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Private Roles for the 2018 Household

Managing a large estate or multiple households can be a challenge without assistance. From a chief of staff to a domestic team and driver, there is a private staff member for every situation.  

This guide aims to define the key roles within any private household, offering a base on which you can build your staffing structure.

Estate Manager

An estate manager is responsible for the running of any estate. This includes overseeing the land, grounds, house and on occasion, the management of domestic staff.

They can work directly with you to plan and execute a management plan of any property and grounds, inclusive of farming and tenants. An estate manager can also oversee ground staff and contractors and ensure the house is maintained with all equipment running smoothly.

A strong estate manager will be discreet, flexible, hard-working, organised and a fantastic communicator. They should also be able to remain calm under pressure and be adaptable to difficult situations.

House Manager

While an Estate Manager would oversee all external features of your home, the House Manager is responsible for everything inside it.

Duties can include managing budgets for household expenses, assisting with travel preparation, running errands, working alongside the chief of staff to plan events and parties and generally being the ‘go to’ person for the home. In the case of not having an estate manager, a house manager can also deal with external subcontractors.

A fantastic house manager should have a strong eye for detail, be incredibly organised and efficient, offer a high level of service and show strong initiative.

Domestic Team

A domestic team is the bread and butter of your household. Consisting of butlers and housekeepers, the team is responsible for conducting day-to-day operations, inclusive of cleaning, organising events and meeting and greeting guests. If needed, they may also assist with children, conducting school runs and catering for their meals.  A great domestic team should be discreet, possess a can-do attitude and have a high attention to detail.

Chef

A private chef oversees all meals, taking responsibility for kitchen management and budgeting, maintaining impeccable hygiene standards and planning and preparation of the finest quality ingredients. They can develop menus and meal plans, accommodating any specific dietary requirements, as well as cater to formal functions and events. A private chef can also travel with the principal and family when necessary. A great chef should be hard-working, efficient, friendly and possess the ability to work autonomously and professionally.

Chauffeur

A chauffeur is responsible for all your driving needs, ensuring the daily safe and reliable transport of you and your family. They can pick up and drop off at business meetings, conduct school runs, run general errands like picking up dry cleaning. A great chauffeur should have an outstanding knowledge of local roads and routes and be calm in the face of time constraints and traffic. They should also be able to carry out minor maintenance on their car and keep both the interior and exterior clean.

Chief of Staff

Those with larger estates and houses may also find that a chief of staff (COS) can be indispensable. The role can be very broad, but can include the general management of a home or property portfolio, staff or events. On a personal level, a COS can be a right-hand person to a principal and their family.

For those with multiple homes and staff, a COS can be invaluable in overseeing private and domestic affairs, acting as the sole point of contact and implementing structure and procedure as necessary.

The ideal chief of staff will be organised, thorough, flexible, a team player, discreet, adaptable and a creative thinker.

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If you’re looking to hire private staff, or are a private candidate in search of a role, get in touch with Tiger Private today.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Laura Glendenning is the Head of Tiger Private. She began her career in lifestyle management before becoming a Private PA and Chief of Staff (COS).

Laura’s extensive experience supporting HNWI affords her a unique insight that benefits both her clients and candidates. Laura encapsulates Tiger Private’s vision by providing a bespoke, highly personalised service – after all, the positions she recruits must be the ‘perfect match’!