Head Housekeeper Surrey

We are seeking an outstanding Head Housekeeper for one of the UK's most prestigious private members' clubs, with sites in London and Surrey. Offering exceptional dining, luxury accommodation, and world-class leisure facilities, the Club prides itself on delivering an unrivalled member experience.

We are looking for a highly skilled and experienced Head Housekeeper to lead, manage, and develop the housekeeping function, taking full responsibility for accommodation standards, public areas, laundry operations, and uniform management. The Head Housekeeper ensures consistently exceptional presentation, hygiene, and guest experience standards while leading a large housekeeping team, controlling departmental costs, and maintaining full compliance with health, safety, and operational requirements.

About You:

• Minimum 3 years' management experience within a luxury hotel, resort, private members' club, or comparable hospitality environment.
• Experience leading teams of 15 or more employees across multiple functions.
• Demonstrated responsibility for departmental budgets, payroll management, and cost control.
• Experience managing laundry operations.
• Strong knowledge of health and safety legislation, including COSHH.
• Experience creating, implementing, and reviewing SOPs.
• Supplier and contractor management experience.
• Excellent attention to detail and presentation standards.
• Strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
• Flexible approach to working hours, including weekends and peak periods.
• Proficiency in housekeeping management systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Desirable:

• Experience within a luxury hospitality, country house, resort, or private members' environment.
• Professional qualification in Housekeeping, Hospitality, or Hotel Management.
• Experience managing uniform room operations.
• Knowledge of sustainable procurement practices.
• Experience with linen management systems and inventory control processes.

The ideal candidate will be able to:

• Empower Others - Provide support, trust, and autonomy to enable team success.
• Demonstrate Courage - Make sound decisions and act in the best interests of the business and its guests.
• Lead by Example - Model expected behaviours and uphold organisational values.
• Act Fairly - Create an inclusive and supportive working environment.
• Collaborate Effectively - Foster strong communication and teamwork across departments.
• Remain Open-Minded - Encourage feedback, innovation, and continuous learning.

Key Responsibilities:

• Accommodation & Housekeeping Standards: Take overall responsibility for the cleanliness, presentation, and condition of all guest accommodation and public areas, maintaining luxury hospitality standards at all times. Conduct regular room inspections and verify supervisory inspections to ensure consistency and quality. Develop, implement, and review housekeeping procedures, checklists, and standard operating procedures (SOPs). Plan and manage a rolling deep-clean programme across guest rooms, public areas, corridors, and back-of-house spaces. Identify, record, and follow up on maintenance issues, working closely with the maintenance team to ensure timely resolution. Oversee turndown services and ensure they are delivered to the required standard and schedule.
• Laundry Operations: Manage all laundry operations, ensuring the timely processing and delivery of linens, towels, uniforms, and departmental laundry requirements. Oversee daily workflow and staffing to meet operational demands without delays or shortages. Establish and maintain linen care standards, handling procedures, and quality control processes. Manage linen inventory levels, conduct regular stock counts, and coordinate replacement orders as required. Collaborate with operational departments to forecast linen requirements for events, peak trading periods, and special activities. Monitor laundry equipment performance and coordinate repairs and maintenance to minimise downtime.
• Uniform Management: Oversee the uniform room, ensuring all uniforms are cleaned, maintained, stored correctly, and readily available. Maintain accurate records of uniform allocation, returns, replacements, and condition. Coordinate uniform requirements for new employees and ensure appropriate presentation standards are met before commencement. Monitor stock levels and recommend replacement or additional purchases as required.
• Leadership & Team Development: Provide visible, consistent, and motivating leadership to the housekeeping team. Manage recruitment, onboarding, probation reviews, and retention activities in partnership with Human Resources. Develop and deliver structured training programmes covering housekeeping standards, laundry procedures, guest service, product knowledge, and health and safety. Conduct regular performance reviews, one-to-one meetings, and development discussions. Identify talent and support succession planning and career progression within the department. Produce staffing schedules that balance operational requirements and budgetary controls. Lead daily team briefings, communicating occupancy levels, arrivals, priorities, and operational updates. Address performance, attendance, and conduct issues in accordance with company policies and procedures.
• Financial Management & Cost Control: Manage departmental budgets, including payroll, consumables, amenities, linen, chemicals, equipment, and operational supplies. Monitor labour costs and overtime, ensuring expenditure aligns with occupancy levels and operational requirements. Conduct regular stocktakes and analyse usage trends to minimise waste and loss. Review supplier invoices for accuracy and compliance with agreed pricing structures. Prepare regular budget and expenditure reports, highlighting risks and recommending corrective actions where necessary.
• Supplier & Contractor Management: Manage relationships with suppliers and contractors relating to housekeeping, laundry, uniforms, chemicals, amenities, and equipment. Conduct supplier performance reviews, evaluating quality, service levels, reliability, and value. Manage procurement activities in line with company purchasing procedures. Obtain competitive quotations for significant purchases or service changes and present recommendations to senior management. Maintain supplier records and monitor contract renewal dates.
• Guest Experience: Maintain detailed knowledge of guest preferences and ensure accommodation is personalised where appropriate. Personally oversee the preparation of VIP, repeat, and long-stay guest accommodation. Act as the primary escalation point for housekeeping-related guest concerns and ensure prompt resolution. Manage lost property procedures in accordance with company policy. Work collaboratively with front-of-house and operational departments to ensure a seamless guest journey.
• Health, Safety & Compliance: Ensure compliance with all relevant health and safety legislation, including COSHH, manual handling, fire safety, and safe working practices. Maintain current COSHH documentation and ensure team members are trained in the correct use and storage of chemicals. Conduct and review risk assessments for all housekeeping activities. Ensure mandatory training requirements are completed and recorded. Investigate accidents, incidents, and near misses, implementing corrective actions where required. Maintain professional knowledge and complete all required training.
• Sustainability & Environmental Responsibility: Promote sustainable housekeeping and laundry practices across all operations. Monitor and reduce water, energy, and chemical consumption where possible. Support environmentally responsible procurement decisions and waste reduction initiatives. Implement linen recycling and repurposing programmes where appropriate. Train team members on sustainability policies, recycling procedures, and waste management practices. Contribute departmental data and initiatives to wider sustainability reporting requirements.

Core Values: Successful candidates will demonstrate: Excellence - Consistently striving for the highest standards of service and presentation. Accountability - Taking ownership of responsibilities and delivering on commitments. Respect - Treating guests, colleagues, and stakeholders with professionalism and courtesy. Integrity - Acting honestly, ethically, and transparently at all times. Collaboration - Working effectively across departments to achieve shared goals. Sustainability - Supporting environmentally responsible practices and continuous improvement.