Executive Housekeeper (Cruise Ship)

Executive Housekeeper & Housekeeping Supervisor Roles (Cruise Ship) - $competitive per month on board

ARM is seeking candidates for Executive Housekeeper positions on board some of the most prestigious cruise ships travelling the world.

Whilst being a critical member of the shipboard management team, the main responsibilities of the role will include:

• conducting oneself in a professional and courteous manner at all times. This applies to physical and verbal interactions with guests or fellow shipboard employees and/or in the presence of guest contact and crew areas.
• Ensures cleanliness, maintenance and presentation standards are managed to brand standards in all Housekeeping areas, including all guest staterooms and balconies, guest corridors, officer cabins, laundry, lockers and storage areas in both the front and back of house. 
• Spends at least 50% of working day in front-of-house operations to set tone and oversee inspection processes, ensuring feedback is delivered in constructive and appropriate manner with emphasis on positive reinforcement. 
• Ensures all administrative and back of house functions are completed on time, accurately and are maintained to standard.
• Reports to the Hotel Director and takes an active role in all hotel division activities. Educates fellow division heads on cleanliness standards
• Establishes himself/herself as a content expert on all Housekeeping and cleanliness related matters. Develops and maintains strong rapport and frequent communication with the Facilities Manager, the Deck Department and Marine Department to ensure timely completion of ongoing and preventative maintenance in an organized and well planned manner. Provides preventative maintenance reporting to enable maintenance to be planned and executed appropriately to improve stateroom, balcony and corridor appearance.
• Responsible for leading, motivating and coaching a team of empowered individuals who will strive to deliver exceptional guest service, taking ownership and accountability for reacting to guest feedback and requests effectively and efficiently.
• Responds to guest complaints and concerns in prompt, empathetic, and customer centric manner, ensuring appropriate resolution and using every guest issue as an opportunity to coach and mentor the Housekeeping management and team.
• Executive Housekeeper will permanently resolve recurring service failures through root cause analysis and effective problem solving techniques. Practices sound business sense in an ethical manner at all times.
• Enforces and assists shipboard senior management team in facilitating the ‘Guest Conduct Policy’.
• Mentors, develops and provides both classroom-style and on-the-job training to team members to strengthen their current performance and preparation for succession planning.
• Demonstrates strong ability to coach and develop team members on effective problem resolution skills and aptitudes. Ensures team communication is maintained at highest levels, through activities such as morning line up, etc. to constantly keep team informed and aware of relevant information.
• Evaluates and tracks development on an individual and team level, ensuring every team member receives frequent, open and honest feedback about his/her performance, individual strengths and improvement opportunities.
• Reviews and ensures compliance with the training matrix for all positions.
• Oversees, coordinates, and administers the Housekeeping Division schedule in conjunction with the shoreside support group. Actively identifies and monitors the scheduling needs of the Housekeeping division.
• Demonstrates aptitude for the management of headcount within assigned area, as it relates to and supports the business needs of the ship. Collaborates with CTI or other designated company to ensure Laundry staffing needs are constantly maintained and planned for. Is able to identify skill sets in individuals for succession planning for fleet-wide Housekeeping operations.
• Effectively manages all Laundry Operations onboard ensuring that the Laundry Master has all necessary skills, training, tools, information and support to enable delivery of services and products flawlessly and on a consistent basis. Ensures all laundry equipment is maintained in good working order and advance planning is put into place to ensure that long-term equipment needs are met. Maintains an accurate inventory of all linen, terry, crew linens and other items par levels, ensuring that at all times purchases are made to maintain sufficient par to meet the business demands. Ultimately ensures that the quality of all linen items serviced for the ship along with guest and crew items are up to the required presentation standards. 
• Reviews regularly the quality control and discard sheets and provides root cause analysis. Completes daily walk through of the laundry operation and completes a formalized laundry inspection each week with the Laundry Master.
• Actively manages and reviews yearly budgets for Housekeeping and Laundry cost centers/expenses (e.g. consumable and replaceable items) and revenue streams (e.g. laundry, floral cart, tuxedo program, etc.). Maintains appropriate cleaning costs and monitors consumption, storage and supply orders placed to minimize waste. 
• Prepares financial operational business plan to enhance the overall business performance of the division. Applies strategic planning to identify business efficiencies within the division’s cost center supporting company targets and goals, and seeking ways to promote revenue streams.

To be considered for this role, you must meet the following requirements:

• Minimum five to seven years managerial/operational experience in housekeeping and laundry operations of large 4 or 5 Star hotels (500+ rooms), cruise line or hospitality industry related field required, with demonstrated experience supervising team of minimum of 70 employees and managing budgets in excess of $1M annually. (FOR EXECUTIVE HOUSEKEEPER ROLES)
• • One to two years housekeeping supervisory experience (FOR HOUSEKEEPING SUPERVISOR ROLES)
• Demonstrates strong results oriented management style with proven successes
• Specific knowledge of principles and processes for providing exceptional customer and personal service including needs assessment, problem resolution, demonstrated strong attention to detail and achievement of quality service standards
• Ability to effectively deal with internal and external guests, some of whom will require high levels of discretion, patience, tact and diplomacy
• Ability to communicate diplomatically with managers, shipboard and shore-side employees to resolve problems and negotiate amicable resolution to challenges
• Flexibility to manage, direct and encourage a positive, dynamic, diverse Housekeeping operation by navigating through a changing work environment
• Should be able to utilize and administer the progressive disciplinary action process through coaching and counselling to improve performance where possible
• Ability to work positively and cooperatively in a diverse team environment to meet overall established time frames for the Housekeeping division operation
• Should harbor a flexible outlook towards placement throughout the fleet, considering changing fleet-wide operational business needs
• Working knowledge of cleaning procedures and equipment, chemical handling, linen par levels, public health standards, computers, internet access, and the ability to navigate within a variety of software packages (e.g. MS Office) and office equipment
• Completion of high school or equivalent required; bachelors’ degree preferred

This is an excellent opportunity to join one of the world’s leading Cruise lines and become part of an outstanding multi-cultural team that continues to win awards in all categories.

Please contact us to discuss current rotations and salary levels. We are arranging interviews now so please apply as soon as possible to be considered.

ARM Maritime; Your First Port of Call.