Cleaner

Homeless Link; Hastings; Hybrid; GBP 18,000 - 23,000; Full time

Job summary

YMCA DownsLink Group is seeking an experienced cleaner to join our Maintenance team across East Sussex. You will perform daily cleaning, respond to cleaning needs, and prepare empty properties for new residents within 16–25 housing services.

You will work with housing staff to ensure health and safety standards are met, support voids work from keys-in to ready-to-let, and coordinate across multiple sites with a focus on quality and timeliness.

Qualifications

• Experience providing cleaning services.
• Experience in a supported housing or similar setting desirable.
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace.
• Ability to keep clear records and meet targets.
• Strong customer relations and professional communication.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.

Responsibilities

• Carry out day-to-day cleaning in YMCA DownsLink Group properties meeting quality standards and safety requirements.
• Assist maintenance with voids (empty homes) work from keys-in to ready-to-let, meeting targets and KPIs.
• Work across all allocated sites planning travel and workload to meet priorities and service needs.

Skills

Cleaning experience

Supported housing experience

Health and safety knowledge

Record keeping

Customer relations

Autonomy

Job description

37.5 hours per week / permanent / working Monday to Friday 0900-1700.

A full, valid UK driving licence is essential; a vehicle will be provided.

YMCA DownsLink Group is the leading charity for children and young people across Sussex and Surrey. We offer safe homes, mental health support and trusted advice.

We believe that every child and young person has the right to be safe, heard and to shape their own future. We work alongside them to make that happen.

We are here for children and young people, many of whom face multiple challenges and need our support.

Our Values -we do what’s right, we work with heart, and we build real connections– guide us in all our actions.

Are you an experienced cleaning professional looking to step into a new role? Do you take pride in creating safe, welcoming homes that make a real difference in young people’s lives?

Our Maintenance team works across multiple properties to ensure our residents have safe, good‑quality homes. We work closely with project staff to identify and complete repairs, carry out regular and ad hoc cleaning and decoration, ensure compliance with health and safety regulations, and prepare empty homes for new residents.

We have sites across East Sussex, centered around our Foyers in Eastbourne and Hastings. These services provide 24-hour supported housing for young people aged 16–25, offering low to medium levels of housing‑related support. There are homes throughout East Sussex for young people we continue to support into independence via our Transitional Housing teams, these are typically larger shared houses of 4-8 residents sharing some communal facilities such as bathrooms and kitchens. In total there are approximately 180 residents in East Sussex that the maintenance team oversee.

We are recruiting for a Cleaner to work as part of a small team of Maintenance Workers across East Sussex. This is a hands‑on role; undertaking planned communal cleaning, responding to unexpected cleaning needs, undertaking cleaning of empty properties, working on and assessing the day‑to‑day compliance of our sites. You will be working closely with housing staff throughout the projects.

In delivering the role, you will:

• Complete day‑to‑day cleaning in YMCA DownsLink Group properties, ensuring all work meets agreed quality standards, safety requirements and timescales.
• Assist the maintenance team with voids (empty homes) work, from ‘keys in’ to ready‑to‑let, working to agreed targets and KPIs.
• Work across all allocated sites, planning travel and workload to meet priorities and service needs.

• Liaise promptly with the Supported Housing Managers or Repairs Supervisor when work cannot be completed due to lack of capability, time or access.
• Communicate clearly and respectfully with residents and staff regarding tasks, access requirements and expected timescales.

Experience and Knowledge

• Experience or providing a cleaning service
• Experience working within a supported housing service or similar community setting (desirable)
• Knowledge of health and safety in the workplace
• Ability to work to clear targets and KPIs, keep accurate records of work undertaken and complete tasks within agreed timescales and service standards
• Good customer relationship skills, with the ability to build and maintain respectful relationships quickly and manage challenging behaviour, escalating issues as needed
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision and deal with unexpected problems that arise

CLOSING DATE: Sunday 25 October at midnight.

PLEASE NOTE: We are unable to provide work permits or visa sponsorship for this role, so applicants must already have the right to live and work in the UK independently.

An inclusive workplace

We are committed to policies and practices of equity, diversity, and inclusion and to supporting our people to make sure our culture is consistent with this commitment.

Accessibility

If you require assistance or have questions regarding the application process, please do contact us.

YMCA DLG requires all staff and volunteers to be committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people, and to respond proactively to safeguarding concerns.

Successful applicants will undergo a thorough background screening process, conducted by an accredited third-party provider. This includes an Enhanced DBS check (with Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists) as well as comprehensive reference and activity check.