This entry-level appointment, based within the growing World of Rare Books team, is a great opportunity to play a key role in contributing to the department’s longer-term business growth strategy. This role reports directly to the World of Rare Books Business Manager.

Using programs such as My SQL and Excel, your day-to-day priority will be the monitoring and maintenance of databases, ensuring data quality, resolving issues and creating and updating reports. The key success of this role will be a well-maintained quality-based inventory with a good sell through rate and average selling price, enabling the department to achieve sales and performance targets. The role also involves supporting all other aspects of the department’s IT operations including hardware and software maintenance and liaising with the group IT team.

Building on your existing IT knowledge you will work directly with department managers and group IT colleagues receiving comprehensive technical and commercial training in order to up-skill, growing your knowledge and effectiveness in this specialist area. Through your activities you will support the day-to-day smooth running of the business, as well as contribute to projects and business planning.

You will understand the importance of how your day-to-day activities fit into and impact the wider business, and your actions will enhance profitability of the group. As well as working with all colleagues to enable a safe and well organised working environment at all times, you will comply with, and make positive contributions to, company policies, rules and procedures including health and safety and the World of Books Safety Management System.

·Maintaining, monitoring and analysing marketplace and inventory data/databases ensuring all sales platforms are up-to-date with correct inventory levels and data, identifying and resolving issues found.

·Gathering data and monitoring and investigating trends to produce recurring and on-demand reports

·Installing and configuring computer hardware, software (Linux and Windows), systems, network peripherals, printers and scanners

·Assisting other support staff with scheduled maintenance upgrades

·Interacting with computer user, investigating, diagnosing and solving computer software and hardware faults

·Responding to Helpdesk tickets and documenting fixes

·Working with group IT team to aid WORB developments and testing to ensure development specs are met and successfully rolled out.

·Assist with marketing and promotional activities ensuring promotional codes, e-marketing and website communication function as expected during campaigns.

·You will add positively to processes by suggesting and delivering improvements.

While formal experience is not essential, this role would suit an individual with either an existing IT qualification, or experience in a similar role, looking to develop their skills in a fast-growing business environment. You must be willing to learn, have an agile approach, being able to respond quickly to changing business needs, and understand how your role and actions impacts the team and the wider business.

·Able to effectively structure and present reports using pivot tables and charts

·Knowledge of computer operating systems including Windows and Linux

·Knowledge of Office applications including Microsoft Office, OpenOffice, Google Docs and Smartsheet.

·Knowledge of email systems

·Troubleshooting Hardware and Software Problems

·Fluent English language skills (reading and writing)

·Experience of working in a team, and a proven ability to work independently managing own work load with little supervision

·Proven ability to work effectively under pressure, to manage and prioritise multiple issues delivering work to agreed project timescales

·Previous experience in a similar role

·SQL/ Database knowledge – specifically My SQL software

·Installation/Configuration of Linux systems

·Holding an appropriate IT Qualification

·Knowledge of book and music selling industries

·A passion for books and vinyl

World of Books Group was founded in 2002 by a group of dedicated book lovers and has seen its inventory grow from 1,000 books to well over 4 million books and media items in stock.

We have won numerous awards, including a Queens Award for Enterprise in 2017, Sunday Times Profit Track, Fast Track and International Track, London Stock Exchange’s 1000 Companies to inspire Britain) and in 2016, attracted investment by Bridges Sustainable Growth Fund. Bridges Sustainable Growth Fund invests in ambitious growth companies that are helping to tackle some of the most pressing social and environmental challenges.

We are a circular economy, for profit company that supports charities and protects the planet by enabling more goods to be reused. We are pioneers in the re-use and recycling of unwanted books, recycling about 80 million books each year, equivalent to 450,000 trees.

We achieve this through three direct-to-consumer e-commerce businesses, supported by our own technology.

Sells books published prior to 1970 (including rare, vintage and 1st edition titles) alongside vinyl and other ephemera through our own websites and other marketplaces. Currently there are over 200,000 titles in stock and over 5,000 books and vinyl records are dispatched each week. This business offers one of the largest selections of pre-ISBN books in the market and is the largest supplier of wholesale vintage books for decoration in Europe. 

Our success is underpinned by our technology. We have developed bespoke software solutions to tackle changing market conditions and pricing. Our technology manages our warehouse, streams our stock and extends our reach to over 20 global marketplaces.

To be the leading seller of used book globally, while helping people to reuse and recycle for less through innovation and technology

Responsibility: We work responsibly, value each other and treat the planet with respect.

Action: We take actions that improve our business for customers, colleagues, partners and shareholders.

Pioneering: We find new ways to better ourselves, lower our costs and grow our business.