Live-in Head Housekeeper on the Berkshire/Hampshire Border, UK

Live-in Head Housekeeper – Berkshire/Hampshire border – £50,000 a year

A very large, semi-formal country house on the Berkshire/Hampshire border is looking for an experienced, hands-on Head Housekeeper. The house is home to a family of four and their two dogs. You would take charge of housekeeping, presentation and the smooth daily running of the home, leading a small team and balancing the standards of a formal household with the needs of a busy family.

• Location: Berkshire/Hampshire border (rural)
• Contract: permanent, live-in
• Salary: £50,000 a year
• Accommodation: a two-bedroom cottage or a three-bedroom apartment
• Working pattern: weekends worked, with two consecutive days off during the week; split and/or staggered shifts may be needed, plus flexibility around family commitments, guests, events and shoot parties

Housekeeping and presentation

• Take overall charge of housekeeping and cleaning across the property to consistently high standards
• Set up and keep to daily, weekly and deep-clean schedules
• Look after antiques, fine finishes, delicate surfaces and specialist materials correctly, including wooden furniture
• Run all laundry, including personal laundry, ironing, wardrobe care and basic sewing repairs
• Keep household inventories and the House Bible accurate and up to date
• Manage stock and order household supplies
• Keep a maintenance and snagging log and work with the Maintenance team so issues are reported and fixed quickly

Leading the team

• Lead and supervise the housekeeping team, currently a live-in housekeeper, a daily housekeeper and a mother's help
• Write staff rotas and coordinate duties
• Train, mentor and support the team, set clear expectations and lead by example
• Encourage a collaborative, professional atmosphere across the house and the wider Estate

Guests, events and the Estate

• Provide front-of-house support and formal table service when needed
• Help plan and prepare large family events, guest stays and shoot parties with the Estate Office, and get the house ready before family visits and events
• Coordinate with the Chef and Head Gardener on flowers, food and garden produce
• Help with basic meal preparation and cook simple family meals on the Chef's days off when required
• Work closely with the Chef, Maintenance team, Head Gardener, Estate Office and other Estate staff
• Be a key holder, take part in the Estate's security and fire safety procedures, and follow household and Estate protocols
• House-sit and pet-sit when the family are away
• Play an active part in caring for the family's two dogs

Ideally you will have

• Experience as a Head or Senior Housekeeper in a large private household or on a yacht
• Experience of both formal and informal housekeeping
• Excellent organisation, leadership and team-management skills, with a proactive, hands-on style
• Strong laundry, ironing and wardrobe skills, including basic sewing and garment repairs
• Good knowledge of antiques, fine finishes and delicate surfaces and how to clean and care for them
• Exceptional attention to detail and high standards of cleanliness and presentation
• Experience managing inventories, stock, cleaning schedules and staff rotas
• Confidence working with Chefs, the Estate Office, Maintenance and Garden teams
• A discreet, reliable and professional manner with a clear understanding of privacy and confidentiality
• A genuine love of animals and confidence caring for dogs (essential)
• Flexibility to support the wider needs of a busy private household, and comfort living and working on a rural country estate around country pursuits
• A full driving licence and your own vehicle (essential because of the rural location); Estate vehicles are available for work errands
• Willingness to have an Enhanced DBS check

To apply, use the Apply button to go to the application page for this role.