Five family office hiring trends in 2024
The festive season is fast approaching and, for family offices, ensuring a smooth and enjoyable holiday period requires strategic planning, especially when hiring staff ahead of the holiday season. It’s…
Just like any business, the private household requires a wide range of support positions to keep operations running smoothly. From a private household PA and butler, to a chauffeur, housekeeper and estate manager, there are many moving parts to ensure a seamless day-to-day experience for a UHNWI and their families.
But do you know the duties and responsibilities of each role? As experts in private household staff recruitment, Tiger Private has a unique understanding of the requirements of each home and how each domestic position fits into its fabric. Should you be looking for a job in a private household, it’s essential to understand what is expected of each role and how it contributes to the smooth running of the home.
Butler
A butler assists with the running of a household, particularly in the areas of entertaining and travel requirements. While the individual responsibilities will vary, a butler job can include silver service; care of silver and fine china; wardrobe management; travel packing; meeting and greeting of residents and guests; training and management of other staff; and in some cases, travelling with the principal and their family. With these in mind, it’s essential that a butler possess a number of qualities, including excellent communication skills and a dedication to high standards of service.
Chauffeur
A chauffeur is responsible for the safe transportation of their principal and family. As such, they need to have exceptional driving skills, as well as an encyclopedic knowledge of the city in which they are based in order to deliver an efficient route. Timeliness is of the essence when it comes to a private chauffeur job, so it’s essential you have exceptional timekeeping skills, can operate intuitively and calmly under pressure, and have a high level of emotional intelligence to deal with issues as and when they arise.
Chef
A private chef looks after all the culinary needs of a household. From day-to-day dining to parties and events, they are responsible for ensuring every member is well-fed! A private chef job includes responsibilities such as designing menus, sourcing ingredients, maintaining the kitchen space, catering to any dietary or lifestyle requirements and, of course, preparing all meals. As such, a great private chef should be able to work under pressure, have a thorough understanding of modern culinary trends and techniques and be able to adapt to requirements accordingly.
Close protection officer
If required, close protection officers oversee all security measures within a private household. Working as part of a team or individually, they are responsible for the safety of all household occupants, both at home and while travelling. A close protection job will see you performing continual risk assessment, developing plans to minimize threats and, should they arise, responding in the necessary manner. Close protection officers can also assist with security measures within the home, including security cameras, custom doors and other technology.
Estate manager
Should a private household sit on a wider estate, an estate manager can oversee the wider estate operations. They will work with the owner of the property to create and execute a management plan of the land, grounds and home, liaising with tenants, farmers, ground staff and contractors. Estate managers are usually the first point of contact for any maintenance issues or emergencies and, as such, will live on site for ease.
House manager
Should it be a larger home, a private household may require the services of a house manager. As a senior member of staff, they will act as the gatekeeper for the home, overseeing operations on a day-to-day basis and reporting straight to the principal. Therefore, a house manager job includes supervising and managing household staff, event planning, managing the household’s schedules and calendars, overseeing financial administration such as bills and budgets, managing household inventory, and running errands.
Housekeeper
A housekeeper is responsible for the overall cleaning of a private household, working to the highest standards. Duties can include vacuuming, polishing and dusting, overseeing the laundry of delicate fabrics and expensive pieces, and travel packing and unpacking. A housekeeper’s job may also expand to include taking messages, meeting and greeting visitors, looking after shopping or cooking everyday meals.
Live-in couple
A live-in couple job is a great opportunity for experienced household staff to take ownership of a property on behalf of their principal, overseeing the running of the home. The exact nature of the role will depend on requirements, but common combinations include housekeeper/chauffeur, housekeeper/butler and estate manager/house manager. Within this role, they may also oversee general management of the home, supervising other staff if required.
Private PA
A private PA (or household PA) can often take on a house manager-like role within a private household, overseeing the general day-to-day operations while also providing support to the principal and their family. They will manage the personal lives of the family, managing diaries, organising travel and overseeing household finances. If you take on a private PA job in London, you may also help with a broader range of duties such as caring for any children, running personal errands and supervising household staff.
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Are you looking to work in a private household? Tiger Private are specialists in private household recruitment and can assist with a wide range of roles. Get in touch today!
