20 hours per week, with accommodation and all household bills included
We are looking for a reliable, practical and trustworthy person to help with the day-to-day care and maintenance of a smallholding, its grounds, animals and associated properties.
This is a varied, hands-on position suited to someone who enjoys outdoor work, is comfortable around animals and can work both independently and as part of a small team.
Accommodation is available throughout the week, with all household bills and Wi-Fi included. The position may particularly suit a part-time university student seeking employment and accommodation, or someone looking for a practical part-time role with fully supported accommodation.
The property is within easy walking distance of the railway station and approximately 17 minutes by train from Norwich. The entire site and accommodation are Wi-Fi enabled. Parking is available for one car.
The successful applicant will be free to undertake other employment or study during their non-working hours, provided this does not interfere with agreed duties, animal-care responsibilities or occasional emergency availability.
Main responsibilities
The role will include a mixture of grounds maintenance, property upkeep, practical smallholding work and animal care. Duties may include:
- Mowing lawns and maintaining paddocks, grassed areas and field edges
- Cutting hedges, pruning trees and clearing overgrown areas
- Weeding, planting and general garden maintenance
- Maintaining fences, gates, paths, tracks and boundaries
- Cleaning and tidying barns, sheds, animal areas and storage spaces
- Carrying out minor repairs and general property maintenance
- Identifying and reporting larger maintenance issues
- Using and maintaining garden and smallholding tools and machinery
- Moving feed, bedding, fencing materials and other supplies
- Assisting with seasonal work and property-improvement projects
- Helping to keep the smallholding, grounds and buildings safe, tidy and well maintained
Experience in property maintenance would be ideal, particularly experience with minor repairs, decorating, basic carpentry, general building upkeep or similar practical work.
Holiday-let support
There are three holiday-let properties on the site.
On one day each week, the successful applicant will work alongside a housekeeping team of two people who manage the changeovers of the holiday lets.
Changeover-day duties may include:
- Assisting the housekeeping team with practical tasks as required
- Moving linen, supplies and equipment
- Carrying out minor maintenance and repairs
- Checking entrances, pathways and outdoor areas
- Helping to ensure the properties and surrounding areas are safe, tidy and ready for arriving guests
- Reporting any damage, faults or maintenance concerns promptly
This is not primarily a housekeeping position, but a willingness to work cooperatively with the housekeeping team and assist with practical changeover tasks is essential.
Swimming-pool care
The property includes a swimming pool, and the role will involve helping with its routine care and maintenance.
Previous experience of swimming-pool care would be beneficial but is not essential, as appropriate training will be provided.
Pool-related duties may include:
- Routine visual checks
- Cleaning the pool and surrounding area
- Checking filtration and other equipment
- Monitoring the water and carrying out agreed testing
- Reporting faults or concerns promptly
- Following all training and safety procedures
Dog and animal care
An important part of the role will be helping to care for the dogs and other animals on the smallholding.
Duties may include:
- Feeding and providing fresh water
- Walking and supervising the dogs
- Cleaning animal areas
- Monitoring the animals’ general wellbeing
- Assisting with routine animal husbandry
- Taking responsibility for feeding and essential animal care when the owner is away
The successful applicant must be kind, calm and confident around dogs and able to manage their routine care responsibly.
Accommodation and occasional out-of-hours assistance
Accommodation is available for the whole week and includes:
- Rent
- Electricity
- Heating
- Water
- Council tax
- Wi-Fi
There may occasionally be a need for assistance outside normal working hours. Examples could include:
- An urgent fencing problem
- A fallen tree or blocked access
- An animal welfare concern
- Another unexpected issue affecting the safety of the animals or property
These situations are expected to be occasional rather than routine. The successful applicant must, however, be willing to offer reasonable assistance in an emergency when staying on the property.
Any regular animal-care commitments and arrangements for additional hours or emergency assistance will be agreed clearly in advance.
About you
The successful applicant will be:
- Reliable, punctual and trustworthy
- Kind, calm and confident around dogs and other animals
- Practical and willing to undertake a varied range of tasks
- Able to work independently and use initiative
- Able to work positively as part of a small team
- Physically able to carry out outdoor and manual work
- Comfortable working outside in different weather conditions
- Respectful of the property, its guests, animals and the owner’s privacy
- Able to respond calmly and sensibly to occasional problems or emergencies
Previous experience in property maintenance, farming, grounds maintenance, animal care, landscaping, equestrian work or working on a smallholding would be particularly helpful.
Experience using equipment such as ride-on mowers, strimmers, chainsaws or compact tractors would also be useful, where the applicant has the appropriate training and competence.
A driving licence would be ideal but is not essential because the property is easily accessible from the local railway station.
Hours, pay, accommodation and location
- Approximately 20 working hours per week
- Working pattern to be agreed
- One regular working day alongside the holiday-let housekeeping team
- Accommodation available throughout the week
- All household bills and Wi-Fi included
- Parking available for one car
- Occasional out-of-hours animal care or emergency assistance may be required
- Additional paid hours may sometimes be available
- Rate of pay: £130 per 8 hour day
- Location: Palgrave, Diss
- Approximately 17 minutes by train from Norwich
- Within easy walking distance of the railway station
To apply, please send a brief summary of your experience, practical skills and availability. Please include any relevant experience in property maintenance, grounds work, animal care, swimming-pool care or smallholding work, together with contact details for two references.
Pay: £130.00-£150.00 per day
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Work Location: In person
