Managing your private household or estate requires skilled professionals who can maintain smooth daily operations. Talented and attentive domestic staff fulfill these essential roles in meeting the unique needs of each home or office.
The Role of Domestic Staff
Domestic staff are professionals who offer a wide variety of services that keep your home, properties, or family office running smoothly.
Their duties might include cooking or meal planning, childcare, cleaning the home, household management, maintenance, one-on-one assistance to the principal, and more.
Each estate is different. Some households may need just one or two in-home staff, while others require a team of people.
Who Should You Hire?*
Roles That Benefit Private Homes and Estates
Nanny
A nanny is a dedicated childcare professional who becomes an integral part of the household, providing comprehensive care beyond basic supervision. In this role, nannies create nurturing environments tailored to each child’s developmental stage and individual needs.
Modern nannies often take on additional responsibilities such as meal preparation, light housekeeping related to childcare, and maintaining detailed communication with parents about their children’s daily activities and milestones.
For families who frequently travel, travel nannies offer the flexibility to maintain children’s routines while navigating different time zones and environments, ensuring consistency in care at home or abroad.
Housekeeper/Executive Housekeeper
Housekeepers are the backbone of home maintenance, responsible for creating and preserving a clean, organized living environment. Their role can range from routine daily upkeep to comprehensive deep cleaning services. Some households opt for live-in housekeepers who provide round-the-clock maintenance, while others prefer periodic cleaning services that maintain the home’s standards on a weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly basis.
Charged with managing an entire crew, the executive housekeeper directs cleaning and maintenance tasks with the housekeeping and maintenance staff, in addition to staff schedules, housekeeping budgets, and more.
Private Chef
A private chef is a culinary expert who goes beyond basic meal preparation. They meticulously oversee meal planning, source high-quality ingredients, and create customized menus that align with the household’s dietary requirements, preferences, and lifestyle. Their responsibilities often extend to preparing sophisticated meals for private events, dinner parties, and special occasions, effectively serving as both a nutritionist and a gourmet culinary artist.
While primarily a position that serves a single family, a private chef can also serve in the corporate environment of a family office where their responsibilities may include managing catered events, principal & executive dining, or employee meal services.
Household Manager/Chief of Staff
A household manager/chief of staff serves as the central operational hub for high-net-worth residences and estates, orchestrating all aspects of household management with meticulous attention to detail.
This comprehensive role encompasses strategic oversight of domestic staff, including recruitment, training, scheduling, and performance management, while maintaining clear communication channels between all team members. Financial responsibilities extend beyond basic budgeting, including expense tracking, payroll management, vendor negotiations, and detailed reporting to principals or family offices.
The household manager/chief of staff combines administrative expertise with leadership abilities. They often act as the bridge between principals and staff, anticipating needs and solving problems before they arise.
Chauffeur
A chauffeur delivers more than just transportation services, functioning as a primary component of their principal’s daily operations and security team.
This role requires logistics experts who optimize travel routes, monitor traffic patterns, and coordinate with other staff members to ensure punctual arrivals for business meetings, social engagements, and private events. Vehicle management responsibilities include comprehensive maintenance oversight, from scheduling regular servicing to maintaining detailed maintenance records and coordinating with mechanics and dealerships.
Roles That Benefit Executive and Family Office
Executive Assistant
An executive assistant serves as a strategic partner and essential support system, orchestrating the complex professional life of high-level executives with precision and foresight.
This role extends far beyond traditional administrative duties and includes calendar management, travel coordination, and confidential communication handling across all organizational levels.
Top executive assistants will streamline your operations and boost productivity. This expertise allows you to focus on critical leadership priorities and high-level decision making.
Heads of Office CEO/COO/CFO
A head of office, whether serving as CEO, COO, or CFO, acts as the strategic cornerstone of family wealth management and legacy planning.
As CEO, they shape the overall vision and direction, making high-level decisions that align with the family’s values while orchestrating long-term wealth preservation strategies.
The COO acts as the operational mastermind, transforming objectives into actionable plans by streamlining processes, managing teams, and ensuring day-to-day excellence across all family office interests.
Meanwhile, the CFO maintains focus on financial health, overseeing investment strategies, tax planning, and risk management while providing insights for wealth expansion and preservation.
Together, these executive roles create a leadership triangle that safeguards family interests across generations. They serve as trusted advisors who not only manage wealth but also help families navigate complex decisions about philanthropy, succession planning, and sustainable growth, ensuring that both financial assets and family values endure.
General Counsel
Family office general counsel serves as the primary legal strategist and protector of a family’s wealth and interests.
