Executive Housekeeper

Role Overview

The Housekeeping Executive runs the daily engine of the property's cleanliness and guest comfort — assigning attendants each morning, walking rooms and public areas before they go back into inventory, and answering guest requests in person rather than from behind a desk. The role matters because in a luxury setting, an immaculate room and a gracious, fast response are what the hotel's reputation is actually built on. This person also owns the department's numbers: labour hours, linen and chemical spend, and the forecasts that keep the operation inside its budget.

Key Responsibilities

• Set the department's daily rhythm — build rosters, allocate rooms, suites and public areas to staff, and rebalance assignments mid-shift when occupancy, VIP arrivals or call-outs change the plan.
• Lead, coach and appraise the housekeeping and laundry team, running regular training on cleaning technique, guest interaction and safe chemical handling so standards hold even when supervisors are off the floor.
• Inspect rooms, corridors, bathrooms and public spaces against brand standards, log every fault found, and follow each one through until it is closed out with the responsible department.
• Handle guest requests and complaints directly, resolving issues on the spot and escalating anything touching reputation, safety or security to senior management with full transparency.
• Manage departmental finances — payroll hours, overtime, linen, chemicals and small equipment — and prepare the forecasts and variance explanations that support them.
• Keep departmental records current and audit-ready, including attendance, training logs, inventory counts and inspection results.
• Work the property management side of the operation in Opera: room status updates, discrepancy reports, and coordination with front office on arrivals, departures and stayovers.
• Partner with engineering, front office and food and beverage on repairs, events and room turnovers, and recommend practical changes to equipment, methods or staffing that would raise standards or cut waste.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Previous management experience in a housekeeping department is essential, ideally gained in a similar executive or assistant manager capacity.
• Demonstrated five-star or luxury market experience, with a strong operational background in implementing and maintaining brand standards.
• Proven ability to coach and develop a professional management team, including supervisors and assistant managers.
• Sound working knowledge of Opera and the Microsoft Office suite, particularly Excel for rostering and forecasting.
• Hands-on experience with cost control across payroll, departmental expenses and forecasting.
• Fluent written and spoken English, with articulate communication and well-groomed personal presentation.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills, with the ability to plan labour across a full week while absorbing the interruptions of a live operation.
• Capable of working autonomously and exercising sound judgement without constant direction.