Head of Housekeeping in St Helens

Lead the Team Behind Exceptional Guest Experiences

At Mercure Hotels, we know that every memorable guest stay starts with an exceptional housekeeping team. Cleanliness, presentation and attention to detail are at the heart of everything we do, and we're looking for an experienced and inspiring Head of Housekeeping to lead our department. This is a fantastic opportunity for a passionate hospitality professional who thrives on leading people, driving high standards and delivering operational excellence. You'll play a key role in ensuring every guest room and public area reflects the quality, comfort and service our guests expect from Mercure Hotels.

If you are an experienced Housekeeping Manager looking to take the next step in your career, or an established Head of Housekeeping seeking a new challenge, we'd love to hear from you.

The Role

As Head of Housekeeping, you will be responsible for the overall leadership and management of the Housekeeping Department, ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness, presentation and guest satisfaction across bedrooms, public areas, conference facilities and back-of-house areas. Working closely with the General Manager and Heads of Department, you will drive operational excellence, develop high-performing teams and ensure the department operates efficiently while achieving labour, productivity and quality targets. This is a hands-on leadership role where you'll inspire your team, improve performance and create an environment where colleagues can succeed.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership

• Lead and manage the day-to-day operation of the Housekeeping Department.
• Ensure all guest bedrooms, public areas and back-of-house spaces meet Mercure brand standards.
• Deliver consistently high levels of cleanliness, presentation and guest satisfaction.
• Conduct regular room inspections and quality audits.
• Ensure VIP rooms and priority arrivals are prepared to the highest standard.
• Support the successful delivery of weddings, conferences and events.

People Leadership

• Recruit, onboard, train and develop housekeeping colleagues.
• Coach, mentor and support Supervisors and Team Leaders.
• Conduct probation reviews, one-to-one meetings and performance reviews.
• Build a positive, inclusive and engaged team culture.
• Manage employee performance fairly and consistently.
• Support succession planning and career development.

Operational Planning

• Prepare departmental rotas based on occupancy and business demand.
• Manage labour costs while maintaining excellent service levels.
• Monitor productivity and room turnaround times.
• Work closely with Reception to prioritise arrivals and departures.
• Collaborate with Maintenance to ensure rooms are returned to service quickly.

Compliance & Quality

• Ensure compliance with Health & Safety legislation.
• Maintain COSHH compliance and safe working practices.
• Conduct departmental risk assessments.
• Ensure housekeeping equipment is maintained and used safely.
• Support hotel compliance audits and brand inspections.
• Ensure linen, chemicals and supplies are managed safely.

Guest Experience

• Resolve guest concerns professionally and promptly.
• Drive continuous improvements in guest satisfaction scores.
• Promote a culture of attention to detail and exceptional hospitality.
• Support guest recovery and service excellence initiatives.

Essential Skills & Experience

• Previous experience as a Head of Housekeeping, Housekeeping Manager or Senior Housekeeping Leader.
• Experience within a hotel environment.
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and develop large housekeeping teams.
• Strong knowledge of housekeeping operations and quality standards.
• Excellent communication and people management skills.
• Experience managing departmental budgets and labour costs.
• Strong organisational and planning skills.
• Experience using hotel property management systems.
• Good knowledge of Health & Safety, COSHH and risk assessments.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Right to work in the UK.

What We Offer

At Mercure Hotels, we invest in our people because we know they are the key to delivering outstanding guest experiences.

As part of our team, you'll receive:

• Competitive salary
• Performance-related bonus (where applicable)
• Complimentary meals whilst on duty
• Discounted hotel stays for you, your family and friends
• Career progression opportunities across Providence Hotels
• Ongoing leadership development and management training
• Employee Assistance Programme (confidential wellbeing support)
• Company pension scheme
• 28 days' annual leave (including bank holidays)
• Employee referral bonus schemeli>
• Recognition and reward programmes
• Uniform provided
• Employee discounts across participating hotels
• Free on-site parking (where available)
• A supportive, collaborative and inclusive working environment