Ministry of Defence Army - Defence Children Services (DCS) Housekeeper HAIG, Queen Victoria School, Dunblane, Scotland
Closing date: 11:55pm, Sunday 10th August
Reference:
Salary:£23,
A Civil Service Pension with an employer contribution of 28.97%
Location: Dunblane
About the job
Queen Victoria School (QVS) is a co-educational boarding school funded by the Ministry of Defence to provide stable and uninterrupted education and boarding to some children of Service personnel, from ages 10/11 to 18. The school is set in 45 acres of beautiful Perthshire countryside.
We are seeking a 30 hour per week Housekeeper who reports to the QVS Facilities Manager (FM). The job purpose is primarily housekeeping and cleaning within one of the four Boarding Houses (predominately pupil bedrooms and pupil common spaces).
The boarding houses have up to 80+ pupils ranging from P7 to S6, who live in single, two or four-person bedrooms spread out over self-contained accommodation.
The standards required are high but the starting position is that each pupil is expected to make their bed down daily and keep their room tidy. The Housekeeper would be expected to build on that by carrying out the vacuuming, dusting and wet cleaning down of horizontal surfaces as appropriate, dusting the higher and lower parts of the room with an extendable duster, cleaning the wash hand basin and checking to ensure the environment is wholesome.
The Ministry of Defence employs over 50, Civil Servants. Within that, the Army Top Level Budget (TLB) employs around 7, MOD Civil Servants located at over locations. Ours is a diverse workforce, with roles ranging from trainers, human resources, teachers, and psychologists to storekeepers, financiers, project and programme managers, and policy secretariat staff. There are many different functions and professions delivering key outputs for the Army. As such using data to aid understanding of our workforce is vital.
This position is advertised at 30 hours per week.
Job description
Housekeepers are assigned to one of the four boarding houses at QVS. The job entails working closely with the House Master (HoM) and House Matron who will prioritise activities and issue any reasonable day to day requirements in order to suit the prevailing conditions in the boarding house.
It should be noted that although the post is affiliated to one Boarding House, there will be on occasion a requirement to cover Housekeeping tasks in any of the other three Boarding Houses.
The Housekeeper would be expected to build on pupils’ own tidiness and cleanliness within their bedrooms by carrying out the vacuuming, dusting and wet cleaning down of horizontal surfaces as appropriate, dusting the higher and lower parts of the room with an extendable duster, cleaning the wash hand basin and checking to ensure the environment is wholesome. Other spaces such as shared corridors, boarding house office and refreshment areas are also within the Housekeepers remit.
The Housekeeper would be expected to perform some indirect pastoral duties around the house to promote the welfare of pupils (though contact is minimal). Their role is to maintain a stable, welcoming environment, flagging concerns discreetly, and being a trusted presence for pupils in the background. Any significant issues or concerns that the Housekeeper may have should be escalated promptly to the HoM, Matron or promoted Staff Member.
The Housekeeper should be alert to other matters whilst going about their duties, such as damages, defects or concerns with unsafe practices. Any of these should be brought to the attention of House Staff. If urgent, and House Staff are not available, the matter should be escalated to FM Department.
Ad hoc and additional support to the Matron may be necessary, this is limited to dispatching and receiving laundry and helping with pupil administration in the Matron’s Dispensary. On a weekly basis, it is normal to substitute for the Matron on their day off.
In the main summer holiday, the Housekeeper duties switch from the care of QVS pupils to housekeeping in support of hosting Summer Letting activity. In this case, the Housekeepers work together, as a team.
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Person specification
Essential
· Experience of housekeeping / cleaning work.
· Knowledge of health and safety considerations relating to cleaning.
Desirable
· Knowledge of the duties of a Housekeeper for large premises.
· Good inter-personal and communication skills.
· Ability to use own initiative to identify and prioritise tasks.
· Ability to work alone and as part of a team.
· Approachable and courteous manner.
· A desire to work in Boarding School environment.
· An understanding of the need for confidentiality within the School setting/environment.
· Ability to identify basic repair tasks.
· Skilled in maintaining a stable, welcoming environment, dealing sensitively with any issues discreetly.
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
· Making Effective Decisions.
· Managing a Quality Service.
· Working Together.
Benefits
Alongside your salary of £23,, Ministry of Defence contributes £6, towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme. Find out what benefits a Civil Service Pension provides.
As a QVS employee you will become a MOD Civil Servant. Benefits for QVS/MOD Civil Servants include:
· Personal and professional development opportunities.
· Part of a forward-looking organisation with inclusive workplace policies and prides itself on being a supportive employer.
· Access to the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), a free service that assists you with achieving a productive, healthy environment that is conducive to a healthy lifestyle.
· Civil Service Pension
· On campus car parking.
· Access to excellent sports facilities, including a multi-gym.
Discover My Benefits:
Please follow the link to visit the Discover My Benefits site which showcases the benefits and discounts offered when working as a civilian for the MOD. post does not offer any assistance with Relocation Allowances.
Please be advised that the Department is conducting a review of all pay related allowances which could impact on those allowances that the post currently being advertised attracts.