Birmingham
2nd October 2026

Website Birmingham Solihull Women’s Aid

Refuge Housekeeper

POST: Refuge Housekeeper

HOURS OF WORK: 22 hours per week

SALARY: £15,699.08 per year

JOB PURPOSE:

To ensure BSWA’s refuge accommodation is maintained to a high standard of cleanliness and maintenance, creating a safe and welcoming environment for women and children.

This post will be is to cover one of our Birmingham refuges, but some cover may be required at any of our refuge sites (in Birmingham and Solihull) from time to time.

The 22 hours will need to be worked primarily over 5 days and between the hours of 9am and 5pm.

RESPONSIBLE TO: The Refuge Manager

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

HOUSEKEEPING:

To develop and maintain daily/weekly/monthly programmes of work, as agreed by your line manager, to ensure that the refuge is cleaned and maintained to a high standard

To prepare flats/rooms for occupancy as soon as they become vacant

To clean staff areas including offices, staff kitchen and bathrooms

To ensure that the refuge is appropriately stocked with the resources necessary to keep the refuge clean and maintained

To draw up requisitions using a purchase requisition pro forma for cleaning materials. This is to be agreed with your line manager

To purchase equipment either by ordering from agreed suppliers or suppliers or by shopping using petty cash, with your line manager’s agreement

To ensure there is a supply of tea, coffee, milk, sugar etc. in the staff kitchen

To launder bed linen, towels and duvets, as flats become vacant

To ensure that goods left behind by ex-residents are kept as per the license agreement and disposed of as soon as the requisite time has expired

To report maintenance issues

To carry out regular room checks as directed by the Refuge Manager

To carry out and record monthly maintenance checks with a colleague

To carry out Health & Safety checks and maintain Health & Safety standards in the refuge

ADMINISTRATION:

To work within BSWA’s administrative and financial systems

To keep accurate records of financial transitions in line with BSWA’s procedures

To ensure that Health and Safety and maintenance records are kept up to date

To complete room availability records

COMMUNICATION:

To ensure that all staff team members are aware of any matters that are relevant to the welfare and security of the refuges, staff, volunteers and service users by:

Maintaining BSWA communication records

Following safety procedures

Attending team meetings

To attend in-house training

To attend support and supervision sessions with your line manager

To develop a professional working relationship with external agencies

TRAINING:

To identify and attend training relevant to the post in agreement with your line manager.

GENERAL:

To maintain the confidentiality of the women and children using the service and, in all matters, relating to the organisation

To offer an equal service to all women and children regardless of age, class, culture, language, race, religion and sexual orientation

To work within BSWA policies and procedures and demonstrate a commitment to the values and ethos of BSWA

To work within BSWA and local multi-agency child and adult safeguarding procedures

To work within BSWA’s framework for equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice

To undertake any other duties required by BSWA, which may arise and commensurate with the post

PERSON SPECIFICATION

COMMITMENT AND UNDERSTANDING: FORM INTERVIEW TEST Commitment to services for women and children affected by domestic violenceXXCommitment to work within BSWA ethos, policies and proceduresXCommitment to providing services within an anti-discriminatory/equal opportunities framework to meet individual needsXX

EXPERIENCE: FORM INTERVIEW TEST Of carrying out health and safety checks to comply with legislation and organisational needsXXOf working in a residential setting to ensure that the building is well cleaned and maintainedXX

SKILLS: FORM INTERVIEW TEST Ability to manage own workload and prioritise tasksXXA sensitive approach to working with vulnerable women and childrenXXThe ability to build good relationships with other staff and volunteers and to work as part of a teamXXGood administrative skills and the ability to work with Microsoft OfficeXA willingness to work flexibly to ensure the needs of the service are metX

DESIRABLE: FORM INTERVIEW TEST An understanding of domestic violenceX

The closing date for receipt of completed applications is at 12 noon on Friday 2nd October. Interviews will take place weeks commencing 19th October.

Application email: recruitment@bswaid.org

Our website: Jobs Archive – Birmingham Solihull Women’s Aid

To apply for this job email your details to recruitment@bswaid.org.

Refuge Housekeeper

About the role

Refuge Housekeeper