Housekeeping Team Leader

NHS; Southend-on-Sea; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading hospice organization is seeking a Housekeeping Team Leader in Southend-on-Sea to inspire a team and maintain high cleanliness standards. The role involves creating rotas, stocking supplies, and supporting team members. Ideal candidates will have prior housekeeping experience, leadership skills, and good IT proficiency. This role is crucial for ensuring a welcoming environment for patients and families, contributing significantly to this meaningful organization.

Benefits

Competitive salary package

Supportive work environment

Contribution to meaningful care

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in a housekeeping role.
• Experience running a small housekeeping team.
• Good level of IT skills, using Microsoft Office.

Responsibilities

• Support and motivate the housekeeping team.
• Create and manage the housekeeping rota.
• Maintain cleaning standards and schedules.
• Participate in annual appraisal processes.

Skills

Leadership

Organisational skills

Teamwork

Attention to detail

Education

GCSE or equivalent in Maths & English

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Are you passionate about creating clean, welcoming spaces and inspiring a team to do their best work? We're looking for a Housekeeping Team Leader to join our dedicated team at Little Havens Hospice in Thundersley where your efforts will make a real difference every day.

What we're looking for:

• A natural leader who's organised and proactive
• A team player who's not afraid to roll up their sleeves
• Someone who takes pride in a clean and welcoming environment

Because working here means more than just a job; it means being part of something meaningful. You'll be supported, appreciated, and know you're making a difference.

Ready to lead with purpose?

Apply now and be part of something bigger.

Main duties of the job

In this vital role, you'll be responsible for:

• Supporting and motivating our housekeeping team
• Keeping supplies well-stocked and ordered
• Creating and managing the housekeeping rota to ensure full shift coverage
• Escalating any staffing gaps to management in good time

You’ll be the go‑to person for keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes -- so that others can focus on delivering life‑changing support to our community.

About us

At Havens Hospices, we care for children, young people and adults with complex or incurable conditions. Our specialist Care Teams can support them and their family living throughout illness, death and bereavement in the comfort of their own home and through our hospice services, Fair Havens and Little Havens.

Working at Havens Hospices allows you to give the gift of time to patients and families, creating memories. Although you may not be giving direct care to our patients, your contribution will have an immediate effect on our care services.

In return for your expertise and passion, you will receive a competitive salary package, and most of all, by making the most of every day you work at Havens Hospices you’ll be helping us continue ‘Making every day count’ for those who need us most.

At Havens Hospices we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our employees and patients and expect all colleagues to share this commitment.

We value diversity and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

Job responsibilities

• Prepare the rotas in advance to ensure all shifts are covered. (Including the booking of A/L cover)
• Ensure stock rotation of cleaning products and linens.
• Ensure ordering is up to date and stock levels are maintained.
• Provide monthly 1‑1 support meetings for the housekeepers in your team.
• Raise any issues with the above points directly with the Soft Services Manager.
• Cleaning to include toilets, bathrooms, administration areas, care areas, accommodation areas and reception areas.
• Dusting, cleaning, washing/ironing, cleaning at higher levels/ vacuuming.
• Some lifting and moving of furniture and equipment will be required.
• Maintain cleaning standards following the cleaning schedule applicable to the area of work.
• Use the correct cleaning products and equipment for the job and report any deterioration in standards and health hazards.
• Ensure that all floor surfaces, furniture, fixtures, fittings, and equipment are cleaned in the relevant manner.
• Carry out spot cleaning to ensure spillages are dealt with swiftly and efficiently.
• Check daily and replenish disposables as and when required.
• Ensure that the Hospice is always safe and tidy (e.g., move clutter, tidy areas etc)
• To support the cleaning at other sites as required.
• To take part in any deep cleaning required throughout the organisation.
• Report any maintenance requirements or any equipment that is defective on the Hospice reporting system.
• Dispose of waste in accordance with the Hospice Waste Management Policy.
• To foster a good working relationship with trustees, employees, patients, and visitors.
• Communicate with patients and family in a polite and courteous manner.
• Utilising your communication skills, build and maintain a large team of housekeeping volunteers for each site ensuring that volunteer management and compliance is maintained at the highest level to minimise turnover of volunteers.
• To participate in annual appraisal process including monthly 1‑1 meetings
• To be prepared to develop skills and competencies to meet the demands of the role as it evolves over time.
• To identify own on‑going educational needs and discuss with your Line Manager to achieve those development needs.
• To always conduct oneself in a professional manner.
• To advise your line manager on any additional or excess resource requirements

Person Specification

Experience

• Demonstrable experience working in a housekeeping role
• Good level of IT skills, using Microsoft Office suite, including Teams, Outlook, Excel and Word.
• Experience of running a small housekeeping team
• Clear understanding of COSHH guidelines
• Experience of undertaking audits

Qualifications

• GCSE or equivalent in Maths & English, or demonstrable good standard of literacy and numeracy skills

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.