Lincoln College, Oxford

Head Scout

Further Particulars

Job Title: / Head Scout
Department: / Housekeeping
Responsible to: / The Housekeeper
Job Purpose: / Based primarily in College, to assist the Housekeeper in ensuring a comprehensive cleaning service is provided in compliance with College procedures, practices and Health and Safety Regulations; by personally undertaking cleaning duties, by supervising a team of Scouts and by providing cover for the Housekeeper when they are absent.

Background information on the College

Lincoln College was founded in 1427 in the University of Oxford during term time it has 600 students in residence, of whom nearly 300 are graduates. It enjoys an excellent reputation for its undergraduate education and has been among the top ten colleges academically for the past three years. During the Easter and Summer breaks the College premises provide an attractive Conference venue for a variety of organisations. Lincoln College is located on an historic site in the centre of Oxford, with accommodation provided on the main site and elsewhere in central Oxford. More information on the College can be found on its website, www.lincoln.ox.ac.uk.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Outline of Main Duties

Cleaning Duties

(On a typical shift this would take up approximately 3/5 of the time)

·  Provide a comprehensive cleaning service to include daily dusting, vacuuming, washing floors and paintwork, emptying bins, cleaning toilets/ensuites etc, often covering for Scouts who are absent.

·  To wear uniform provided and any protective clothing supplied and follow directions in safe working methods

·  Ensure that all cleaning equipment is kept clean and in good working order eg emptying vacuum bags regularly, cleaning filters, changing mop heads and washing cloths and dusters

Supervision of a team of scouts

(On a typical shift this would take up approximately 2/5 of the time)

·  Check every morning that Scouts have signed in and organise cover in any instances of unexpected absence.

·  To ensure that good time keeping is kept by all Scouts and to maintain relevant records.

·  Liaise with the Housekeeper regarding any cover for holidays or long term sick leave.

·  To supervise the Scouts and make regular on the spot staircase and zone visits, checking that work is completed and carried out to high standards of cleanliness and hygiene

·  Ensure all scouts are using correct cleaning materials and equipment ie colour coded clothes and mops are used as advised in NVQ training

·  To assist in the training of Scouts and temporary Agency staff and to maintain relevant records.

·  To process the Scouts’ weekly cleaning materials order forms.

·  To be responsible for the smooth running of the Laundry, ensuring that stocks of linen are maintained and that the Laundry is clean and tidy at all times.

·  To distribute the linen to Staircases during the Conference periods

·  To assist the Housekeeper, making sure that rooms are cleaned and prepared on time for occupation by students at the beginning of term, for conference delegates during the Easter and Summer vacations and for Student Admissions at Christmas

·  Attend regular meetings with Housekeeper and Off site Head Scouts

·  Report any maintenance defects to the College Steward

·  To work at other College sites if required and carry out any reasonable request made by the Housekeeper

·  To be available for weekend work at the peak times of students going down and in coming Conferences.

·  To undertake any training in the use of equipment and courses as required.

Termly Duties

·  Make termly Pantry checks making sure Pantry’s are kept safe, clean and tidy.

·  Assist the Housekeeper in making a termly check of all the Student/Fellows Accommodation and Offices.

·  To be responsible for the Trunk rooms used by Overseas Students during the Vacation periods only. Making sure luggage is signed in and out.

·  To assist the Housekeeper in organising the spring clean/end of term cleaning programme for scouts - to include carpet and curtain cleaning, window cleaning, paintwork cleaning, moving of furniture to clean behind it, skirting boards, high level dusting, ensuring all areas are clean and fresh.

Providing cover for the Housekeeper

To provide cover for the Housekeeper when she is absent from site on annual leave etc

General -

·  To participate in any training appropriate to the job

·  To wear any protective clothing supplied and follow directions on safe working methods.

·  To be aware of the Health and Safety of yourself, other staff, students and the public

·  To be familiar with, and work in accordance with, all relevant College policies and procedures.

The post holder will be expected to undertake any other duties or tasks as reasonably directed or requested by the Housekeeper and their assistant. This job description may be subject to review in consultation with the postholder.

This job description may be amended from time to time without changing the essential characteristics of the post.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential/Desirable
Experience of cleaning / Essential
Experience of supervising a small team / Desirable
Knowledge of Health and Safety Legislation, especially in the way that it relates to cleaning staff / Desirable
Strong organisational skills, both related to own workload and to that of others / Essential
Able to use initiative to resolve problems that may arise / Essential
Capable of demonstrating good motivational skills in order to encourage and influence the Scouts in good work practices and team work. / Essential
Have good communication skills both for working with the team but also when interacting with students, staff and visitors / Essential
Have good health and fitness for cleaning duties (lots of stairs involved) / Essential
Have good spoken and written English / Essential
Able to work flexibly when workload demands / Essential
Willing to learn new skills / Essential
Previous experience of working in a College environment or similar / Desirable
Possession of NVQ level 2 or British Institute of Cleaning Standards Cleaning Operators Proficiency Certificate / Desirable
Good knowledge of COSHH / Desirable
Possess basic computer skills e.g. Word and e mail / Desirable

Terms and Conditions

Appointment: / The position is to be filled as soon as possible
The initial period of appointment is probationary, for six months.
Salary: / £9.53 per hour plus a monthly responsibility allowance of £64.57
Pension rights: / Oxford Staff Pension Scheme (OSPS)
Meals: / Employees working 6 hours or more per day are entitled to take lunch free of charge in Hall each day they work when the kitchen is open. Lunch break is unpaid.
Hours of working: / Part time, 30 hours per week Monday to Friday, 8.00am – 2pm. The Head Scout will be expected to work a minimum of 3 weekends throughout the year, for which overtime will be payable and advanced notice will be given
Annual leave entitlement: / The postholder will be entitled to 30 days’ paid leave plus 8 days’ Bank Holidays in each year.
Notice period: / During the initial probationary period, notice will be one week on either side. Subsequent to satisfactory review and confirmation in the post the notice period will be one month on either side.

Application process

1  Prospective candidates should complete an Application Form (available from the Housekeeper) and send this, together with a thoughtfully-written covering letter stating how their skills, experiences and interests equip them to undertake this role, to the Housekeeper by 12.00 noon on Monday 24th October 2016.

2  This post is subject to recruitment monitoring to ensure that the selection process is consistent with the law and the College’s Equal Opportunity Policy and Code of Practice; to this end, applicants are asked to complete a Recruitment Monitoring Form, which is also available from the Lodge Manager. This should be returned with your application, but should be placed in a separate sealed envelope addressed to the Human Resources Manager. The information supplied on the form will play NO part in the selection process, and will NOT be seen by any member of the selection panel.

Interviews will be held at Lincoln College on during the week commencing 31st October 2016.

Data Protection. All data supplied by applicants will be used only for the purposes of determining their suitability for the post and will be held in accordance with the principles of the Data Protection Act 1998.

Other Information

Lincoln College is an Equal Opportunities Employer. Conduct against fellow employees and College members which is offensive, or detrimental to them on grounds of age, colour, disability, ethnic origin, marital status, nationality, national origin, parental status, race, religion or belief, gender, or sexual orientation will not be tolerated.

Any enquiries related to these Further Particulars should be directed in the first instance to the Housekeeper, Lynn Archer ().