Cleaning Team Lead

About the Company

Smart Suites manages a portfolio of over 100 rooms for short-term vacation rentals across Rocklea, Sunnybank, Acacia Ridge, Carina, and Kuraby in Queensland, Australia. Guided by our core values of Customer Obsession, Ownership, Curiosity, Humility, Efficiency, and Teamwork (COCHET), we are committed to delivering exceptional hospitality experiences to every guest.

Smart Suites is an AI-driven company that continuously adopts and integrates advanced technology, automation, and digital tools to improve efficiency, decision-making, and customer satisfaction. We are looking for team members who are equally passionate about using AI tools, data-driven insights, and digital systems to strengthen operations and service delivery.

At Smart Suites, we aim to ensure every guest stay is not only clean and comfortable, but also thoughtfully managed and personalized in a way that leaves a lasting impression.

Position Summary

The Cleaning Team Lead is responsible for leading and continuously improving Smart Suites' cleaning operations across its portfolio of short-term accommodation properties in Brisbane.

Working remotely as part of the Facilities Management Department, the Cleaning Team Lead provides operational leadership, quality assurance, coaching, workforce coordination, and performance management for the cleaning function. The role works closely with on-site Cleaners, Field Quality & Standards Inspectors, Facilities Management Coordinators, Logistics, and Operations to ensure every property consistently meets Smart Suites' guest-ready standards.

The Cleaning Team Lead is accountable for driving cleaning quality, reducing guest complaints, improving operational efficiency, developing cleaning standards, and fostering a high-performing cleaning workforce through data-driven decision-making, structured coaching, and continuous process improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Cleaning Operations Leadership

• Lead the day-to-day operational performance of Smart Suites' cleaning function.

• Ensure all properties are consistently guest-ready before scheduled arrivals.

• Monitor cleaning capacity, workload allocation, and daily operational priorities.

• Support the coordination of urgent cleans, same-day turnovers, deep cleans, and recovery cleans.

• Escalate operational risks affecting guest readiness.

2. Quality Assurance & Standards

• Own and maintain Smart Suites' cleaning standards across all properties.

• Conduct remote quality audits using photos, videos, inspection reports, and system data.

• Identify recurring quality issues and implement corrective actions.

• Partner with the Field Quality & Standards Inspector to improve cleaning consistency.

• Monitor cleanliness KPIs, defect rates, re-clean rates, and guest feedback trends.

3. Team Leadership & Performance Management

• Lead, coach, mentor, and support cleaning supervisors and cleaning contractors.

• Conduct regular one-on-one coaching sessions and performance reviews.

• Recognize high-performing team members while addressing underperformance promptly.

• Develop performance improvement plans where required.

• Promote Smart Suites' culture and values across the cleaning workforce.

4. Training & Capability Development

• Develop structured onboarding and refresher training programs.

• Create training materials, cleaning demonstrations, and operational guides.

• Ensure all cleaners understand Smart Suites' standards, safety procedures, and cleaning methodologies.

• Facilitate virtual training sessions and continuous skills development.

5. SOP & Process Development

• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve cleaning Standard Operating Procedures.

• Maintain digital cleaning checklists and quality standards documentation.

• Standardize cleaning workflows across all properties.

• Review operational processes and recommend improvements that increase efficiency while maintaining quality.

6. Incident & Guest Complaint Management

• Investigate guest complaints relating to cleanliness.

• Review supporting evidence including photos, videos, inspection reports, and communication logs.

• Determine root causes and recommend corrective actions.

• Coordinate with Operations and Guest Experience to resolve recurring issues.

• Maintain detailed incident documentation.

7. Performance Analytics & Continuous Improvement

• Monitor cleaning KPIs and operational metrics including:

• Guest cleanliness ratings

• Re-clean requests

• Cleaning duration

• Audit scores

• Defect trends

• Productivity

• Contractor performance

• Analyze trends and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, and cost effectiveness.

• Present recommendations to the Facilities Manager.

8. Technology & Innovation

• Champion the use of AI and digital tools to improve cleaning operations.

• Evaluate emerging technologies for inspections, quality audits, reporting, scheduling, and communication.

• Support implementation of automation initiatives that improve productivity.

• Ensure accurate and timely data entry across all approved systems.

Key Skills & Qualifications

• 3-5+ years' experience leading cleaning, housekeeping, facilities, or accommodation operations.

• Previous experience supervising multiple cleaners or cleaning teams.

• Strong understanding of hospitality housekeeping standards.

• Experience implementing SOPs and quality systems.

• Demonstrated leadership and people management capability.

• Excellent coaching, mentoring, and communication skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.

• High attention to detail.

• Experience using Microsoft 365, Teams, Excel, Forms, and reporting tools.

• Comfortable working within AI-enabled operational environments.

• Excellent written and spoken English.

Good to Have

• Experience supporting Australian hospitality operations.

• Knowledge of Australian accommodation cleaning standards.

• Experience using cleaning management software.

• Experience with Power BI, Power Automate, or AI productivity tools.

• Lean or Continuous Improvement experience.

• Facilities Management experience.

What success looks like:

• At least 99% of properties guest-ready before check-in

• At least 95% internal inspection pass rate

• Fewer than 2% cleanliness-related guest complaints

• Fewer than 3% re-cleans

• Full completion of scheduled quality audits and operational reports

• Stronger cleaner performance, accountability, and consistency

• Faster resolution of incidents and recurring quality issues

Success Profile

The successful Cleaning Team Lead is an operational leader who combines hospitality expertise with strong people leadership and process discipline. They proactively identify issues before they impact guests, coach teams to consistently deliver exceptional standards, leverage technology and data to improve performance, and foster a culture of accountability, ownership, continuous improvement, and operational excellence.

They demonstrate Smart Suites' core values of Customer Obsession, Ownership, Curiosity, Humility, Efficiency, and Teamwork (COCHET) in every aspect of their leadership, ensuring every property consistently delivers a five-star guest experience.