library Coordinator – Pascoe Vale.
The Brunswick West branch welcomes members for borrowing and returning toys on Friday and Saturday mornings, while the Pascoe Vale branch operates on Monday and Saturday mornings.
The Toy Library Coordinator – Brunswick West plays a vital role in independently managing the branch and collaborating with the Toy Library Coordinator – Pascoe Vale to ensure seamless operations. The role also involves providing input and feedback to the Committee of Management to enhance the library's services, maintain high-quality toys, and ensure accurate record-keeping.
About the Role
The Coordinator is responsible for running all borrowing sessions at Brunswick West and some flexible administrative work outside of sessions to help with the operation of the Merri-bek Toy Library.
During borrowing sessions, you will be joined by member volunteers who you will assign selected duties, as listed below, such as recording loans and returns, and select toy managing and member services tasks. Also, some of the tasks below are a shared responsibility with the Toy Library Coordinator - Pascoe Vale.
Tasks During Borrowing Sessions (Saturday and Friday morning)
Library Operations and Member Interaction
Open and close each session on time, including setup and pack-up typically with volunteer assistance.
Create a welcoming environment, where our diverse membership feel they belong, delivering high levels of customer service.
Demonstrate to session volunteers how to process loans and returns on Mibase, as well as how to check returned toys for completeness.
Supervise volunteers throughout the session, answering queries and assigning tasks (eg numbering toys, labelling bags) as required.
Register and orientate new and existing members, ensuring borrowers are aware of the rules and responsibilities of being a toy library member, explaining the toy collection, borrowing process and online member portal for renewing toys and registering to volunteer.
Develop knowledge of our toy collection in order to assist members with toy selection, and
recommend to the committee gaps for toy purchasing.Ensure the space is clean and safe.
Manage monetary transactions (primarily electronic) related to memberships, renewals, and fines.
Ensure privacy of member records and personal information at all times, including during administrative work.
Read and commit to our child's safety, code of conduct and privacy policies.
Ensure that member records are up to date and accurate.
Toy Maintenance and Collection Development
Manage toy collection, including counting and maintenance of toy pieces, cataloguing, record keeping, updating our toy management software (MiBASE), supplying spare pieces, removing unsuitable or broken toys and overall toy quality control.
Coordinate the return of missing and damaged pieces from members, maintain records of missing pieces, replace missing pieces where possible.
Take payment of fines for overdue, missing, or damaged toys as per the relevant policy.
Ensure toys are presented and stored well.
Review the toy safety standards, and monitor the toy collection for compliance.
Coordinate toy repairs and assess toys offered for donation (shared responsibility).
Monitor the toy inventory for categorisation accuracy and identify gaps for future toy purchasing.
Promotion
Assist with the occasional promotion of toy library events during sessions by on-site printing of marketing collateral for display at borrowing sessions.
Optional: assist with content creation by providing toy photos and text for newsletters, social media, and email communications.
Administrative Tasks (Outside Borrowing Sessions)
Manage membership applications received online and in-session.
Monitor the info@merri-bektoylibrary.org.au email and respond to queries from new and existing members (shared responsibility).
Assist members with tasks such as duty swaps, toy renewals, toy donations, and other general queries.
Liaise with the Toy Library Coordinator - Pascoe Vale regarding issues and activities relevant to both branches.
Ensure an adequate supply of stationery, toy library bags, labeling equipment, and other essential materials for borrowing sessions.
Reporting and Communication
Notify the Committee of Management promptly if unable to attend work.
Collaborate with session volunteers to create a positive and supportive team environment by sharing tasks.
Maintain open and transparent communication with the committee, promptly addressing issues and sharing member feedback, input, and in-session observations.
Ensure compliance with our child safety policy and code of conduct.
Safeguard our member privacy in accordance with our privacy policy and code of conduct.
Provide suggestions to the committee to improve service delivery and member experience.
Communicate important updates to members, such as roster changes, events, and toy-related information.
Relationships
Reports to:
Merri-bek Toy Library Committee.
Liaises directly with the Treasurer on matters related to pay and the President (or other assigned member of the Committee) on all other matters.
Direct reports:
Duty volunteers.
Key Stakeholders:
Merri-bek Toy Library Committee.
Toy Library Members (current and potential).
Toy Library Coordinator - Pascoe Vale.
Local and State government representatives, occasionally.
About You
To be successful in this role you should possess:
Great customer service skills.
Basic computer skills.
Confidence to perform your duties independently with minimal supervision.
The ability to work well as part of a team.
A high level of attention to detail.
The ability to manage a diverse team of volunteers.
A warm personality that welcomes families with young children.
Previous experience in a Toy Library/Library, non-profit organisation, or Early Years Education are desirable but not essential.
Qualifications
Minimally certificate IV or diploma qualification, especially in the administration or early childhood disciplines.
A current Employee Working with Children Check (mandatory)
Selection Criteria
The position will be determined by assessing candidates against five equally weighted selection criteria:
Administrative Skills – Demonstrated experience in efficient administration, accurate record-keeping, and attention to detail.
Effective Communication – Proven ability to communicate clearly, engage with diverse groups, and foster a sense of community spirit.
Leadership and Coordination – Demonstrated experience in coordinating staff and/or volunteers, ensuring effective collaboration and teamwork.
Time Management and Multitasking – Proven ability to prioritise tasks, manage time effectively, and handle multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
Relevant Knowledge and Experience – Familiarity with toy libraries or community group coordination, as well as experience working with children aged 0–6 years.
Working hours
8.0 hours per week, for 46 weeks per year, comprising:
Borrowing sessions, held on Fridays 9:30 am - 12:30 pm (sessions open to members 10:00 am – 12:00 pm on Friday) and Saturdays 9:00 am - 12:30 pm (sessions open to members 9:30 am – 12:00 pm on Saturday)
Administration: a further 1.5 hours per week is required on administrative tasks that must be completed between borrowing sessions. Note that this is an average - at different times of year the administration workload will fluctuate. The Coordinator will manage their own time for this work and will work offsite.
Resources
The Coordinator will be issued with a set of relevant keys to the Brunswick West Scout Hall, toy library storage areas. During on-site borrowing hours, the Coordinator will have access and use of a Merri-bek Toy Library laptop computer and wifi internet device. Stationery and other office equipment are also available.
There is no travel, meal, phone or internet allowance.
Merri-bek Toy Library is an equal opportunity employer
The Merri-bek Toy Library celebrates the rich diversity of our community, which is beautifully reflected in our membership. We are committed to being a welcoming and inclusive space for everyone, regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion, socioeconomic status, or any other characteristic. We believe that play is for everyone, and we strive to ensure that all families feel valued, respected, and included in our toy library community.