Casual Housekeeper - Park Head Hotel in Coundon

At the heart of our sites is Auckland Palace, the home of the Prince Bishops of Durham and the historic seat of faith and power in the North of England. The experience across our sites is deeply linked to those two themes and are repeated throughout the Palace and its gardens, the Faith Museum and the Mining Art and Spanish Galleries. The collection of our venues, spaces and places invites conversations about belonging, faith, loss, sacrifice, community, love and creativity. We would like our visitors to explore and to discover things about our town, our country and their own lives. We want to create encounters – and need your help to do so.

The role purpose: Newly re-opened following substantial investment in 2022, The Park Head Hotel & Restaurant are pleased to be recruiting a Housekeeping General Assistant to join our busy Operations team. As part of the housekeeping team you will play a vital role in ensuring our rooms and front of house areas look first class every day by delivering the highest standards of housekeeping and ensuring our guests receive the highest level of standards, so they come back time and time again.

As the successful Housekeeper you will ensure that the hotel is cleaned and serviced to our exceptionally high standards in an allocated time, whilst ensuring all health and safety, manual handling and COSHH are followed. You will support the management team alongside all departments to ensure the smooth day to day running over the Hotel. This at times may include supporting other venues/events within The Auckland Project. Shifts will cover Monday-Sunday, various shift depending on the needs of the business, however will generally cover between 7am – 3pm.

Key Responsibilities

• To attend to housekeeping duties at the times specified on the staff rota
• To carry out cleaning duties in accordance with instructions, ensuring the venue is maintained in a clean and tidy condition at all times
• To undertake washing requirements as and when required, acting on advice from colleagues and supervisors
• To prepare guest rooms for occupancy to the correct standard
• To resolve any maintenance issues or report them to the appropriate person
• To document the finding of any lost property and report at the earliest convenience to the relevant person.
• Ensure correct storage and use of all cleaning products and guest supplies.
• On occasion, provide housekeeping services to other accommodation offerings within the organisation to ensure complete turnaround in time for check-in.
• Attend staff training sessions
• Strict adherence to health and safety policies and procedures, and GDPR compliance
• Any other duties specified by your Line Managers or Directors

Internal and External Relationship

Health & Safety

Be committed to good health and safety and access practice, ensuring familiarity and compliance with TAP policies, procedures and guidelines and the health and safety of visitors, staff, volunteers and contractors at all times. Ensure TAP is up to date with all Food Safety laws and regulations.

Person Specification

• Good general standard of education
• Ability to work under pressure and adapt to business needs
• Be hard-working, flexible and motivated by exemplary standards of cleanliness
• Attention to detail and accuracy
• Ability to follow procedures and instructions
• Be a team player
• Be professional and hard working with an enthusiastic approach to learning
• Physical strength and stamina in a labour intensive role
• Maintain confidentiality and demonstrate professional integrity at all times
• Highly motivated and flexible
• Demonstrate a track record in housekeeping and cleaning roles

The Auckland Project focus

The Auckland Project works hard to create a positive change for those living, working and visiting Bishop Auckland. We have created a visitor destination in Bishop Auckland, incorporating Auckland Palace (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham), a Spanish Art Gallery, Faith Museum, Walled Garden, Deer Park, Mining Art Gallery, Auckland Tower visitor centre and Weardale Railway.

Our visitor destination and community development programme broadly fits into three areas:

• The social environment: we help individuals and communities by creating a sense of curiosity, hope and faith in themselves and the world around them. We provide opportunities for skills development and partnerships, building a year-round tourist market and supporting small creative industries to thrive
• The natural environment: we protect, sustain and enhance the world around us
• The built environment: we restore and enhance the beauty and historic significance of the buildings, structures and assets in our care.

By working with us, you are helping to ensure the town’s future is as magnificent and vibrant as its past.