This role requires the expertise to provide comprehensive legal protection and acts as both guardian and strategic advisor.
General counsel ensures that your family’s assets and interests receive meticulous attention and protection through thoughtful legal oversight.
Human Resources (HR) Specialist
The family office human resources (HR) specialist operates as a strategic talent manager who goes beyond traditional administrative duties to foster organizational excellence through people-centered initiatives.
This role requires an elevated understanding of human capital management, with a focus on cultivating the potential of professional staff.
The HR specialist serves to enhance family office organizational dynamics by creating alignment with personnel capabilities and your family’s objectives.
Accountant
A family office accountant transforms complex financial data into actionable intelligence that guides wealth management decisions.
This role extends far beyond traditional bookkeeping, positioning the accountant as a key advisor who provides crucial insights for optimizing your family’s financial position.
The accountant’s expertise enables them to not only maintain accurate financial records but also to identify opportunities for optimization and growth, ensuring that your family’s wealth is strategically positioned for long-term success.
*There are a variety of other domestic staffing placements available; this is just a glimpse into some of the most common household hires.
Assessing Your Household’s Requirements
Begin your staffing assessment by analyzing your home’s operational demands and lifestyle requirements. Document time-intensive tasks, recurring challenges, and areas where professional support would enhance household efficiency.
Whether you need full-time staff or periodic assistance, focus on roles that align with your family’s routines and maintain your desired standard of living.
Household Staffing recognizes that your home, family, and business are one-of-a-kind. That means what works for one estate or family, might not work for yours.
Our attentive team at Household Staffing works with you to find and place the most experienced professional in a household position that meets your requirements. Our personalized approach gives us the opportunity to listen to your specific needs and requests for your estate and then find the right match – the first time.
Defining Roles and Responsibilities
Defining roles and responsibilities for your domestic staff or family office hire(s) begins with a thorough needs assessment that outlines daily, weekly, and seasonal requirements for the position.
The employer or hiring manager should create detailed job descriptions that specify not only the primary duties but also secondary responsibilities, scheduling expectations, required certifications or experience, and any unique aspects of the role that might differ from standard industry positions.
Essential elements to include in your documentation:
- Primary job duties and responsibilities
- Secondary or occasional responsibilities
- Required certifications, education, and experience
- Work schedule and flexibility requirements
- Reporting structure and supervision expectations
- Emergency protocols and procedures
- Confidentiality requirements
- Technology requirements and systems knowledge
- Dress code and personal presentation standards
- Standards for interacting with family members and guests
- Travel requirements (if applicable)
- Event staffing responsibilities (if applicable)
- Performance evaluation criteria and timeline
- Protocol for time off requests and coverage
Expectations regarding professional conduct and procedures for feedback and conflict resolution should also be outlined. Your documentation should address how staff may handle sensitive situations, including interactions with other family members, media, social media policies, and protocols for managing unexpected circumstances that may arise during their duties.
Additional considerations to document:
- Professional development opportunities
- Career advancement potential
- Benefits package details
- Overtime policies and compensation
- Holiday schedule and coverage expectations
- Use of family resources (vehicles, equipment, etc.)
- Security protocols and access permissions
- Communication preferences and channels
- Guest and visitor policies
- Household or office-specific standards and preferences
By clearly defining these roles and responsibilities upfront, domestic employers can establish strong foundations for successful long-term working relationships.
This comprehensive approach helps prevent misunderstandings and creates a framework for addressing issues that may arise during the course of employment.
Don’t go it alone. Household Staffing works closely with you to create a detailed job listing that includes all roles and responsibilities for your hire.
This listing is published to our extensive network of candidate recruitment job boards, ensuring your job attracts the best talent.
Upon application, we personally review each candidate before they are introduced to confirm their capabilities meet or exceed your requirements.
Determining Staffing Levels
To effectively determine the “right” amount of staffing, you’ll need to understand your household’s distinct requirements.
Consider these factors:
- Size of your property: larger homes may need more cleaning staff, along with gardeners or groundskeepers.
- Size of your family: for example, how many children you have may determine if one or more nannies are required, or how many kitchen staff you need to cook larger meals.
- Your lifestyle: consider how busy you are, how often you are away from home, and what type of staff would be most beneficial in your absence.
By taking a comprehensive approach to staffing assessment, families can create an efficient and sustainable staffing structure that meets their needs while providing a positive work environment for your employee(s).
We recognize that each home is different. That’s why our detailed and personalized process helps us to get to know our clients, as to ensure we have a good understanding of your household needs.
We are happy to help you put together an experienced and detailed team that keeps your home in order – no matter how big or small it is.
