Team Member | Wychcroft – Southwark Diocese Resource & Retreat Centre

Accountable to: The Manager

Location: Wychcroft, Bletchingley

Job context: Wychcroft is a large Victorian country house situated on the South Park Farm Estate in the Surrey countryside. It serves as a retreat centre for the Diocese of Southwark and is used by many diocesan and parish groups, for both day and residential gatherings. The House has 23 bedrooms, together with three meeting rooms and a dining room. It has a palatial wood panelled entrance hall with a grand staircase. A separate chapel sits adjacent to the House.

The House team members are at the heart of the operation of the House. They provide hospitality, home-cooking and housekeeping to a high standard. Beyond the important work of hospitality, the rest of the team’s activities are intentionally unobtrusive. This allows the House to maintain a still and peaceable atmosphere with guests being able to move around without disturbance.

Job purpose: To work as part of a team in carrying out catering, cleaning and general housekeeping duties. To provide a warm and helpful service to guests so as to make their stay as comfortable and enjoyable as possible.

Hours: These will vary according to House bookings and other needs. The Manager will create a work rota for the House team based around the operational needs of the House, with details being provided at least a week in advance.

The annual leave entitlement is on a pro-rata basis based on a full time equivalent of 26 days per annum, plus eight statutory bank holidays and two local holidays. There may be an occasional need to work on a bank holiday. Accrued annual leave entitlement is allocated according to the operational needs of the House. Currently, annual leave is granted during the whole month of August, two weeks over the Christmas and New Year period, and a week at Easter.

Main duties and responsibilities:

1. Catering

a) The preparation, cooking and serving of meals

b) Catering for special dietary needs

c) Monitoring food and kitchen items for low stock

d) Cleaning of the kitchen and its equipment on a daily basis

2. Housekeeping

a) Cleaning of meeting rooms, the Chapel and communal areas

b) Cleaning of bedrooms, including making beds

c) Cleaning of showers, bathrooms and toilets

d) Laundry duties: such as washing, folding and ironing

3. Hospitality

a) Greeting guests on their arrival

b) Taking luggage to rooms (if necessary)

c) Providing tea and coffee service

d) Maintaining the guest pantry

e) Responding to ad-hoc guest hospitality requests

4. Other

a) The nature of the House and the key role that the team members play, means that other tasks may be required from time to time to enable its smooth running.

Person Specification

· A willingness to serve, in an unobtrusive style, to the highest standards of hospitality, which enables our guests to make the most of their stay.

· Being able to work as part of a team, with a flexible attitude to enable you to support and help others when needed.

· A strong commitment to the values, culture and ethos of the Church of England is important, and to share the spirit of service, hospitality and team life.

Details on how to apply please email: [email protected]