Head Housekeeper

Job Purpose:

To ensure the smooth running of the day-to-day operation of the Housekeeping department ensuring rooms are prepared and service daily in accordance with Red Carnation standards and that rooms are maintained over the long term in accordance with the Hotel's Annual Rooms Care Program; while ensuring that cost are minimised without compromising quality and that labour is used as efficiently as possible.

Employee Value Proposition:

This challenging position offers variety and freedom from repetition and opportunities to be assertive in order to support and drive the technical aspects of the job; whilst operating within clearly defined standards and expectations; where your specialised housekeeping expertise can be recognised.

Organisational Positioning:

· Department: Housekeeping

· Reporting to: Rooms Divisions Manager

· Location: The Twelve Apostles Hotel Premises

Minimum Experience or Qualifications Required:

· Grade 12 (NQF 4)

· 5 years housekeeping management experience.

· Other rooms division experience advantageous

· Experience with a Property Management System

· Experience with a Stock Management System

· Computer literate with working knowledge of Microsoft Office Outlook, Word and Excel

· Solid financial understanding

· Solid experience with stock control

· Expert knowledge of fabrics and chemicals

· Understanding of the technical aspects of a hotel from a maintenance perspective

· Highly presentable

· Excellent command of the English language with solid verbal and written communication skills

· Must be able to work flexible working hours including weekends and public holidays

Advantageous Experience or Qualifications Desired:

· Relevant Hospitality Diploma (NQF 6)

· Other rooms division experience

· Exposure to Opera advantageous

· Exposure to F'nBShop advantageous

· Fluency in Xhosa and/or Afrikaans advantageous

The focus of this job is on achieving accurate and timely results that support established organizational standards.

Drive, determination, and taking responsibility for assuring company policies and procedures are correctly followed are necessary qualities for successful job performance. The job environment is structured and job expectations are well defined, supported by job training and on the job experience.

While the pace of the work is faster than average, the timeliness and quality of results is never compromised. An active, positive response to a variety of challenges and time pressures is also required. The nature of the work requires quick decision-making, based on knowledge of pertinent information and an intention to reduce risk factors as much as possible. Careful, critical analysis of new ideas or innovations is important to assure any changes align with and support established practices. Firm decisions that support established policies and procedures need to be implemented in an authoritative manner. The job requires getting things done quickly and handling a variety of activities within a well-defined job scope. Because of the fast pace of the work, it is important that job related knowledge and responsibilities be learned and mastered quickly and thoroughly. It is expected that communication will be factual and authoritative, focused on continual problem solving to overcome any obstacles to achieving high quality, timely results. If the job requires delegation to others, it will be important to provide staff with a positive, supportive environment in which they can learn the tasks and procedures necessary to meet quality standards. The job environment provides recognition and reward for steady broadening of responsibilities based on initiative, proven competence and adherence to well established business practices.

Minimum Experience or Qualifications Required:

· Grade 12 (NQF 4)

· 5 years housekeeping management experience.

· Other rooms division experience advantageous

· Experience with a Property Management System

· Experience with a Stock Management System

· Computer literate with working knowledge of Microsoft Office Outlook, Word and Excel

· Solid financial understanding

· Solid experience with stock control

· Expert knowledge of fabrics and chemicals

· Understanding of the technical aspects of a hotel from a maintenance perspective

· Highly presentable

· Excellent command of the English language with solid verbal and written communication skills

· Must be able to work flexible working hours including weekends and public holidays

Advantageous Experience or Qualifications Desired:

· Relevant Hospitality Diploma (NQF 6)

· Other rooms division experience

· Exposure to Opera advantageous

· Exposure to F'nBShop advantageous

· Fluency in Xhosa and/or Afrikaans advantageous

To manage the Housekeeping Team in according with Red Carnation Hotel Management principles by:

· ensuring constant floor presence during peak operational times; interacting with both staff and guests in a constructive manner, fostering positive relationships; and by taking personal responsibility for every guest and staff situation, seeing it through to its solution.

· ensuring that all 1:1s and appraisals are completed timeously in accordance with the Hotel Communication Planner with the aim of nurturing a positive and honest relationship with employees with the goal of achieving the highest performance of excellence out of your team and high levels of staff retention.

· being actively involved in the training and development of each team member by supporting their learning through on-the-job application and coaching, making them available for all appropriate training opportunities and holding the team member to account for the learning that they have successfully assimilated.

· applying the performance management and corrective action tools in accordance with the Hotel's Code of Conduct with the aim of exhausting all opportunities to correct and support staff before utilising avenues for employment termination.

· recommending updates to hotel policies and procedures, in order to maintain high standards and provide the best possible service to guests, and implement improvements where required.

To manage the day-to-day operations of the Housekeeping department by:

· ensuring that the Hotel is aesthetically pleasing as per the owner's standard

· ensuring that every room is ready for guest use so that they can be sold at short-notice or inspected by guests

· spot-checking 60% of all arrival rooms on a daily basis ensuring that they are cleaned in accordance with RCH standards including all VIP arrival rooms.

· performing a daily walk-about with the night staff and public area cleaners every morning at 07:00, following up on night cleaning tasks and ensuring an effective handover to day cleaning staff.

· running the Housekeeping morning meeting, ensuring that staff are fully briefed of the housekeeping requirements for the day.

· Ensuring that all public areas and food and beverage carpets, furniture, windows and wooden floors are clean and in a good state of repair.

To manage and control housekeeping stock by:

· ensuring that all guest supplies are ordered and stock levels are always sufficient

· monitoring the wear and tear of soft furnishings, furniture, equipment, fabric, curtains etc and where necessary ensure that they are repaired / replaced.

· ensuring that the wear and tear of carpets are closely monitored and communicated with Phillip Fourie; and where necessary replaced

· ensuring optimum quality and value from suppliers by maintaining good relationships with them; maintaining and checking contracts and managing expenses through regular price / service comparisons

· ensuring that monthly and quarterly stock takes are completed timeously and accurately and that all variances are properly investigated and resolved.
To complete the administrative functions of the department by:

· contributing to the compiling of the annual rooms budget and the monthly rooms forecast.

· ensuring that employee time sheets are up to date within 3 days.

· ensuring that staff rosters are completed by Thursday for the following week.

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