0-2

Cleaner

11/25/2025

The Cleaner is responsible for maintaining cleanliness in designated areas within the premises, including floors, toilets, and surfaces. Duties include sweeping, mopping, and using appropriate cleaning equipment while adhering to health and safety regulations.

Working Hours

40 hours/week

Company Size

10,001+ employees

Language

English

Visa Sponsorship

About The Company

The Education Authority (EA) was created on 01 April 2015 as a new organisation responsible to the Department of Education (DE) for the delivery of education services to schools and youth centres across Northern Ireland. The work we do impacts the lives of tens of thousands of children, young people and their families every day. The services we provide are essential in supporting, encouraging and facilitating learning within our communities to develop generations of young people who are equipped to succeed in life and work in the modern world. As a public sector organisation, we must continue to deliver these vital services in a challenging environment of increasing financial pressure and under intense public scrutiny. EA is at the beginning of an exciting journey of organisational transformation and modernisation. Emerging from the five Education and Library Boards (ELBs) our aim is to build a new organisation which is focused on meeting the needs of all our young people equally, removing barriers to learning and ensuring equality of access to excellent education services so that every child can develop to his or her full potential.

About the Role

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Cleaner

REPORTS TO: Designated Line Manager

JOB PURPOSE

Undertake, as part of a team, the cleaning of any area within the premises, designated by the line manager.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Sweep, suction clean, mop, dry buff, spray clean, spray wax, machine scrub and dry, strip and re-polish floors using appropriate equipment.
Clean and remove stains of soft floor surfaces (carpets/matting) using the appropriate cleaning method.
Clean toilet and shower area including the fixtures and fittings.
Clean, wash and dust ledges, walls, fixtures, fittings and internal surfaces up to 3.35M.
Polish furniture where appropriate.
Empty and clean internal litter bins and remove litter to the designated collection points.

General Conditions

Carry out all duties to comply with:

a) The Health and Safety at Work (NI) Order 1978;
b) Acts of Parliament, Statutory Instruments and Regulations and other legal requirements;
c) The COSHH Regulations;
d) Codes of Practice.

Carry out all duties in the working conditions normally inherent in the particular job.
Cover colleagues on sick leave in line with Education Authority procedure.
Absence must be reported in line with Education Authority’s Procedure and the relevant forms must be completed and signed by the Building Supervisor.
When carrying out cleaning duties protective clothing or work wear issued must be worn.
Flat-soled enclosed-toe footwear should be worn when carrying out cleaning duties.
Any cleaning equipment issued must be used and cared for in an appropriate and safe manner, with any defects being reported immediately.
Complete all necessary paperwork.
Duties will be carried out for jobs up to and including those in the same grade, provided such duties are within the competence of the employee.

Training

Employees will accept any training for jobs graded at a higher level than their own. Payment will only be made where there is a requirement by the Authority for the higher-level duties to be carried out.
Employees must accept any training to facilitate the undertaking of duties up to and including their own grade. The training to include:
Induction Training
Refresher Training

This job description will be subject to review in light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

In accordance with Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998), the post-holder is expected to promote good relations, equality of opportunity and pay due regard for equality legislation at all times.

To view the summary of terms and conditions for this post, click here.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

NOTES TO JOB APPLICANTS

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how, and to what extent you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria, where relevant.
You must demonstrate how you meet the criteria by the closing date for applications, unless the criteria state otherwise.
The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is outlined in the table below.
Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form.
Please note that the Selection Panel reserves the right to shortlist only those applicants that it believes most strongly meet the criteria for the role.
In the event of an excessive number of applications, the Selection Panel also reserves the right to apply any desirable criteria as outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting, in which case these will be applied in the order listed. It is important therefore that you also clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet any desirable criteria.

SECTION 1 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are essential criteria which will initially be measured at the shortlisting stage and which may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Experience	Have of a minimum of three months’ demonstrable working experience in a cleaning role	Shortlisting by Application Form
Other	To meet the statutory obligations under Health and Safety legislation the successful applicant will be required to undertake appropriate training.	Shortlisting by Application Form

SECTION 2 - ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

The following are additional essential criteria which will be measured during the interview/selection stage.

Factor	Essential Criteria	Method of Assessment
Knowledge	Evidence of knowledge of: the requirements of a School Cleaner cleaning methods / machinery Health and Safety requirements relevant to the role, including COSHH	Interview
Skills / Abilities	Evidence of the following: Effective communication skills Effective team working skills Good organisational skills and an ability to work on own initiative to complete tasks on time and to the required standard	Interview
Values Orientation	Evidence of how your experience and approach to work reflect the school’s values/ethos. You will find information about the school’s values/ethos on our school website	Interview

SECTION 3 - DESIRABLE CRITERIA

Some or all of the desirable criteria may be applied by the Selection Panel in order to determine a manageable pool of candidates. Desirable criteria will be applied in the order listed. You should make it clear on your application form how, and to what extent you meet the desirable criteria, as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted.

Factor

Desirable Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

Have a minimum of one year’s working experience in a cleaning role

Demonstrable experience of using a range of commercial cleaning tools (e.g. buffing machinery)

Shortlisting by Application Form

DISCLOSURE OF CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

The Safeguarding Vulnerable Groups (Northern Ireland) Order 2007 defines working directly with children or young people or in specified places as ‘regulated activity’.

In the event that you are recommended for appointed to a post that involves ‘regulated activity’, the Education Authority will be required to undertake an Enhanced Disclosure of Criminal Background. Please note that you WILL be expected to meet the cost of an Enhanced Disclosure Certificate. Details of how to make payment will be sent to you at the pre-employment stage.

Further information can be accessed at NI Direct or the Department of Justice.

APPLICANT GUIDANCE NOTES

To view the applicant guidance notes, please click here.

To learn about the many great benefits of joining the Education Authority, click here.

The Education Authority is an Equal Opportunities Employer

Key Skills

CleaningHealth And SafetyTeamworkCommunicationOrganizational SkillsInitiativeCOSHH RegulationsFloor MaintenanceStain RemovalDustingPolishingWaste ManagementTrainingInduction TrainingRefresher Training