Holiday Cottage Cleaner

National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty; Exeter; On-site; GBP 17,000 - 19,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme up to 10%

Free entry to National Trust places

Season ticket loan

EV car lease scheme

Perks at work discounts

Holiday allowance up to 32 days

Job summary

The National Trust is seeking a Holiday Cottage Cleaner (Holidays Operation Assistant) to prepare our Killerton Estate cottages near Exeter. This permanent, part-time role features a 5-hour weekly shift and an hourly rate of £12.75.

You’ll work independently, with shifts Mon–Sat and occasional bank holidays, and participate in an online assessment instead of a CV. Responsibilities include cleaning, presenting cottages for guests, and reporting repairs.

Qualifications

• Compliance with UK work eligibility.
• Willing to participate in online assessment as part of the application.
• Attention to guest service and cleanliness standards.

Responsibilities

• Thoroughly clean and prepare cottages between guest visits.
• Keep cottages welcoming and well-presented for new guests.
• Report repairs or issues and replace broken items from store as needed.
• Adhere to PPE requirements and safety procedures.

Skills

Service excellence

Team player

Well-organised

Willing to learn

Job description

We’re looking for a Holiday Cottage Cleaner to prepare our popular holiday cottages within the Killerton Estate, just outside of Exeter. Internally, you will be known as a 'Holidays Operation Assistant'.

Salary: £12.75 per hour

Contract Duration: Permanent

Working Hours: You'll work 5 hours per week (one shift), working independently. Shifts can take place on any day Monday to Saturday, with typical hours of 10:00am/10:30am to 3:00pm (guests depart at 10:00am and arrive from 4:00pm). Changeovers can take place on any day of the week, including Bank Holidays where required. Weekly rotas will be provided in advance by email.

For this role, you’ll need to complete our online assessment instead of using a C.V. or online application form. This will help us understand more about your strengths and give you more information on the role.

On changeover days, you’ll make sure that everything’s pristine and ready for the next guests to arrive. This will include making sure the cottage is thoroughly cleaned, well-presented and welcoming. We’d also like you to keep an eye out for anything that’s not as it should be, and report any repairs or odd jobs that need doing. If you need to, you’ll also replace any broken items from the store supplies.

Full Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is provided for all teams, and extra measures are in place to protect staff.

You can view the full role profile for this role in the document attached. You don't need to have all the knowledge, skills and experience listed in the role profile; this is just to provide a full picture of what’s possible in this role.

Who we're looking for

We'd love to hear from you if you're:

• focused on giving great service to everyone you meet
• a team player, but also happy to work on your own initiative
• well-organised and adaptable
• willing to learn new skills.

The package

The National Trust has the motto ‘For everyone, for ever’ at its heart. We’re working hard to create an inclusive culture, where everyone feels they belong. It’s important that our people reflect and represent the diversity of the communities and audiences we serve. We welcome and value difference, so when we say we’re for everyone, we want everyone to be welcome in our teams too.

• Substantial pension scheme of up to 10% basic salary
• Free entry to National Trust places for you, a guest and your children (under 18)
• Season ticket loan
• EV car lease scheme (for roles that meet the salary criteria)
• Perks at work discounts such as gym memberships, shopping discount codes, cinema discounts
• Holiday allowance up to 32 days relating to length of service, plus holiday purchase scheme, subject to meeting minimum criteria.

National Trust place

Killerton - RO, Killerton, Exeter, EX5 3LE

Documents

Holidays Operation Assistant - A1.pdf

Requirements

Compliance.Eligibility to Work in the UK

Additional information

Closing Date: 04 October 2026

Equal Opportunities Statement

The National Trust celebrates diversity and is committed to creating a fair and equal society, free from discrimination. You can read more about our commitment to inclusion and diversity here .

Safeguarding Statement

The National Trust is committed to a safe recruitment processes to help the organisation attract and appoint the right staff/volunteer for the role and responsibilities as set out in the vacancy advert. We will not accept applicants who are not suitable to work with children, young people or adults at risk. If you have any questions around your suitability for this vacancy, please contact the people service centre.