Executive Housekeeper - (NIH)

The National Institutes of Health (NIH), located in Bethesda, Maryland, is a premier federal research institution dedicated to medical and scientific advancement. NIH operates under rigorous standards and contractual agreements to maintain the highest quality of healthcare and research environments. This position is a government contract role posted strictly for incumbent employee onboarding. All hires and onboarding occur electronically in adherence to NIH's operational guidelines.

NIH is seeking an Executive Housekeeper (EH) to lead and manage the Environmental Services (EVS) and Linen Distribution department. This leadership role demands a seasoned management professional to oversee daily operations across multiple NIH campus buildings, including the NIH Clinical Center and various research and administrative facilities. The EH must ensure full compliance with contract obligations, NIH infection control protocols, Joint Commission Environment of Care standards, CDC/HICPAC infection prevention protocols, and applicable federal healthcare environmental cleaning requirements.

As an operational liaison, the EH bridges the organizational goals of Teya Support Services, the contracted service provider, with NIH's facility management teams. This role involves managing a complex, multi-shift workforce to deliver seamless environmental services within a large and highly sensitive healthcare and research federal environment. The EH is responsible for monitoring and maintaining performance in line with contract performance thresholds, quality assurance surveillance plans (QASP), and performing detailed coordination with the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR), ensuring project deliverables meet or exceed NIH’s strict standards.

The ideal candidate brings a minimum of five years of healthcare environmental services management experience, preferably within a large federal or healthcare institution, with strong familiarity with NIH operational environments highly desired. This position requires a Certified Environmental Services Executive (CESE) or equivalent certification by IEHA or AHE, with certifications remaining current throughout the contract period. Candidates are expected to have advanced proficiency in management systems, developed communication skills, and a proven ability to adapt to emergent conditions such as infectious disease outbreaks or emergency facility events.

The Executive Housekeeper is central to the quality assurance framework, conducting routine inspections in critical areas like operating rooms, isolation zones, and research labs to assure compliance with sanitation and infectious disease prevention protocols. As a key human resources leader, the EH handles recruitment, orientation, ongoing training, performance evaluations, and ensures all staff maintain NIH required credentialing, security clearances, and compliance with union contracts where applicable.

Safety, security, and detailed recordkeeping form core pillars of this role. The EH must ensure departmental adherence to NIH specific biosafety protocols, OSHA standards, and NIH security mandates. This position also requires flexibility to work across all shifts in a 24/7 operational environment, including holidays and weekends, reflecting the continuous nature of NIH’s healthcare and research mission.

The role offers competitive remuneration commensurate with experience and applicable wage determinations. Benefits provided include comprehensive federal employee health benefits, paid time off, dental and vision insurance, a matching 401(k) retirement plan, short-term disability coverage, life insurance, 11 paid holidays annually, and structured career development opportunities within Teya and its subsidiaries.

This opportunity is ideal for a dedicated environmental services management professional seeking to contribute to an influential federal healthcare institution. Success in this role is measured by maintaining NIH’s high standards for environmental cleanliness, infection control, contract compliance, employee engagement, budget management, and emergency response readiness, all crucial to advancing NIH’s mission of medical innovation and patient safety.