The Head of Housekeeping is responsible for the overall cleanliness, presentation and housekeeping standards across the entire Hothorpe Estate, including all bedrooms, lodges, event spaces, restaurants, bars, public areas and back-of-house spaces at Hothorpe Hall and The Woodlands.

This is a hands-on leadership role, managing a dedicated housekeeping team. You will lead from the front, set and maintain high standards, organise and motivate the team, and ensure that every guest experiences a consistently immaculate, “event-ready” estate. Similar estate roles typically oversee day-to-day housekeeping across all buildings on site and work closely with operations and maintenance teams to protect the quality and heritage of the property.

Responsibilities:

Leadership & Team Management

Lead, develop and motivate the housekeeping team across Hothorpe Hall and The Woodlands, including supervisors, room attendants, public area cleaners, laundry/linen staff and casuals.
Create clear rotas and staffing plans to cover bedrooms, lodges, event spaces and public areas in line with occupancy, events and budget.
Recruit, onboard and train team members in cleaning methods, guest service, safety and The Hothorpe Way behaviours.
Conduct regular 1:1s, team briefings and performance reviews, addressing underperformance promptly and recognising great work.
Foster a positive, inclusive, “one team” culture that is professional, collaborative and guest-focused.

Standards, Quality & Guest Experience

Set, communicate and maintain 5-star country-house standards for cleanliness, presentation, linen and room amenities across all areas of the estate.
Carry out regular daily inspections of guest bedrooms, bathrooms, lodges, corridors, function rooms, restaurants, bars, lounges and public restrooms to ensure standards are consistently met.
Implement and maintain detailed cleaning SOPs and checklists for:

Arrival rooms, stay-overs and departures

Turnarounds for weddings, events, conferences and retreats

Deep cleans, periodic tasks and seasonal projects

Work closely with Operations, Front of House and F&B to ensure spaces are immaculate, correctly set and ready on time for all events.
Respond to guest feedback and issues regarding housekeeping swiftly and professionally, using learning to improve standards and training.

Operational Management - Estate-Wide

Oversee all housekeeping operations across:
Hothorpe Hall (bedrooms, suites, public areas, meeting rooms, event spaces, back-of-house areas)
The Woodlands (lodges, cabins/rooms, Woodland spaces, event buildings, public and back-of-house areas)
Any additional estate accommodation or staff areas as required.
Ensure rooms and lodges are cleaned, serviced and released in line with arrival times, early check-ins and late check-outs.
Coordinate with Maintenance to log, track and follow up on defects, repairs and preventative maintenance arising from room and area inspections.
Ensure housekeeping presence and support during key operational times (wedding turnarounds, large events, peak weekends and seasonal periods).

Linen, Laundry & Stock Control

Manage the full linen and laundry operation (on-site and/or external providers), ensuring adequate stock levels and quality standards are maintained.
Implement robust systems for:
Linen circulation, par levels and stock counts
Acceptance checks, returns and quality control for all linen received
Towel, robe, bedding and soft furnishing care
Control and forecast usage of cleaning products, guest supplies and amenities; place orders in line with budget and agreed supplier arrangements.
Minimise wastage and losses through correct storage, handling and usage.

Health, Safety & Compliance

Ensure full compliance with all relevant health & safety regulations, including COSHH, (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) manual handling, PPE, chemical storage and usage.
Train and monitor staff on safe working practices, emergency procedures and accident/incident reporting.
Ensure all housekeeping equipment is maintained, safe and serviced as required; remove faulty equipment from use promptly.
Support the GM/Operations Director with audits, inspections and any statutory or third-party reviews relating to housekeeping, hygiene and cleanliness.

Sustainability & Environmental Practices

Promote environmentally responsible housekeeping practices, including:

Energy-efficient use of equipment
Careful water usage and responsible laundry practices
Use of environmentally-friendly chemicals where possible
Waste segregation and recycling in guest and back-of-house areas.
Work with the wider leadership team to support Hothorpe’s sustainability goals.

Administration & Reporting

Prepare and manage the housekeeping budget in collaboration with the GM/Operations Director, including labour, agency, laundry, chemicals and consumables.

Monitor and report on:

Labour costs vs forecast and occupancy/events
Laundry and amenity usage
Agency requirements and spend
Guest feedback and inspection results
Maintain up-to-date SOPs, training records, risk assessments and COSHH documentation.

Requirement:

Experience

Significant experience in a senior housekeeping role (Head of Housekeeping, Executive Housekeeper or similar) within a quality hotel, country-house, estate or multi-site hospitality environment.
Track record of leading and developing housekeeping teams in a busy, standards-driven operation (weddings, events, leisure and corporate).
Experience working with external laundry providers and managing linen, chemicals and consumables budgets.
Proven experience of establishing and maintaining high standards of cleanliness in bedrooms, lodges, public areas and event spaces.

Working Pattern

Full-time, 5 days out of 7, including weekends and bank holidays as required by schedule.
Flexibility required during peak periods and for major events.

Benefits

Permanent leadership position within a luxury countryside estate, offering long-term security in a stable, well-invested and ambitious hospitality environment.
Competitive, market-leading salary reflective of the seniority of the role and the responsibility for maintaining exceptional presentation standards across bedrooms, public areas and event spaces.
Comprehensive benefits package, including performance-related bonus and additional benefits aligned with senior operational leadership roles.
A genuine leadership platform, with the autonomy to shape housekeeping strategy, implement best-in-class systems, and set estate-wide standards that reflect a premium guest experience.
Direct collaboration with ownership and senior leadership, providing the opportunity to build a trusted, long-term working relationship and play a key role in the estate’s continued evolution.
Opportunity to elevate standards in a multi-faceted venue encompassing weddings, corporate events, accommodation and fine dining - ensuring consistency, attention to detail and luxury-level presentation at scale.
Career stability within a growing destination brand, with scope to develop the department, mentor team members and contribute meaningfully to the estate’s long-term vision.