Job Description:

Salary: £13,469.79 per annum
Location: Uppingham, Rutland
Working pattern: Term-time, 5 days per week, 9.15am – 2.25pm (36 weeks per year plus 105 annual clean-down hours). Morning central cleaning positions are also available from 6am, and many staff combine House and Central Cleaning roles.

Uppingham School is an independent co-educational boarding and day school for 11 to 18-year-olds, located in the beautiful market town of Uppingham in Rutland. We employ around 600 full-time and part-time staff in both teaching and support roles, and offer a vibrant, supportive and stimulating working environment. We welcome applications from candidates who are both experienced and new to working within the independent education sector, and are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

Job purpose

To provide a home from home for pupils by cleaning the houses and central buildings to the highest of standards, and in houses by serving meals and undertaking laundry. The role has two distinct areas of working, although there can be an overlap: cleaning (ensuring the cleanliness of school central buildings is maintained to a high standard) and domestic duties (meal presentation, service and laundry).

What you'll be doing

Working under the direction and guidance of a Team Leader or Assistant Operations Manager, you will:

• Be courteous to colleagues and pupils and provide a welcoming environment to parents, contractors, conference delegates, and other visitors
• Work independently to complete the daily/weekly tasks assigned by your line manager to a high standard
• Keep all areas clean, including washing, dusting, polishing, vacuum cleaning and sweeping as appropriate
• Maintain the environment to a good state of comfort and cleanliness, including programmed deep cleans of carpeted and non-carpeted areas, soft furnishings, bedding, fixtures and fittings, windows, walls and storage areas
• Make your line manager aware in good time of the need for replacement materials and equipment
• Comply fully with Health & Safety, Hygiene and Infection Control regulations, including chemical safety (COSHH) and the wearing of protective clothing as required
• Ensure that issued uniform is always worn, and kept fresh, clean and presentable
• Attend professional training as required and hand in any lost property promptly
• Assist with laundry operations as required

For house-based staff, additional duties include working special House functions (minimum of 8 evening events per year), working in the dining room, responding to unusual events requiring added cleans and changed bedlinen, washing and ironing pupils' clothes, folding bedding and linen, and cleaning domestic kitchenettes to a high standard.

What you'll bring

• Knowledge of cleaning procedures
• Reasonable numeracy and literacy
• Ability to work with minimum supervision and with others
• Good communication skills
• Ability to organise workload and balance priorities to meet deadlines
• Excellent attention to detail and high standards of work
• Good timekeeping
• Ability to deal with colleagues, pupils and parents in a pleasant and helpful manner
• Friendly and approachable nature

Desirable: knowledge of health & safety requirements, an understanding of COSHH, and previous experience using industrial cleaning equipment.

What's on offer

• 50% contribution to premiums for the School's private health scheme
• Free Westfield Healthcare and free membership of the dual-use Sports Centre (£25 annual joining fee)
• Free staff lunches in term-time
• School fee discount for children of Uppingham staff (pro-rated for part-time staff)
• Retail, gym, supermarket, cinema and restaurant discounts
• Cycle to work scheme, Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• Free annual flu jabs
• Recognised as a "Disability Confident" and "Mindful" employer
• Favourable rates with a local nursery and complimentary staff tickets to selected School performances
• Discount at a local coffee shop for Uppingham staff
• Defined contribution pension scheme: employee contribution matched by the School by a factor of two, up to 10% maximum
• Holiday entitlement covers all Uppingham School holidays apart from the 4 weeks and clean-down hours specified above; public holidays in term time are normal working days

Additional information

The post-holder's responsibility for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young persons will be to adhere to and always ensure compliance with the School's Safeguarding (Child Protection) Policy. Any concerns must be reported to the School's Designated Safeguarding Lead or the Headmaster.

You may have experience of the following: Cleaner, Domestic Assistant, Housekeeper, School Cleaner, Cleaning Operative, Domestic Cleaning Assistant, Housekeeping Assistant, General Cleaner, Residential Cleaner, Boarding School Domestic Staff
 
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