Five-Star Housekeeping Manager – Luxury Property

The Inn at Little Washington; Washington; Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Paid time off

Retirement plan

Employee dining

Professional development

Job summary

The Inn at Little Washington in Virginia seeks a seasoned Housekeeping Manager to lead daily operations across guest rooms, public spaces, and back‑of‑house areas, upholding Forbes Five‑Star standards. You will supervise Supervisors, Housekeepers, Housemen, and Attendants; own scheduling, budgets, and inventory; and partner with Front Office, Facilities, and F&B to deliver flawless guest experiences.

Applicants should demonstrate luxury property experience, exceptional communication, and a

Qualifications

• 3+ years’ progressive housekeeping experience, including at least 2 years in a supervisory or management capacity.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of 10+ staff members.
• Strong understanding of luxury housekeeping standards, cleaning techniques, and quality inspection processes.
• Experience managing departmental budgets, labor costs, and supply inventories.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word) and timekeeping systems (Paycom or comparable).
• Effective communication skills in English, both verbal and written.

Responsibilities

• Inspect guest rooms, public areas, building common spaces, and back-of-house areas daily to ensure Forbes Five-Star presentation and cleanliness standards.
• Establish and enforce detailed cleaning protocols, checklists, and quality benchmarks for all room types and public areas.
• Ensure all guest room special requests, VIP preparations, and turndown service are completed accurately and on time.
• Coordinate with the Front Office on daily arrivals, departures, VIP guests, room moves, and any maintenance-related room blocks.
• Communicate maintenance issues, fixture damage, and items requiring repair to the Facilities team promptly, tracking resolution through completion.
• Conduct regular deep-cleaning projects and seasonal refresh initiatives to maintain the property at the highest standard.

Skills

Staff leadership

Budget management

Quality control

English proficiency

MS Office

Timekeeping systems

Tools

Agilysys Versa

Paycom

Job description

Since 1978 The Inn at Little Washington, located at the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains, has been one of the most decorated restaurants and hotels in the world. There is no better time to join in out growing team of exceptional people. On-the-job training, advancement potential, flexible schedules, amazing benefits, and competitive pay. Your next career awaits.

Some of our awards include Michelin 3 Stars, Forbes 5 Stars, AAA 5 Diamonds, and Wine Spectator Grand Award. Member of Relais & Chateaux.

Why join our team:

We offer:

• Health, vision and dental insurance (full time employees)
• Paid time off (Full time employees)
• 401(k) retirement plan with match
• On-the-job training
• Employee education allowance
• Employee appreciation events
• Complimentary uniforms
• Delicious “family” meals daily prepared by the chefs
• Competitive pay

www.theinnatlittlewashington.com

POSITION SUMMARY

The Assistant ExecutiveHousekeeper leads all daily housekeeping operations at The Inn at LittleWashington, a Forbes Five-Star, Michelin Two-Star, Relais & Châteauxproperty. This position has full ownership of guest room quality, public areapresentation, team performance, departmental budget, labor management, andsupply inventory across the entire property. The Assistant ExecutiveHousekeeper directly supervises Housekeeping Supervisors, Housekeepers,Housemen, and House Attendants, and is accountable for building a team culturerooted in attention to detail, pride of ownership, and genuine hospitality.Reporting to the Executive Housekeeper, this role ensures that every guestroom, public space, and building common area reflects the immaculate standardsexpected of a world-class luxury property.

The successful candidate mustpossess the leadership capability, operational expertise, and business acumento assume the responsibilities of the Executive Housekeeper during theExecutive Housekeeper' s absence. This includes independently overseeing dailyhousekeeping operations, providing leadership and direction to the housekeepingteam, advising senior leadership on departmental matters, managing complexstaffing and operational issues, maintaining service and quality standards, andmaking sound decisions that support guest satisfaction, productivity, financialperformance, and the overall success of the department.

• Guest room and public area inspection scoresconsistently meet or exceed Forbes Five-Star housekeeping standards

• Housekeeping labor costs remain within budgeted targetsthrough effective scheduling, forecasting, and daily management

• Supply and linen inventory maintained at establishedPAR levels with zero service disruptions due to stockouts

• Staff retention and engagement within the housekeepingdepartment meet or exceed property-wide benchmarks

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Guest Room & PropertyStandards

• Inspect guest rooms, public areas, building commonspaces, and back-of-house areas daily to ensure they meet Forbes Five-Starpresentation and cleanliness standards

• Establish and enforce detailed cleaning protocols,checklists, and quality benchmarks for all room types and public areas

• Ensure all guest room special requests, VIPpreparations, and turndown service are completed accurately and on time

• Coordinate with the Front Office on daily arrivals,departures, VIP guests, room moves, and any maintenance-related room blocks

• Communicate maintenance issues, fixture damage, anditems requiring repair to the Facilities team promptly, tracking resolutionthrough completion

• Conduct regular deep-cleaning projects and seasonalrefresh initiatives to maintain the property at the highest standard

• Directly supervise the full housekeeping team,including Housekeeping Supervisors, Housekeepers, Housemen, and HouseAttendants

