Household staff job descriptions [2025]
Celebrities, high-net-worth families, and billionaires are hiring household staff in record numbers. Our recruiters are consistently asked about the duties and responsibilities of the different jobs in estates, so we thought of compiling a list for clients.
Household staff members:
Personal Assistant
Personal assistant duties vary in each household. They are usually a hybrid role with an EA or estate manager. Job duties and responsibilities include grocery shopping, running errands, and even light food preparation if one of the private chefs is unavailable. A personal assistant would handle special requests and run errands on weekends if the employer needed it.
Estate Manager
An estate manager is in a senior position in a home if there is no chief of staff, and they sometimes have a household manager as an assistant to help with property maintenance. An estate manager typically works at larger properties and supervises maintenance, household supplies ordering, and special projects. An EM would work at a property exceeding 20,000 square feet, and the job is often very demanding.
Household Manager
While an estate manager would be employed in large estates, a house manager usually works in mid-size properties under 20,000 square feet. Household managers are typically groomed to become estate managers. Some duties include event planning, implementing party protocols, and even light housekeeping if the housekeeper is off-site. Finally, a household manager writes schedules for the other staff members.
Executive Housekeeper
An executive housekeeper supervises other subordinate housekeepers and even has light cleaning duties herself. The executive housekeeper orders cleaning supplies for multiple properties, and some of them eventually work their way up to become a house manager. Housekeeper responsibilities are not limited to inside the estate because a property with a guest house would fall under her domain as well.
Private Chef
A personal chef is familiar with various styles of cooking but usually specializes in specific cuisines. A private chef does extensive menu planning with the principals of the estate and is familiar with 5-star table service, planning dinner parties, and cleaning fine silver. It's common for private chefs to know about fine wines and may even help plan the installation of a wine cellar.
Executive Assistant
An executive assistant is like a personal assistant but also has secretarial responsibilities for the property. They have a good knowledge of Microsoft Office and manage the day-to-day operation of the estate with the PA. Management of the family calendar is a top priority. For example, if the homeowner wants to play nine holes at the local golf course, the EA will book a reservation.
Butler
Sometimes called a butler administrator or majordomo, this position exists in large estates over 20,000 square feet. A butler may work with a personal assistant to meet the homeowner's wishes. Finally, a butler typically assists the private chef with table settings for large dinner parties. This role is usually a live-out position.
Nanny
Nannies oversee childcare and usually work with multiple children. Duties and responsibilities include light meal preparation, keeping track of homework, and they may even have cooking duties after hours if the personal chef and executive housekeeper have gone home. Cleaning bathrooms in the evening after the children have washed up may be part of the duties as well. This is often a live-in position. A high-level nanny with a teaching certification is called a governess.
Executive Protection
When high-net-worth families live in a large estate, the family members need protection. An executive protection team is responsible for home safety, household employees, and the employer's business. The EP crew works closely with the property manager to secure the private home.
Can a personal assistant also be an estate manager?
Yes, it's often a hybrid role. Because a personal assistant and EM have overlapping duties and responsibilities, the homeowner sometimes hires one person to do both jobs. However, if the duties in a private home are too demanding for one person, then the roles will be split.
Which staff members won't have cooking and cleaning duties?
If a property has multiple children, estate staff sometimes have lateral duties. They must help with light meal preparation and housekeeping. In short, everyone helps with childcare, and domestic workers can never say it's not in their job description to help prepare meals. This responsibility is especially true for household managers. If specific duties need to be assigned to someone, then the household manager would be the person to do it.
Filed Under: household manager job description, greeting guests with other staff, yacht crews, housekeeper job duties, household staff job descriptions, 2024
