Job title: Housekeeping Supervisor, Luxury Country Hotel, West Dorset

Job Description

Location: West Dorset, with staff accommodation available in Bridport
Salary: £32,000-£35,000, dependent on experience
Contract: Full-time
Hours: 40 per week
Working Pattern: On-site only. Weekend and evening shifts required. Outdoor work at times
Reporting To: Head of Housekeeping
Direct Reports: Housekeeping Attendants
Driving Licence: Essential, own car required
Start Date: As soon as possible

Overview

Oplu is leading the search for a Housekeeping Supervisor to join the housekeeping team at a distinguished luxury country hotel and retreat in West Dorset.

This is a hands-on operational leadership role at £32,000-£35,000 dependent on experience. Full-time, 40 hours per week, on-site only. Staff accommodation is available in nearby Bridport for candidates relocating. A full driving licence and own car are essential given the rural setting.

Whether your background is as a Housekeeping Supervisor, Assistant Head Housekeeper, Housekeeping Team Leader, Rooms Division Supervisor, or Senior Room Attendant ready for a supervisor step, this is a considered appointment at a distinctive West Country property.

The Opportunity

The Housekeeping Supervisor ensures the smooth operation of the housekeeping department across guest rooms, public areas, and back-of-house spaces. The role includes supervising Housekeeping Attendants, coordinating daily operations, running monthly audits, and supporting the Head of Housekeeping in achieving departmental and property-wide objectives.

The successful candidate will also cover the Head of Housekeeping in their absence, organising schedules and rotas for employed, third-party contracted, and casual staff; attending the daily morning meeting and group or event briefings; and leading, mentoring, and coaching the wider Housekeeping team.

This is a busy, standards-driven department. The property operates a guaranteed 15:00 check-in, so time discipline and pre-emptive communication with Guest Relations are essential.

Who this role suits

This role is best suited to a hospitality professional with prior housekeeping supervision or comparable experience at a boutique or luxury hotel, country house hotel, private members’ club, luxury retreat, or serviced country estate.

Housekeeping Supervisor, Assistant Head Housekeeper, Housekeeping Team Leader, and Rooms Division Supervisor backgrounds all translate directly.

The role will also suit Senior Room Attendants with genuine team leadership experience who are ready to step up into a formal supervisor position, and Head Housekeepers from smaller properties looking to move to a boutique luxury environment.

Prior experience with Mews for room-status communication is a real advantage. Working knowledge of COSHH, MSDS, and Working at Height procedures is essential.

Key Responsibilities

Operational leadership and daily housekeeping

  • Ensure excellent attention to detail across daily housekeeping operations in guest rooms, public areas, and back-of-house spaces.
  • Implement cleaning, sanitisation, organisation, and tidying procedures across accommodation rooms, internal public areas, and external public areas.
  • Ensure all rooms are cleaned and presented to the highest standards, including VIP and priority rooms.
  • Monitor usage of housekeeping supplies, amenities, and linen to control costs and prevent shortages.
  • Use checklists to ensure the cleanliness and condition of each assigned area meets designated standards.
  • Continuously consider methods and resources to improve efficiency and standards.

Guest experience and check-in discipline

  • Communicate completed rooms via Mews with confidence and clarity to support Guest Relations in delivering a seamless check-in experience.
  • Proactively identify and communicate any potential delays that may prevent meeting the guaranteed 15:00 check-in time.
  • Give Guest Relations sufficient time for guest management and expectation-setting.
  • Respond promptly to requests from guests, Guest Relations, or management.
  • Understand that missing amenities, guest complaints, or cleanliness issues from rooms released back to Guest Relations will be brought to your attention and a reasonable explanation will be expected.

Team leadership, mentoring, and cover for Head of Housekeeping

  • Lead, mentor, and support the Housekeeping team in the absence of the Head of Housekeeping.
  • Assist in training, motivating, and coaching new employees.
  • Serve as a role model for Housekeeping Attendants and casual staff.
  • In the absence of the Head of Housekeeping, organise schedules and rotas for employed Housekeeping staff, third-party contracted staff, and casual staff.
  • In the absence of the Head of Housekeeping, attend the daily morning meeting and all group or event briefings.
  • Communicate feedback, updates, and operational information clearly to the Head of Housekeeping and the Housekeeping team.
  • Perform regular inspections to monitor adherence to departmental SOPs.
  • Monitor and record that set procedures and schedules for cleaning, sanitising, and setting-out areas are undertaken as planned.

Audits, controls, and quality

  • Lead monthly audits on assets, consumables, and resources within the department’s responsibility.
  • Flag any issues or recommendations.
  • Maintain accurate controls and records for quality control across all housekeeping responsibilities.

