Executive Housekeeper

Role Purpose

Lead and manage all housekeeping and laundry operations at CityBlue Hotels in Mombasa, ensuring the highest standards of cleanliness, presentation, and guest comfort. This role is pivotal in driving departmental financial performance, upholding brand standards, developing the team, and ensuring all guest areas reflect the hotel's commitment to excellence.

What You Will Do

Housekeeping Operations & Standards: Oversee cleaning and inspection of guest rooms, public areas, pool, restaurants, conference rooms, and back-of-house spaces. Ensure rooms are ready for check-in by the guaranteed time, manage VIP room setups, and coordinate with Front Office for room turnovers. Develop and implement deep cleaning schedules for various hotel areas.

Laundry Operations: Supervise the hotel's laundry services, including guest laundry, staff uniforms, and linens. Ensure all items are cleaned, pressed, and in good condition, maintaining adequate par levels and managing equipment maintenance.

Financial Performance & Cost Control: Prepare and manage the annual housekeeping budget, control expenses on supplies, amenities, and linens. Conduct regular stock takes, manage linen par levels based on occupancy, and monitor room attendant productivity for staffing adjustments.

Team Leadership & Development: Lead a diverse housekeeping and laundry team, including supervisors and attendants. Conduct regular training on cleaning standards, safety, and guest interaction. Create daily/weekly schedules and participate in recruitment and performance management.

Quality Control & Inspections: Conduct daily inspections of a significant percentage of guest rooms and public areas. Log and report maintenance defects and track their resolution. Review guest feedback to implement corrective actions.

Inventory & Supplies: Manage the ordering and stocking of guest room amenities and cleaning supplies. Ensure safe storage and correct use of chemicals. Forecast replacement needs for linens and uniforms, and manage supplier relationships.

Hygiene, Safety & Compliance: Enforce strict hygiene protocols and train staff on safe chemical handling. Manage the lost and found process and enforce key control procedures.

Inter-departmental Coordination: Maintain close communication with Front Office regarding room statuses and VIP arrivals. Coordinate with Engineering for maintenance and ensure timely cleaning for F&B and events. Prepare housekeeping for group arrivals and conferences.

Who You Are

Experience: Possess 6-10 years of housekeeping experience, with at least 3-4 years in an Executive Housekeeper or Assistant Executive Housekeeper role within a 4 or 5-star hotel. Experience in pre-opening hotel projects and managing teams of 20+ is essential. Coastal hotel experience, including managing sand, humidity, and pool towels, is highly desirable.

Education: Hold a Degree or Higher Diploma in Hotel Management, Hospitality, or a related field. A certification in housekeeping management from Kenya Utalii College or a similar institution is a plus.

Technical Skills: Demonstrate deep knowledge of cleaning techniques, fabric care, chemical safety, and inspection protocols. Possess strong financial literacy, including budgeting, P&L interpretation, cost control, and par level management. Proficiency in PMS/Hotel software (e.g., Opera, Material Controls, IDS) and basic Excel is required.

Languages: Fluent English is mandatory. Fluent Swahili is highly desirable, and proficiency in additional international languages is an advantage.

Personal Attributes: Exhibit obsessive attention to detail, exceptional organizational skills, and the ability to remain calm under pressure. Be a strong team builder, cost-conscious, and physically resilient to manage extensive property walking.