• Lead the hiring, interviewing, onboarding, and trainingof all new housekeeping team members, ensuring they are prepared to deliverFive-Star service from day one

• Build and maintain a structured, ongoing trainingprogram covering cleaning techniques, Forbes standards, safety protocols, guestinteraction expectations, and property knowledge

• Conduct annual performance evaluations for allhousekeeping staff and initiate recommendations for wage adjustments,promotions, and corrective actions as needed

• Provide daily coaching, mentorship, and constructivefeedback to develop team members and strengthen departmental performance

• Distribute daily checklists and project assignments toHousekeeping Supervisors, Housekeepers, Housemen, and House Attendants, andmonitor completion throughout each shift

• Arrange and lead regular department meetings tocommunicate expectations, celebrate successes, address issues, and solicitfeedback from the team

• Foster a team culture of accountability, pride, mutualrespect, and genuine care for the guest experience

Scheduling, LaborManagement & Budget

• Create and manage weekly housekeeping schedules,ensuring staffing levels align with occupancy forecasts and business demands

• Track and manage housekeeping labor costs daily andweekly, maintaining performance within the departmental labor budget

• Monitor and approve timecards in Paycom, trackingattendance patterns, overtime, and callouts

• Own the housekeeping departmental operating budget,including supply procurement, equipment purchases, and contract services

• Maintain and update the departmental checkbook,reconciling expenditures against the monthly budget provided by Accounting

• Exercise fiscal responsibility in all purchasingdecisions, seeking opportunities to reduce costs without compromising quality

• Complete weekly inventory counts of all housekeepingsupplies, linens, terry, amenities, and cleaning products to ensure PAR levelsare maintained

• Manage the full procurement cycle: sourcing, ordering,receiving, and properly storing all housekeeping supplies and equipment

• Maintain positive, professional relationships withsuppliers and vendors, negotiating favorable terms and ensuring reliabledelivery

• Oversee linen inventory management, including trackingusage, loss rates, and replacement needs across all room types

• Ensure all cleaning chemicals and products are storedsafely and in compliance with safety data sheet (SDS) requirements

Safety, Sanitation &Compliance

• Ensure all housekeeping operations comply with propertysafety policies, health department standards, and OSHA requirements

• Supervise and enforce all sanitation and disinfectionprotocols across guest rooms, public areas, and back-of-house spaces

• Ensure all team members are trained on proper chemicalhandling, equipment operation, and workplace safety procedures

• Report and document any workplace injuries, safetyhazards, or incidents immediately, following The Inn’s established protocols

• Maintain a clean, organized, and professionalhousekeeping office and storage areas

• Greet every guest warmly and professionally, as thoughwelcoming them into your own home

• Anticipate guest needs and respond to inquiries andrequests in a timely, courteous, and discreet manner

• Maintain working knowledge of all hotel services,property features, local attractions, and the history of The Inn at LittleWashington to assist guests when asked

• Work closely with the Front Office, Facilities, andFood & Beverage teams to coordinate on guest needs, special events,projects, and property-wide initiatives

• Support cross-departmental operations as needed,demonstrating flexibility and a team-first approach

QUALIFICATIONS

• Required: 3+years’ progressive housekeeping experience, including at least 2 years in asupervisory or management capacity

• Required: Provenability to lead, develop, and hold accountable a team of 10+ staff members

• Required: Strongunderstanding of luxury housekeeping standards, cleaning techniques, andquality inspection processes

• Required: Experiencemanaging departmental budgets, labor costs, and supply inventories

• Required: Proficiencyin Microsoft Office (Excel, Word) and timekeeping systems (Paycom orcomparable)

• Required: Effectivecommunication skills in English, both verbal and written

• Required: Abilityto work weekends, holidays, and a flexible schedule based on occupancy andbusiness needs

• Required: Mustbe well-groomed and well-presented with no visible tattoos

• Preferred: Priorexperience at a Forbes Five-Star, AAA Five-Diamond, or comparable luxuryproperty

• Preferred: Familiaritywith Forbes Travel Guide housekeeping and inspection standards

• Preferred: Abilityto communicate in Spanish, French, or another language in addition to English

• Preferred: Experiencewith property management systems (Agilysys Versa or comparable PMS)

• Preferred: OSHAor hospitality-specific safety certification

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS & WORKENVIRONMENT

• Ability to stand, walk, bend, kneel, and climb stairsfor extended periods throughout an 8- to 10-hour shift

• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull items weighingup to 50 pounds (linen carts, supply cases, cleaning equipment)

• Ability to perform hands-on housekeeping tasks asneeded, including making beds, vacuuming, mopping, and cleaning guest rooms

• Ability to move freely between multiple buildingsacross the property, including navigating stairs and outdoor walkways

• Ability to work in varying conditions includingexposure to cleaning chemicals, temperature fluctuations, and outdoor weather

Reasonableaccommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities toperform the essential functions of this position.

BENEFITS & COMPENSATION

The Inn at Little Washingtonoffers a competitive compensation and benefits package that may include health,dental, and vision insurance, paid time off, a retirement savings plan, anemployee dining program, and professional development opportunities. Specificbenefits vary by position and employment status.

**The Inn at Little Washington is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws**