Weekend Scout (Housekeeper) - 8 hours in Oxford

The College Brasenose College is one of the older Colleges in Oxford and is still thriving five centuries later. BNC has 400 undergraduates and 210 graduate students and 131 support staff making it one of the medium-sized Oxford colleges, with a friendly atmosphere. Outside of the three 10 week terms, during Easter and summer, the College is exceptionally busy hosting international conferences and Bed and Breakfast guests.

Department and Job Purpose

The Housekeeping team are responsible for providing a consistently high standard of cleaning service to students, staff and visitors to the College and its annexes. Brasenose College has four sites; College main site and three accommodation sites (Frewin Annex, St Cross and Hollybush). Scouts must be willing to work at any of the College sites in central Oxford.

General responsibilities

• To check keys in and out of Lodge personally each day.
• To wear the uniform provided and any protective clothing supplied and follow directions on safe working methods.
• To provide holiday and sickness cover for colleagues, as required by the demands of the service to residents and visitors at various locations.
• To be familiar with, and work in accordance with, all College’s policies and procedures.
• To promote a safe, healthy and secure environment.
• The post holder will be expected to undertake any other duties or tasks as reasonably directed or requested by the Head Housekeeper and Deputy Housekeepers.

General daily duties - (all sites)

• Cleaning of residential areas (student rooms, fellows teaching rooms and fellows living quarters, guest rooms).
• To clean the bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen areas, teaching rooms and corridor/stairwells in the designated work areas as directed by the Housekeeper/Deputy to the specified standard.
• In sanitary areas, to scrub and de-scale baths, tiles and showerheads where necessary, to clean basins, plugholes, toilets, shower cubicles and around light switches and door handles etc., vacuum and mop floors.
• To empty bins and to ensure adequate supplies of toiletries, clean towels etc. for guests and residents.
• To empty bins in the quads on main site daily.
• Cleaning of sills, walls, doors, floors, shelves, desks, lamps, coffee tables, chairs.
• At the end of each term to ensure all cupboards, drawers, wardrobes are clear and clean of belongings from previous residents e.g. food stuff, shampoos, clothes etc. ensuring that items that may be of value to a student are given to the housekeeper for safe storage.
• To report any defective lighting, plumbing or heating problems to Maintenance.
• To report any broken equipment such as vacuum cleaners.
• To report to the Housekeeper/Deputy any student absence and any damage to property including any pictures/posters that are fixed directly to the walls with tack or similar fixture.
• Report any unauthorised electrical goods.
• To ensure all cleaning equipment is kept in good working order by cleaning after use and carrying out tasks, e.g. emptying vacuum bags, cleaning filters. Leaving all mop heads, washing cloths and dusters in the locker room so that they can be taken to the laundry room for washing.
• The cleaning of stairwells and removing cobwebs.
• To carry out periodic/seasonal duties as directed by the Housekeeper/Deputy.

Student kitchens - (Frewin, Hollybush Row and St Cross)

• To empty bins, clean worktops, sink, inside microwave, wipe any spillages/splashes on tiles, walls, cupboard fronts, inside oven and inside fridges, vacuum and mop floor, in accordance with specified standards.
• To thoroughly clean ovens, microwave ovens, refrigerators and freezers, inside cupboards and storage, in accordance with specified standards.

Offices - (on main site and teaching rooms at Frewin)

• To vacuum, dust and empty bins, clean brass on doors and around fires.
• Replace tea towels and hand towels.

Conferences and B&B Accommodation - (College and Frewin, Easter and summer)

• Ensuring rooms are thoroughly cleaned after students vacate for holiday and are prepared for the arrival of Conference and Bed and Breakfast guests. Rooms must be serviced daily changing bed linen and towels.

General

• The post holder will be required to be familiar with, and work in accordance with, all College’s policies and procedures.
• To participate in training and development required by the College.
• To be willing and prepared to undertake any other duties as directed by Head Housekeeper or Accommodation Manager.
• The job description may be subject to review in consultation with the postholder.
• To be vigilant and take responsibility for ensuring all Housekeeping and College property and equipment is kept safe at all times.
• To ensure all personal data relating to individuals is kept confidential in accordance with College policies and relevant data protection regulations.

Person Specification

Essential Skills and Competencies

• Ability to communicate with all customers and have a good level of spoken English.
• Ability to work to identified cleaning standards.
• Possess excellent customer service skills.
• Ability to work as part of a team and offer flexibility to cover for absence of colleagues.
• Flexibility to work weekends.
• Reliable, trustworthy, capable of using own initiative.

Physical Qualities

• Capable of doing physical work which involves bending, lifting and climbing stairs.

Desirable Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of paid cleaning work in similar environment.
• NVQ in Cleaning, COSHH and Manual Handling.

Terms & Conditions of Employment

• Appointment: This appointment is offered as a part-time, permanent contract. There is an initial probationary period of three months. The appointment will be conditional on verification of the successful candidate’s ‘Right to Work’ checks and subject to the receipt of satisfactory references and medical clearance through the University’s Occupational Health Services.
• Salary: Grade 1, £25,160 per annum. Calculated on a pro-rata basis for 8 hours per week, £5750.86 per annum (£13.82 per hour).
• Hours of Working: The normal part-time hours of work are 4-hours each day, Saturday and Sunday from 9.30am to 13.30pm with no break (8-hours in total). The full-time equivalent hours for the post of Scout is 35-hours per week, 8-hours per week represents 22.86% of full-time hours. You may be required to work additional hours/days when authorised. The College will endeavour to provide staff with as much notice as possible of additional shifts or if attendance at mandatory training during the week is required. Occasionally short notice requests may be made, for example to cover sickness absence.
• Application close date: The vacancy will remain open until filled. CVs will be reviewed on receipt and shortlisted candidates interviewed. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a suitable candidate is found. Early application is encouraged.
• Benefits: Pension - Eligibility to the Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS). The successful candidate will be entered into this scheme automatically on joining, but on-going membership of the scheme is optional. Salary Exchange Scheme - Staff who join OSPS will also be enrolled into the Salary Exchange Pension Contributions Scheme on or around three months after joining Brasenose staff. This scheme is financially advantageous both to the employee and the College as the employer. Annual leave - The paid holiday entitlement for an equivalent full-time contract for a year is six working weeks (30 days) of annual leave (5 days to be taken over Christmas break when College is closed) plus 8 Statutory Bank Holidays. Annual leave shall be taken at mutually convenient times agreed in advance with the Department Manager. The holiday year begins on 1 January and ends 31 December. For part years of service, the entitlement will be calculated as 1/12th of the annual entitlement for each completed month. Meals - Employees are entitled to take lunch free of charge, when the kitchen is open. Welfare Support – Employee Assistance Programme – a free confidential telephone helpline and online medical guidance. Free annual flu jab. Travel Pass Loan - a discounted travel scheme is available with monthly deductions from salary. Cycle to Work Scheme/Bike Loan – monthly deductions from salary. Sports Facilities – Access to the University Sports club. University Card - for discounts in shops, cafes and restaurants and University Leisure facilities.

Other Information: No smoking is allowed on the main College site.