Linen, laundry, and waste

  • Ensure schedules for the collection of linen, rubbish, refuse, and waste are satisfied.
  • Ensure deposits go to designated areas and receptacles.
  • Ensure concealed movement to correct collection points is timely.
  • Ensure the highest standard of collection of used and dirty laundry.
  • Ensure the issuance of clean and ironed linen for rooms, public areas, uniforms, and F&B.
  • Inspect linen and laundry processes to control numbers, quality of materials, and service standards.

Health, safety, and chemical handling

  • Accept responsibility as a Competent Person under the property’s Health & Safety Policy.
  • Comply with SOPs, Risk Assessments, and Operations Manuals.
  • Ensure signage, barriers, screens, lifting, working-at-height support, additional team resource, and other health and safety measures are organised in advance.
  • Ensure all health and safety measures are used as required and demobilised on completion.
  • Be fully aware of COSHH and MSDS for chemical handling.
  • Ensure chemical storage, transport, and use around the site are controlled at all times.
  • Identify and report preventative or other maintenance issues, safety hazards, accidents, or injuries in public areas or guest rooms.
  • Use Mews tasks and escalate to the Head of Housekeeping or Hotel Manager as required.

Cross-department support and culture

  • Support other departments in the movement of items and set-up of areas.
  • Develop and maintain positive working relationships with all departments.
  • Support teams to reach common goals and operational demands.
  • Listen and respond to the concerns of other employees.
  • Welcome and acknowledge all guests according to property standards.
  • Anticipate and address guests’ service needs, assist individuals with disabilities, and thank guests with genuine appreciation.

Requirements

Must-haves

  • Prior housekeeping supervision or comparable team leadership experience at a boutique or luxury hotel, country house hotel, private members’ club, luxury retreat, or serviced country estate.
  • Excellent attention to detail across guest rooms, public areas, and back-of-house.
  • Confident use of a hotel PMS. Mews strongly preferred for room-status communication.
  • Solid working knowledge of COSHH and MSDS chemical handling protocols.
  • First Aid at Work, Fire Safety, COSHH, Manual Lifting, and Working at Height training, or willingness to complete before start.
  • Ability to lead, mentor, and coach Housekeeping Attendants and casual staff.
  • Comfort covering the Head of Housekeeping in their absence, including rota planning and morning meeting attendance.
  • Comfort with the discipline of a guaranteed 15:00 check-in and pre-emptive communication with Guest Relations.
  • Full driving licence and own car. This is essential given the rural setting.
  • Willing and able to work weekend and evening shifts.
  • Comfortable working outside as required.
  • Physical fitness for the role, including working at height, manual lifting, and sustained active shifts.
  • Fluent English, spoken and written.
  • Right to live and work in the UK.

Strong advantage

  • Mews PMS experience specifically.
  • Prior experience running monthly asset, consumable, and resource audits.
  • Prior experience managing third-party contracted or casual housekeeping staff alongside employed staff.
  • Yacht interior, luxury villa, private club, or high-end serviced property background.
  • Experience with linen room, laundry, and uniform inventory controls.

Preferred background

  • Career hospitality professional with a genuine long-term interest in housekeeping and rooms division, not a stepping stone.
  • Familiarity with rural, agricultural, or estate-based hospitality environments.

Why this role

  • Housekeeping supervision at a distinctive luxury country hotel and retreat set within a farm and vineyard environment in West Dorset.
  • Real team leadership, with direct reports, rota ownership in the Head of Housekeeping’s absence, and mentoring responsibility.
  • Broad remit across guest rooms, public areas, linen and laundry, audits, and cross-department coordination.
  • Direct line of sight to the guest experience through the 15:00 check-in discipline.
  • Staff accommodation available in nearby Bridport for candidates relocating.
  • Progression path into Head of Housekeeping or Executive Housekeeper at a boutique luxury property.

About the property

A distinguished luxury country hotel and retreat in West Dorset, set within a rural farm and vineyard environment. The property blends hospitality with agriculture and wellness, offering guests a highly personalised experience across accommodation, food and beverage, spa, and event programming. The property uses Mews as its PMS.

Practical Information

  • Location: West Dorset. On-site only. No hybrid pattern.
  • Working Pattern: 40 hours per week. Weekend and evening shifts required. Outdoor work at times.
  • Salary: £32,000-£35,000 per annum, dependent on experience.
  • Driving Licence: A full driving licence and own car are essential given the rural setting.
  • Staff Accommodation: Available in Bridport for candidates relocating. Rent £450-£750 per month depending on room.
  • Contract: Full-time.
  • Direct Reports: Housekeeping Attendants.
  • Start Date: As soon as possible.

Application Process

Apply via the form on this page. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within 14 days, please consider your application unsuccessful on this occasion.