The Caretaker looks after the day-to-day physical condition, safety and presentation of the site. That covers opening and securing the venue, keeping it clean, maintaining the grounds and gardens, carrying out repairs, managing the hot tubs that serve our holiday accommodation and completing the safety checks the Trust is required to record.
That extends to the postholder as well as the grounds: the Caretaker is one of the most visible people on site, and guests judge the whole operation by how approachable and professional they are, as well as by the state of the buildings. The postholder is expected to maintain the standard of presentation set out in the Trust's uniform and appearance policy.
This is a permanent, year-round post rather than a seasonal one. We are looking for someone who will stay, who will come to know the site and its plant properly, and who will notice when something is not right before it becomes a problem. That knowledge is the point of the role.
Key responsibilities
Opening, securing and cleaning
- Open the venue each morning and secure it at the end of each day, including alarms, lighting, CCTV, plant room and all doors
- Twice-daily clean and check of the venue, including toilets, changing rooms, floors and touch points, with toilets checked and topped up on each round
- Remove rubbish and café waste daily, sweep decking and pathways, and carry out monthly deep cleans
- Bring in deliveries and open up for morning swimmers
Grounds and gardening
- Grass cutting, strimming, edging, hedges, borders and seasonal planting across the site
- Rake and weed the beach area, jet wash pathways, clear leaves, drains and gutters
- Keep pathways, ramps and accessible routes clear, level and free of trip hazards in all weather
Maintenance and repairs
- Minor repairs across carpentry, painting, decorating, fixings and general DIY
- Treat and seal fences, decking and internal timber on a planned cycle
- Daily plant room and water shed checks, reporting faults promptly
- Report anything beyond the scope of the role so a contractor can be engaged
Hot tubs
Hot tubs serving our holiday accommodation are the highest-risk item on the site and are managed to a written scheme under Health and Safety Executive guidance HSG282. The Operations Manager is the named site lead. The Caretaker works alongside them on this every day.
- Daily testing and recording of disinfectant, pH and water temperature, and chemical dosing to bring readings into range
- Full drain, clean, disinfect, refill and rebalance at every changeover, before a tub is released to an incoming guest
- Take a tub out of use and escalate immediately where readings cannot be corrected or the water is not right
- Safe handling and storage of hot tub chemicals
Full training is provided. Existing experience is welcome but not essential.
Health, safety and compliance
The Operations Manager holds the duty holder role for fire safety and legionella control, sets the schedule and audits the records. The Caretaker carries out the checks on the ground and records them accurately on the day.
- Weekly fire alarm testing, fire door and escape route inspection
- Monthly emergency lighting testing and fire extinguisher inspection
- Weekly legionella temperature checks and flushing across the venue and accommodation
- Checks of water safety equipment, accessible equipment, pull cords and external lighting
Guests, contractors and accommodation
- Meet, sign in and induct contractors and visiting engineers, and check work is completed before signing off
- Support accommodation changeover days, including setting up and taking down accessibility and mobility equipment for each incoming guest
- Respond to guest maintenance issues during working hours
- Assist with venue setup for events, and install and remove Christmas decorations
Safeguarding
- Work always in line with the Trust's safeguarding policy, code of conduct and lone working procedures
- Avoid unsupervised contact with children or adults at risk, and never work alone with a child
- Report any safeguarding concern immediately to the Designated Safeguarding Lead
A detailed operations schedule accompanies this job description, setting out the daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal routine in full. It is available on request and is issued on appointment.
Working pattern, cover and out of hours
The postholder works Friday to Tuesday, 8.00am to 12.00pm and 1.00pm to 4.00pm, with Wednesday and Thursday as fixed days off. Saturday and Sunday are standard working days. The pattern covers Friday changeovers, the full weekend and Tuesday morning swims, which are the days the site is busiest. Wednesday and Thursday are covered by the venue cleaning team.
The balance of work shifts across the year. Grounds work and changeovers are heaviest in spring and summer, when additional seasonal support works alongside the Caretaker. Winter is planned maintenance, redecoration, timber treatment and deeper cleaning.
Pay: £25,500.00-£27,500.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
