Primary responsibilities

Estate manager is the top position title within private service and, as such, they serve as the top level in the household staff. As the name suggests, their job revolves around management rather than providing services.  There is a unique combination of skills required to do this job at a high level. Their primary role is to work with the owners to plan and execute the management of the property and services provided by the staff. They are often responsible for hiring, training, and ongoing administration of the staff which allows them to set the service standard that you expect. Typically, your estate manager will be in charge of all financial matters including budgets, payroll, and other accounting issues. If you have multiple properties, your estate manager is responsible for managing all of them and ensuring that everything is ready for you before you arrive.

Scheduling

In most families, there are a wide variety of items that require scheduling to ensure that everything runs smoothly and your estate manager is the one in charge of keeping them all in line. They will be assigning tasks to the domestic staff based on the needs of each day. Additionally, they are responsible for ensuring that the property is properly maintained and never in a state of disrepair. Working with vendors and contractors necessary for these duties is a critical part of their job. Similarly, they will make certain that your fleet of cars remains in working order including maintaining registrations, licenses, repairs, and appropriately insuring each vehicle. If you have pets in your family, their care including walking, grooming, and trips to the vet would also be scheduled by your estate manager.

Household responsibilities

Being an estate manager also comes with a large number of household responsibilities in addition to the scheduling of household staff. They may be responsible for planning parties or other social gatherings of all sizes. If you have a guest coming to stay with you or family members departing for vacation, the estate manager is responsible for making travel arrangements for everyone. Every major household will undoubtedly have a variety of valuable items, furniture, and home appliances which must be inventoried as well as insured to cover damage, loss, or theft of property. It is also common for them to ensure the home’s security and computerized systems are maintained and updated as necessary.