STAFFORDSHIRE WOMEN'S AID
24,242 per year
Stafford
Part-time
REFUGE HOUSEKEEPER AND HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER
JOB DESCRIPTION
Job Title
Refuge Housekeeper and Health and Safety Officer
Salary:
£24,242 per annum pro rota
£13,104 per annum actual
Hours:
20 hours (to be worked over 3 weekdays)
Responsible to: Responsible to: Accommodation Services Manager,
Chief Executive and Staffordshire Women's Aid Board of Trustees.
Job Purpose
This role will be based at Staffordshire Women's Aid’s Refuge
accommodation in Stafford. To be responsible for health and safety
compliance checks across all refuge properties. Cleaning and maintenance
of communal areas of the refuge and preparing flats for new families.
This post is open to female applicants only as being female is deemed to be a genuine
occupational requirement under Schedule 9, Paragraph 1 of the Equality Act 2010
JOB DETAILS
Core Functions, Duties & Responsibilities
CORE REQUIREMENTS
• To work as a committed member of the Staffordshire Women's Aid team.
• To support the aims, values and working principles of Staffordshire Women's Aid, and to
work in alignment with Staffordshire Women’s Aid’s Policies and Procedures.
• To take all possible steps to ensure the safety and confidentiality of the service users, staff,
volunteers, and management of Staffordshire Women's Aid.
• To promote equality and value diversity.
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DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST
• Be responsible for the health and safety checks across all refuge properties. This includes
carrying out fire safety checks and managing and reporting any maintenance issues.
• Ensure all essential weekly and monthly health and safety compliance checks are
completed, including Fire Marshall Duties where necessary, emergency lighting checks and
water flushing. Weekly fire alarm checks to be carried out and recorded and arrange and
carry out regular fire drills.
• Clear record keeping of health and safety checks, reports and action plans.
• Maintenance and cleaning of all refuge communal areas to a high standard of cleanliness
and hygiene, ensuring communal areas are safe and hazard free.
• Prepare flats both at the main refuge and the dispersed properties for new families moving
into refuge. This includes the clearing, cleaning, flat itinerary checks, replacements,
reporting repairs, arranging decorating as required and general set up in a timely manner.
• Fortnightly flat checks of all refuge flats including dispersed flats. This includes health and
safety checks and ensuring all furniture and white goods are in good working order and that
the flats are in a fair state of cleanliness and repair.
• General refuge office duties. These could include answering the phones and doors.
• Managing stock levels and reordering replacements as required such as cleaning products
and equipment, bedding, furniture, beds, kitchen utensils and white goods. This will include
recording any replacements on Oasis.
• Ensure storerooms where replacements and cleaning equipment and products are stored
are kept clean and well organised.
• To work closely with the team and lead in the planning for flat turnover. Communicating
and recording tasks required to ensure a swift and effective turnover.
• Work flexibly to allow us to offer the best service possible to service users.
• To maintain confidentiality at all times.
• To be organised and competent in planning and managing own time and the tasks required
of the role, ensuring priority tasks are completed.
• Attend team and service meetings as required and collaborate with colleagues in achieving
organisational objectives. Attend training as required.
Variation Clause
Staffordshire Women’s Aid reserves the right, following consultation with the member of staff,
to vary, add or alter any of the terms and conditions of employment attached to this post.
This job description will be reviewed annually and may need to be revised according to the
priorities of current workload with the agreement of the Board of Trustees and the CEO.
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The performance of the post holder will be monitored through regular supervision by the line
manager and reviewed at each annual appraisal.
General Information and Conditions of Service
• 5 weeks holiday (pro rata) per year, plus statutory holidays.
• Staffordshire Women’s Aid contributes a sum equivalent to 3% of the annual salary to the
company pension scheme following successful completion of 3 months probationary
period, and subject to staff contribution as part of auto-enrolment.
• Overtime is unpaid; time of in lieu is to be taken in consultation with line manager.
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REFUGE HOUSEKEEPER AND HEALTH AND SAFETY OFFICER
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Criteria:
Experience:
• Experience of, or willing to undertake training in,
Health and Safety. Including undertaking and
recording regular H&S checks and responding to
identified problems or issues as they arise
• Ability to be a valuable team member, whilst being
able to lone work and take responsibility for
specific duties
• Experience of working for a charity or in the third
sector
Experience of working in a setting where
vulnerable people live
Experience of domestic and/or commercial
cleaning
Knowledge &
Understanding:
• Understanding of the risks to victims of domestic
violence and sexual violence living in refuge and
the trauma they have, or may still be, experiencing
Knowledge of and agreement with Staffordshire
Women’s Aid aims and principles
• A commitment to equality and diversity and
practice in the workplace
• Willingness to achieve high standards of safety
and support
• A strong understanding for the need for
confidentiality to keep the refuge and the residents
safe
• Willingness to attend domestic violence and sexual
violence awareness training
Knowledge and understanding of safe cleaning
methods
Skills:
• Good practical skills for reporting emergency
maintenance requirements
Firm grasp of general cleaning methods and
techniques
Proficient use of different types of cleaning
equipment
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Essential Desirable
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• Good communication and literacy skills
• Sense of humor
• Good organisational skills
• Flexible approach
• Clean and full driving licence and access to own
vehicle
• Physically fit as the role involves lifting and labour-
intensive work
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