Housekeeping Group Leader (NIH)

This position opening is only intended for current employees working on the NIH hospital cleaning contract in Bethesda, MD. Please only apply if you are an existing employee working on this this contract. 

Job Summary:

The Group Leader is a working crew leader position responsible for leading, training, and assisting Housekeeping Aides in the daily performance of environmental services duties at the NIH Clinical Center (Building 10) and associated NIH campus facilities in Bethesda, MD. This position carries out all phases of patient room care, common area cleaning, floor care, and waste removal while simultaneously providing direct oversight and on-the-job training to assigned EVS staff. All work is performed in strict accordance with NIH facility standards, healthcare environmental cleaning procedures, TJC Environment of Care requirements, CDC infection control protocols, and AHE productivity standards. The Group Leader serves as the first-line resource for Housekeeping Aides during the shift and ensures that assigned areas meet NIH quality and compliance standards at all times.

Salary:                  $25.88  Per applicable Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA)

Benefits:              All employee benefits and paid time off will be set forth as per the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for this contract.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The Essential Duties and Responsibilities are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed for this position and are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. Other duties may be assigned.

Leadership, Training, and Staff Support

•          Serves as the working crew leader for assigned EVS staff during the shift; assigns daily work zones and tasks to Housekeeping Aides in coordination with the EVS Supervisor, monitors progress, and ensures all areas are cleaned and serviced to NIH quality standards and AHE productivity requirements.

•          Trains new Housekeeping Aides on NIH-specific cleaning protocols, proper use of EPA-registered disinfectants and healthcare-grade cleaning chemicals, correct dilution ratios, PPE requirements, infection control precautions, and Teya departmental work rules; retrains existing employees as needed to maintain compliance.

•          Provides on-the-spot guidance and correction to staff performing cleaning tasks; escalates performance concerns, safety issues, or compliance deficiencies to the EVS Supervisor or Executive Housekeeper promptly.

•          Assists the EVS Supervisor in completing daily zone inspections and quality control checks; documents deficiencies and tracks corrective actions; participates in patient satisfaction initiatives and TJC Environment of Care preparedness activities.

Patient Room and Unit Cleaning

•          Cleans and supplies patient rooms, wards, and isolation areas at the NIH Clinical Center in accordance with NIH-specific cleaning protocols, TJC Environment of Care standards, and CDC infection control guidelines; applies appropriate cleaning and disinfection procedures based on area classification and active isolation precautions (Contact, Droplet, Airborne).

•          Dusts and damp-wipes horizontal and vertical surfaces including furniture, equipment, and high-touch points using healthcare-grade microfiber systems and EPA-registered, NIH-approved disinfectants at correct dilution ratios per SDS requirements.

•          Dry-mops and wet-mops hard surface floors of patient rooms and corridors using correct cleaning agents, proper dilution, and NIH-approved microfiber mopping systems.

•          Makes beds, replenishes patient room supplies (soap, paper products, linen), and sorts and distributes clean linen in compliance with NIH linen management procedures.

Common Areas, Offices, and Support Spaces

•          Cleans and maintains nursing stations, lounges, lavatories, bathrooms, offices, conference rooms, corridors, and any other areas as assigned; performs spot-cleaning of walls, windows, and partitions as needed.

•          Cleans and polishes metal and porcelain bathroom fixtures; scrubs and sanitizes restroom floors, walls, and fixtures using NIH-approved disinfectants; restocks restroom supplies.

•          Vacuums carpeted areas using HEPA-filtered vacuums and performs carpet spot-cleaning as needed.

Waste and Recyclables Removal

•          Performs daily removal of waste and recyclables from assigned NIH Clinical Center areas in accordance with NIH healthcare environmental cleaning procedures, OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030, and NIH Medical Waste Management protocols.

•          Collects, transports, and empties non-regulated solid waste and recyclables into designated dumpsters and recycling containers; segregates waste streams per NIH sustainability and recycling program requirements.

