Residence Service & Housekeeping Assistant - #47025

The British Government is an inclusive and diversity-friendly employer. We value difference, promote equality and challenge discrimination, enhancing our organisational capability. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds. We do not discriminate on the basis of disability, race, colour, ethnicity, gender identity, religion, sexual orientation, age, veteran status or other category protected by law. We promote family-friendly flexible working opportunities, where operational and security needs allow. The FCDO operates an agile workforce and to facilitate this, you may be required to undertake other duties from time to time, as we may reasonably require.

Job Category  

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (Residence and Support Staff)

Job Subcategory  

Housekeeper

Job Description (Roles and Responsibilities)  

Who We Are:

The British Embassy in The Hague is part of a world-wide network, representing British political, economic and consular interests overseas. It is also part of the UK’s Netherlands Network. We are currently looking for a Residence Service & Housekeeping Assistant who will play a vital operational role within the British Ambassador’s Residence, supporting the smooth day to day running of the household and the successful delivery of official and private events. This role sits within the Residence Team, contributing to the effective presentation, upkeep, and hospitality standards of the residence.

Main purpose of job:

The job holder will undertake a broad range of duties within a high functioning team, to support the effective running of all Residence activities. 

Roles and responsibilities:

Housekeeping and Presentation (40%)

• Keep the Ambassador’s Residence clean, tidy and well presented at all times
• Clean private rooms, official reception rooms and guest areas to a high standard
• Carry out daily and ad‑hoc cleaning duties, including vacuuming, dusting, polishing furniture and silver, and waste disposal
• Ensure the Residence is always guest‑ready, reflecting the professional image of the British Embassy

Laundry, Linen and Stock Management (20%)

• Wash, dry and iron clothing, bed linen, towels and guest items
• Organise and store linen and towels, making sure supplies are clean and well presented
• Maintain good organisation and attention to detail to support daily household operations

Events and Hospitality Support (20%)

• Support official and private events at the Residence, including preparation, service support and cleaning afterwards
• Welcome guests politely and professionally
• Manage the visitor book when required
• Ensure service and refreshment areas are clean and well stocked

Maintenance and Operational Support (10%)

• Monitor cleaning supplies and household items, informing the Residence Manager when items need to be ordered
• Report maintenance issues such as faulty lights or general wear and tear
• Clean and reset rooms after contractors or maintenance work

Team and General Support (10%)

• Answer telephone calls and deal with simple enquiries when needed
• Cover for colleagues during absences
• Carry out other reasonable duties as requested by the Residence Manager or Ambassador

Don't miss out on this fantastic opportunity!

Essential qualifications, skills and experience  

• Operational spoken English at B2 level (CEFR) to understand instructions and communicate politely with colleagues and guests;
• At least 3 years’ proven experience in housekeeping, cleaning or hospitality in a high‑standard environment (e.g. private residence, hotel or similar);
• Ability to undertake manual and physically active tasks;
• Strong attention to detail and good organisational and time‑management skills;
• Ability to deliver a professional, discreet and confidential service, using initiative when required;
• Confidence working independently and as part of a small team;
• A reliable, flexible and positive attitude, with the ability to adapt to changing priorities, working hours and event requirements.

Desirable qualifications, skills and experience  

• Operational spoken Dutch at B2 level (CEFR);
• Experience working in Diplomatic environment.

Required behaviours  

Delivering at Pace, Managing a Quality Service, Working Together

Application deadline  

21 May 2026

Grade  

S3

Type of Position  

Part-Time, Fixed term, with possibility of renewal

Working hours per week  

21.6

Region  

Europe, Eastern Europe & Central Asia

Country/Territory  

Netherlands

Location (City)  

The Hague

Number of vacancies  

1

Salary Currency  

EUR

Salary  

1,697.75 EUR (gross)

Type of Salary  

monthly

Start Date  

6 July 2026

Other benefits and conditions of employment  

The base salary for this position is €1,697.75 EUR gross per month, based on a working week of 21.6 hours. In addition, an 8% holiday allowance is payable each year. The successful candidate will initially be offered a 12-months employment contract with the possibility of renewal at S3 grade.

• Travel (commuter) allowance
• Defined contribution Pension Scheme
• Performance related bonus
• Time off in Lieu and overtime pay
• A minimum of 25 days annual leave per year (pro rata)
• UK and Dutch public holidays
• Access to the FCDO learning & development (L&D) platform
• Annual L&D leave entitlement (pro rata)
• The opportunity to work in an international environment 

Job conditions: The job description is subject to changes and may evolve over time and in response to changing circumstances. The role exists as part of a team and all staff are expected to be flexible in supporting colleagues, particularly at busy times. The Embassy promotes and demonstrates the core values of Professionalism, Inclusivity, Honesty and Respect in all that we do. We are an equal opportunity employer, and all members of the team are expected to treat each other with respect. We value great teamwork, and we ask that everyone contributes to create a positive atmosphere at work.  

Visa/work permit requirements: Candidates must currently hold the independent right to live and work in the Netherlands and be prepared to ensure that right remains throughout the scope of the contract. Please note that it is your responsibility to ensure you meet the legal requirements to live and work in the Netherlands. The successful candidate will be required to provide a BSN (citizen service number) on their start date and will need to arrange and pay for their own travel and accommodation, as well as any other living costs. The successful candidate will undergo a professional background check. Any job offer is also subject to a successful security clearance check.

Learning and development opportunities: The Embassy encourages a culture of continuous learning. All employees have access to the Civil Service-Learning platform which gives access to training to improve job specific skills. Employees are entitled to a minimum number of annual training days. We also encourage all of our colleagues to learn from each other and on-the-job training and guidance will be given along with continuous support from across the team.

Equal employment: We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability or gender identity. We particularly encourage applications from candidates with protected characteristics. The British Embassy wants to maximise the potential of everyone who chooses to work for us, regardless of their background.

Additional information  

The successful candidate will be subject to professional background check, security clearance and 1 month probationary period.

Start date is an indicative target start date.  

Please note that the deadline for applications is 23:55 on the day mentioned in the above field “Application deadline”.

We advise you to allow enough time to complete and submit your full application, since only applications completed and submitted before the deadline will be considered.

Please be aware that the deadline for submitting applications is considered to be the time zone for the country where the vacancy has arisen.

Please be advised that the British Embassy will not be able to meet the travel costs incurred when travelling to the interview, nor the costs connected with relocation if offered a position.

*Please note for more information on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: Learning, Teaching, Assessment levels please click on the following link CEFR. Please bear in mind in case you are invited for an interview your language skill is going to be assessed.