Student Casual – Summer Cleaning Operative – Cleaning & Watse – Grade 2

Summer Cleaning Operative

Full time/Part time:
Part time
Duration of the Post: 01/07/2026 – 15/09/2026
Grade:
Grade 2
Hourly rate: £13.45 per hour plus holiday entitlement
Number of positions available: 200
Closing Date: 10/06/2026 at 23:55

As a member of the Cleaning Services team, you will support the delivery of high‑quality cleaning services across university accommodation during the summer period. Working as part of a wider team, you will carry out a range of cleaning duties to ensure rooms and communal areas are prepared to a high standard for incoming students and conference guests. You will work under the guidance and support of experienced supervisors, who will provide guidance, training and ongoing support throughout your assignment.

• Bedroom and Bathroom Cleaning:
  Cleaning student bedrooms to agreed standards, including vacuuming, dusting, wiping surfaces, cleaning walls and emptying bins; cleaning en‑suite and shared bathrooms, including toilets, showers, sinks, mirrors, wall surfaces and floors; carrying out end‑of‑term deep cleans and turnarounds between occupants.
• Conference and Short Stay Turnarounds:
  Preparing bedrooms and bathrooms for conferences, including bedmaking to hotel standard; cleaning and resetting rooms quickly and efficiently to meet tight turnaround deadlines for new arrivals.
• Kitchen Cleans:
  Undertaking kitchen cleaning to the required standard (excluding ovens, hobs and extractor fans), cleaning fridges and freezers (internal and external), cleaning cupboards interiors, including walls and shelves, and cleaning walls, work surfaces, pipework, furniture and floors.
• Communal Areas:
  Cleaning corridor areas as directed by the supervisor, including vacuuming, dusting, wiping surfaces, cleaning walls; assisting with carpet cleaning using specialist machinery, where trained.

• Follow instructions and work to schedules set by the Supervisor.
• Use cleaning equipment and chemicals safely and in line with COSHH and health and safety procedures.
• Report maintenance issues, damage or lost property to the Supervisor promptly.
• Work as part of a team to meet daily targets and service deadlines.
• Always maintain a professional and respectful approach.

• Mandatory training must be completed before any shifts are allocated.
• Training will include health and safety, manual handling, COSHH and cleaning standards.
• Additional training will be provided for specialist equipment, including carpet‑cleaning machinery where required.
• No previous experience is required as full training and supervision will be provided.

• Available to work from 1 st July to 30 th September.
• Commitment to working any 5 days out of 7 throughout the contract period.
• Reliable, flexible and able to adapt to changing work schedules.
• Able to carry out physically demanding duties, including bending, reaching, lifting and prolonged standing.
• Willingness to follow instructions and work under the direction of a supervisor.
• Willingness to attend mandatory training as required.
• Ability to work effectively within a diverse team and provide a respectful, inclusive service to a diverse range of customers, including students and conference guests.

This role offers working hours that meet the operational needs of the service. Occasional weekend work, including Saturdays and Sundays, may be required. All applicants should be available to work on the weekend of 11 th and 12 th July. Full training will be provided and shifts will not be allocated until all required training has been successfully completed.

You are only eligible to apply to this role if you are a current University of Birmingham student. If you are not a University of Birmingham student, your application will not be considered.

The University of Birmingham restricts all students to working up to 20 hours per week during term time for a maximum of 13 consecutive weeks
. If your application is successful and your course does not follow the usual academic term timetable (e.g. PGT, PGR or PhD student), you and your supervisor must formally agree vacation periods if this role exceeds 20 hours per week. In addition to this, please be aware if you are an international student you will be required to apply to the Registry for the appropriate authorised absence
. To work you will need to carry out a right to work check. These checks will need to be completed prior to work commencing.