Live-out House Manager / Housekeeper / Cook near Burford OX18

We are looking for an experienced House Manager / Housekeeper / Cook to maintain the highest standard of cleanliness and care of a beautiful property near Burford, OX18. This is an exciting and varied opportunity for someone who is house-proud and would like to look after a house from the beginning of its ownership. It is essential you have a proven track record within a private household and can show previous longevity in your past roles.

The property is to be cleaned, maintained and welcoming in readiness for immediate occupation and use by the Principals at any time. These very private Principals (no children) are currently based in America and will be planning to spend a maximum of 6 months of the year in the UK and travelling to Europe.

You will be solely responsible for the upkeep of the property and for maintaining the house to a high standard, for the cleaning, washing and ironing and simple healthy cooking. As the Principals are not permanently based in the UK there will be times which are busier than others. You will be working alone so you must be able to organise your own time and be self-motivated.

As House Manager you will need to be observant and able to identify any problems in a timely manner and rectify any issues by having a good network of local suppliers and contractors. You are also required to keep the house fully stocked with products and groceries and keep all household inventories up to date.

When the Principals are in residence you should be able to discreetly blend into the background whilst carrying out your daily housekeeping duties and be able to produce simple soups, salads and nutritional meals. They travel with their 2 dogs so when they are in the UK you will need to dog-sit on the occasions that they may go to London for a night or two, or when they travel to Europe, approx. 4 days at a time. It is therefore essential that you are a dog lover.

There is a small garden and vegetable garden so it would be helpful if you were to have an interest in gardening and garden produce.

Duties will include but are not limited to:

· Hands on cleaning, laundry and ironing

· Day-to-day running of the house and grounds

· General house maintenance, both inside and out and liaise with various tradepersons accordingly

· Simple healthy cooking - shopping for the household

· Manage and stock food pantry, wine cellar and household items

· Live within 30 minutes of Burford

· A current drivers licence

· Be proactive and always one step ahead

· Have exceptional high standards and be able to keep a property immaculately

· Display a meticulous eye for detail

· Be discreet, have a quiet demeaner and know when to blend into the background

· Strong initiative, attention to detail, a natural flair for keeping a home guest ready and a passion for a job being well done are all critical

· Possess a professional friendly manner with a good sense of humour

· Anticipate the Principal's needs with a warm and friendly manner assisting with all their requirements and resolving any issues that may arise

· Exceptional organisational and communication skills, adaptability, flexibility and problem-solving abilities