ASSISTANT HOUSEKEEPER JOB DESCRIPTION

Place of Work
Winton House lies 14 miles to the south east of Edinburgh and is home to the Ogilvy family. It also contains two flats, one which is let separately and one for the resident caretakers. Winton is open for corporate hospitality as a venue for dinners, weddings, activity days, meetings, overnight accommodation and also for tours for the general public. It is one of the most important houses in Scotland architecturally and is surrounded by an agricultural estate with direct links back to 1150. There are two self catering properties nearby, Wintonhill Farmhouse which is and often used for accommodation in conjunction with events held at Winton House, and Winton Cottage which will be available in the spring of 2007.

General Job Outline
Winton House and the two self catering properties are looked after by a team of housekeepers lead by a head housekeeper. In the past, this person has been part of a husband and wife team fulfilling the caretaking and housekeeping roles although alternative role combinations are being considered. A garden flat using the oldest rooms of the house can be provided should this position be considered with a caretaking spouse. It is also possible that the assistant position can be serviced by someone living outwith.

The house as become well established for corporate hospitality and has won prestigious awards for the customer service provided. The housekeeping positions are viewed as crucial to sustain the service which is now expected from the events team and also to maintain the house and grounds to a similarly high standard. Sharing the beauty of Winton with a wide range of visitors is considered important: we hope to allow them to enjoy their stay to the extent that they wish to return.

The job has great variety and the hours can be irregular The house and the activities that take place there have changed considerably in recent years and the successful applicant will need to demonstrate a willingness to be flexible as well as level of fitness to cope with stairs and moving furniture between functions.

Character of Applicant
The position is one of trust and responsibility. The list below of specific duties is given for indicative purposes only and is not intended to be exhaustive.

There is currently a team of three to look after the housekeeping on a part time basis. General duties will include the following:

• Cleaning of the public areas and on occasions between tenancies the flat
• Cleaning the self catering properties between periods of occupation
• Setting up & clearing equipment for functions, from linen to bar units, or setting up for outdoor activities
• Assisting with activity days especially with large scale outdoor events
• Chamber-maiding
• Cooking/baking for house guests and day visitors
• Serving of tea/coffee or other reception drinks
• Preparing rooms for trades work and clearing up afterwards
• Laundry
• Mending
• Fires - clearance/re-making and lighting
• Clocks -winding weekly
• Self Catering properties - weekly security checks, winding clocks and watering plants
• Furniture conservation
• Fruit picking and jam making if necessary

Useful experience but not essential would include the following:

• Bar work/waitressing
• Home baking
• Basic computer skills/admin

Essential qualities and experience required for the Assistant Housekeeper:

• Organised & flexible
• Able to work on your own initiative
• Show attention to detail
• Maintain a good level of fitness

Liaison
The successful applicant will be answerable principally to Lady Ogilvy, but also to event organisers for specific related work. The applicant will be expected to work as team players with the Events Team and others generally in the Winton Estate Team.

Accommodation
A self contained flat can be provided, occupying the barrel vaulted rooms of the 15th century house. They have been recently upgraded to allow for comfortable living space with the maximum amount of insulation for heat and sound. The large former kitchen from the 17th century has been converted for use as a living/dining room; next door is a good sized kitchen with a hallway, bath/shower room and double bedroom beyond. The back door is shared with all of the occupants of the house; the heating for radiators and hot water comes from a newly installed woodchip fired boiler within the gardens and there is an up to date telephone system.

Terms and Conditions
Hours: The working week will normally be from Tuesday to Friday with caretaking and function-specific duties only on Saturdays. Time off will be given on Sundays and Mondays together with Thursday evenings for caretaking duties as well as one long weekend per month, normally the last unless otherwise specified, from Saturday morning to Monday night. When required to work on Sundays, time off in lieu where possible will be given.
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8am - 2.30pm, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8am - 12.30pm and out-of-hours caretaking/cleaning work when required (provision currently for around 4 hours per week averaged over the year) including open weekends (currently 2) and occasions when overnight guests stay on to Sunday mornings.
Holidays: 28 days including public holidays. It will be unlikely that extended holidays will be possible during the summer.
Transport: There is an estate vehicle shared with other staff although it is recommended that the caretakers have their own transport. For private car use on Winton business a mileage allowance will be paid.
Salary: The salaries are dependent upon experience and may be inclusive of furnished accommodation, Council Tax, heating, lighting and telephone rental.

Conclusion
The extension and development of the gardening team for the first time in several decades has been keenly awaited but has required other groundwork to be in place beforehand. It is hoped that the successful applicant will quickly assume a degree of ownership of the gardens around Winton House and elsewhere on the estate with an eye for bringing out and developing the extraordinary from the ordinary. By involving the gardens as part of commercial events and activities focused at Winton House, justification for future investment will be positively considered.

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate an ability to apply lateral thinking not only to bring a practical and economically sound answer to a problem, but also to find and work towards new but appropriate garden uses that will bring financial reward to sustain the work in the gardens and the livelihoods of those who work in them. The potential for the gardens is huge; there is a willingness to address this with a network of support and enthusiasm from others. It is hoped therefore that the successful applicant will be keen to see the transformation which is anticipated.

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