Housekeeping Manager

About Optima Living
Founded in 2007 by two friends inspired by their families’ dementia journeys, Optima Living was created to provide a more home-like experience in seniors housing and care. What began as a personal mission has grown into one of Western Canada’s leading senior living and continuing care providers.
Today, Optima Living offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, Supportive Living, Long-Term Care, Brain Health, and Memory Care across Alberta and British Columbia. Our innovative approach includes Spark, Your Wellness, Your Way; our proprietary brain health and care model. As the only Top 10 Canadian senior living and care provider focused exclusively on Western Canada, we proudly serve more than 6,000 residents.
Guided by our North Star, Let us welcome you home™, we are committed to People, Place, and Community. With a resident-first philosophy and a focus on innovation, we are redefining aging with purpose creating communities where seniors live with dignity, connection, and joy.
Position Summary
Reporting to the General Manager, the Housekeeping Manager oversees the daily housekeeping operations to ensure residents live in a safe, clean, and welcoming environment. This role maintains inventory and safety practices, ensures compliance with regulatory standards, and supports continuous improvement in service delivery and resident satisfaction.
All duties and responsibilities are carried out in alignment with Optima Living’s mission, vision, and values, promoting person-centered care by respecting the uniqueness, dignity, and self-determination of residents to promote maximum personal and functional independence. These duties are performed within the framework of established organizational policies and procedures, industry best practices, while adhering to applicable regulations and standards.
Responsibilities
Leadership and Team Oversight
• Provides leadership, support, guidance and mentorship to the housekeeping team.
• Provides oversight and direction to the housekeeping team through coordination of work routines.
• Ensures team members comply with all relevant Occupational Health and Safety regulations.
• Conducts and attends team meetings; serves on committees as applicable.
• Communicates with teams across the community to coordinate cleaning services for events, move ins and move outs and special projects.
• Works on the floors with team to ensure daily, weekly and monthly tasks are completed
Core Deliverables
• Leads the development, implementation, evaluation, and revisions of dining room and housekeeping related goals, objectives, and outcomes.
• Ensures complete and accurate SDS manuals are readily available, and that appropriate safety labeling and signage is throughout the building.
• Develops guidelines and protocols for the safe use and deployment of housekeeping and laundry equipment and chemicals.
• Ensures preferred vendor equipment is operational and effectively sanitizes and dispenses chemicals.
• Works collaboratively with the maintenance teams to ensure housekeeping and laundry equipment remain in good working order.
• Monitors and maintains inventory of cleaning and laundry supplies ensuring cost-effective usage and timely ordering.
• Oversees resident laundry and light housekeeping services, ensuring proper care and labeling of clothing and personal belongings.
Optima Community Engagement
• Ensures communication with residents, families and team members is managed effectively, with empathy and responsiveness.
• Collaborates with other team leads within the community to ensure that goals and planned changes are monitored and reviewed.
• Solicits regular resident and family feedback from surveys and other means.
Budget and Financial
• Participates in the operational, budgetary, and capital planning processes.
• Forecasts budget requirements as well as monitors and approves expenditures.
Quality Assurance
• Performs and evaluates organizational audits and key performance indicators and shares the results for quality improvements.
• Investigates and documents incidents and complaints, ensuring prompt corrective actions.
• Manages risks, communicates problems and finds solutions for quality improvements and risk mitigations.
• Reviews external quality and inspection reports in collaboration with the General Manager.
• Maintains accurate records by ensuring necessary documentation and reporting systems are in place.
Operational and Administrative Systems
• Liaises with external governing and regulatory groups as necessary.
• Determines and maintains appropriate staffing levels (as per CBA if applicable) and interviews and hires qualified personnel in consultation with the General Manager.
• Oversees the onboarding and orientation of the team.
• Manages performance evaluations and improvement strategies as applicable.
• Ensures team members participation in the annual continuing education program as applicable.
• Resolves conflicts and takes appropriate corrective action as needed.
• Supports the Community Relations Coordinator in providing tours of the community as needed.
General
• Promptly reports unsafe conditions, incidents, or concerns to supervisor, General Manager or Health & Safety Committee.
• Identifies maintenance issues and reports them following established maintenance procedures.
• Responds promptly during emergency codes in alignment with organizational standards and protocols.
• Contributes to quality improvement initiatives by sharing ideas and providing feedback.
• Ensures adherence to infection control policies and procedures through regular audits, observations, and investigations.
• Maintains strict confidentiality of resident medical and personal information in accordance with privacy legislation.
• Completes orientation upon hire and annual mandatory education as assigned.
• Supports new team members through their orientation process.
• Respects and upholds the Resident Bill of Rights and the Assisted Living Rights of Residents (for BC only).
• Performs other duties as required to support operational needs.
Qualifications & Experience
• Minimum of one (1) year experience in housekeeping or janitorial services.
• Experience in a residential care or mental health environment is an asset.
• CPR and First Aid certification is an asset.
• Knowledge of Labour and Employment Standards, including union and collective agreements, is an asset.
• Energetic and supportive leader who drives team engagement and morale while consistently leading by example.
• Communicates in an approachable and respectful manner with the temperament to deal tactfully and cooperatively in all interactions.
• Strong organizational, planning, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage priorities effectively.
• Strong written communication skills with the ability to present professional documents with clarity.
• Experienced in crisis intervention.
• Ability to manage and resolve difficult and challenging situations effectively and respectfully.
• Physical and mental ability to carry out the duties of the position including adherence to provincial health legislations.
• Ability to operate all equipment safely following approved practices and protocols.
• Computer literacy skills required.
• Flexibility to work a variety of shifts.
Conditions of Employment
• Clear Police Information Check
• Clear Vulnerable Sector Check
• Successful completion of all mandatory Provincial Health Requirements