Villa Assistant

Job description – Villa Assistant

Where?

South of France in the St Tropez area OR Mallorca in the Pollença area in the north of the island.

When

From early / mid-May until the end of September.

Salary

Highly competitive salary package with accommodation, travel, food and drinks included. Potential additional performance-based bonus.

Age range

No age restrictions (preferably over 21 for vehicle insurance purposes).

Overview

Reporting to the Villa Manager, the Villa Assistant is jointly (with the Villa Manager & Chef) responsible for the day to day management of the assigned villa, ensuring that the guests’ needs are met at all times while maintaining the Company’s standards.

The Villa Assistant’s main role is one of host(ess), waiter/waitress and housekeeper. (All of the cooking is done by the villa’s professional chef.)

Previous Experience

Must have significant prior hands-on experience in the hotel and catering industry, e.g., waiting and/ or housekeeping, in high level establishments (e.g., super-yachts, 5* hotels, 2 AA rosette level restaurants).

Must be good at working as part of a team, have extremely high work standards, be customer-focused, self motivated, take pride in your work at all times and be conscientious.

While previous villa or chalet work or spoken French/Spanish is not a requirement, it can be an advantage.

It is also advisable that you have a full UK Driver’s licence.

Main Duties

Service: General

• Creates a warm, friendly and welcoming atmosphere for all guests,
• Is available to answer any questions, or resolve any problems that the guests may have, always aiming to do whatever they reasonably can to ensure that guests have the best possible holiday. To enable this, is knowledgeable about the area, its facilities and attractions, the Purple Summer website and the Staff Manual.
• Refers any complaints to Beck and Resort Manager.
• Helps clients arrange leisure activities, restaurant bookings and day trips where requested.
• Ensures that all guests are provided with welcome literature and emergency contact information.
• Ensures an effective handover to the relief staff (who provide cover on your day off) so that the standard of service is maintained. On the day off of the Villa Manager, takes the lead in any customer facing issues.

Service: Housekeeping

• Ensures that excellent standards of hygiene and cleanliness are maintained in/around the villa at all times, including at end of season. Cleans and tidies the following areas daily (kitchen, food storage areas are the Chef’s responsibility):
  • Vacuums and/or mops floors/carpets in all rooms and corridors
  • Refreshes sofa and other cushions
  • Makes beds (where applicable)
  • Tidies guests’ bedrooms (where applicable)
  • Cleans bathroom sanitary-ware and surfaces (where applicable)
  • Cleans interior and exterior of windows as necessary
  • Carries out bedroom turn-down service during evening dinner service (where applicable)

• On changeover day, works closely with all others on the team to do whatever is needed to ensure a smooth and pleasant transition for the guests and efficient changeover for staff. Changes all linen and towels, thoroughly cleans villa.
• Changes bath and hand towels mid-week
• Washes and irons “small” linen such as napkins, tablecloths, chef’s whites, tea towels etc
• Washes up and polishes all glasses, crockery, cutlery and pans etc
• Counts and bags up used linen/laundry ready for collection, labels bags, completes checklist(s). When clean laundry is returned, verifies receipts against the checklist and puts it away. Reports any issues (loss/damage etc.) (where applicable)
• In conjunction with the Chef and others in the team, sets up and closes down the villa at the start and end of the season
• Ensures that all household equipment is maintained in the best possible condition; reports and arranges any repairs and replacements promptly to the Resort Manager.

Service: Meals/Drinks/Other

• Helps the Chef in the preparation of meals as required. Also serves, clears and washes up.
• Helps the Chef in the preparation of menus, packed lunches, children’s high teas, lunch and dinner as required.
• Lays table for, serves and clears, lunch and dinner (including canapés etc.) as required.
• Lays out and clears coffee and after-dinner drinks in the evening.
• Stocks up the guests’ bar/fridge.
• Ensures that a bowl of fresh fruit is available to guests at all times.
• Receives, arranges and maintains fresh flowers each week.

Administration

• Helps the Chef and Villa Manager to manage stocks of all items/requirements for the villa and write shopping lists and assist in organisation of stock.
• Prepares and maintains an inventory of all household equipment as required/requested.
• Maintains an inventory of all linen, and ensures that future weeks’ requirements can be met.
• Encourages guests to sign the visitors’ book.