•          Collects, transports, packages, and stores regulated medical waste (RMW) in strict compliance with NIH RMW handling protocols, federal and state regulations, and required PPE standards; ensures assigned staff also handle RMW in accordance with all applicable regulatory requirements.

Emergency Response and Spill Cleanup

•          Responds immediately to emergency cleaning requests from supervisory or clinical staff, including biohazard spill cleanup; applies appropriate infection control procedures per OSHA 29 CFR 1910.1030 and NIH facility protocol when blood, body fluids, or other potentially infectious materials are involved.

•          Coordinates crew response to emergency cleaning operations; participates in disaster preparedness drills and is prepared to lead staff response during emergency activations at the NIH Clinical Center.

Equipment, Chemical Safety, and Facility Care

•          Operates, cleans, and maintains assigned EVS equipment including light mops, small wringers, dusters, household-type and HEPA-filtered vacuum cleaners, and other tools; inspects equipment before and after use and initiates repair requests when defects are identified.

•          Properly stores, labels, and handles all EPA-registered cleaning chemicals and supplies in compliance with SDS requirements, OSHA HazCom/GHS (29 CFR 1910.1200), and NIH chemical safety protocols; ensures assigned staff comply with the same requirements.

•          Reports defects in equipment, furniture, building infrastructure, and fixtures to supervisory staff promptly; uses ladders safely and in accordance with NIH safety requirements.

General Requirements:

•          Must have thorough knowledge of all EVS department policies, procedures, and NIH facility-specific cleaning protocols; must wear uniform and comply with NIH access control and Teya departmental work rules at all times.

•          Must be willing and able to assist in emergency response at the NIH Clinical Center, including infectious disease events, biohazard spill response, and disaster preparedness activation; will receive all required training prior to deployment.

•          Must be available to cover all shifts in support of 24-hour, 7-day-per-week NIH operations, including evenings, nights, weekends, and federal holidays.

HIPAA and Safety:

Must perform all duties in a manner that assures the confidentiality, privacy, dignity, and safety of NIH patients, research participants, visitors, and staff at all times, in strict compliance with HIPAA regulations and NIH privacy policies. Must wear appropriate PPE as required by area classification, task, and active infection control precautions. Must comply with all NIH campus security requirements, complete a federal background investigation, and complete pre-employment drug screening prior to start date.

Physical Demands and Working Conditions:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Employee must maintain a constant state of mental alertness at all times. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Note: Per BLS Occupational Requirements Survey (ORS), workers in this classification (SOC 37-2011) are on their feet approximately 95% of the workday; seated time is minimal.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform each essential duty. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

•          Minimum one (1) year of experience in healthcare environmental services or a comparable institutional cleaning environment; prior supervisory or crew leader experience strongly preferred.

•          Demonstrated knowledge of healthcare cleaning protocols, infection control procedures, and safe handling of EPA-registered disinfectants and regulated medical waste; familiarity with NIH, TJC, CDC, and OSHA EVS requirements preferred.

•          Adequate written and oral English language skills sufficient to read work orders, SDS labels, training materials, and NIH-specific procedure documentation; ability to communicate clearly and effectively with EVS staff, supervisors, and NIH clinical personnel.

•          Must demonstrate ability to lead and motivate a team, perform assigned duties to AHE productivity standards without constant supervision, and maintain quality and compliance standards across an assigned zone.

•          Must be available for all shifts in a 24-hour, 7-day-per-week NIH operational environment including evenings, nights, weekends, and federal holidays; must complete federal background investigation and pre-employment drug screening prior to start date.

Performance Standards:

To be successful in this role, the Group Leader will apply leadership skills and best practices in healthcare environmental services to ensure timely and thorough completion of all assigned duties by self and assigned staff, in compliance with NIH contract requirements, TJC, CDC, OSHA, and AHE standards. Performance standards include quality of work, zone inspection scores, staff training compliance, attendance, safety compliance, equipment care, productivity, and client satisfaction. This document is not a contract of employment.

Salary : $26