House Manager-to lead a fantastic team in a great, private setting

This is a rare and exciting opportunity to join a UHNW private household in Berkshire, taking full ownership of the smooth running of a busy family home and its wider estate. Our client is looking for someone exceptional: a House Manager or Estate Manager who leads from the front, thinks several steps ahead, and gives the family true peace of mind that everything is quietly, expertly taken care of.

This role sits at management level. You will oversee housekeeping, gardening, maintenance and project teams, working closely with a wonderful, dynamic family and their existing staff, so a natural affinity with a energetic household and team is important. While the role is primarily strategic, you will be just as happy rolling your sleeves up and helping out.

Role overview:

• Leading and managing existing team members, providing clear leadership and support to maintain exceptional standards
• Overseeing household management operations, ensuring every part of the main property and its teams runs seamlessly – including managing rotas, resource planning
• Managing and motivating housekeeping, maintenance, gardening and other staff, bringing out the best in a dynamic team. Leading by example in an approachable and low ego way - ensuring seamless communication and continuity 
• Acting as gatekeeper for the household, resolving issues calmly and confidently - ensuring professionalism at all times
• Maintaining the upkeep of residences to the very highest standard – including inventories, supplies, item care
• Monitoring expenditure, processing expenses and assisting with invoice administration relating to domestic operations
• Overseeing exceptional housekeeping routines and cleaning standards
• Supporting ongoing property development projects with other team members, coordinating contractors and tradespeople where required
• Building genuine trust with the principals through discretion, consistency and quiet competence
• Adapting effortlessly to the rhythms of a busy family home, including evenings and weekends as needed
• Supporting the household team and being their main point of contact – undertaking reviews and development where required 
• Occasional travel to other properties as required – ability to prepare properties ahead of arrival and departure, guest ready at all times
• Ability to review procedures to improve consistency, efficiency and standards across key areas

The Person:

• A minimum of five years’ experience within a private, high net worth household or a five-star, luxury hotel environment
• Proven experience managing teams and day to day operations, ideally within housekeeping, estate management, maintenance, catering or hospitality or high service environment
• Experience working with ultra-high net worth or senior individuals, with an instinctive understanding of discretion and confidentiality – ability to work seamlessly alongside a range of stakeholders
• High levels of emotional intelligence, integrity and professionalism at all times
• Calm, unflappable and solutions-focused, even under pressure or tight deadlines
• Proactive and organised by nature, someone who spots what needs doing before being asked
• Approachable, low ego, and a natural leader who gets the best out of people - proven experience of managing and developing high performing teams
• Impeccably organised, with the ability to manage many moving parts using your own initiative – but also able to utilise the skills and knowledge of relevant team members
• Refined, polite and clear communicator, with extraordinary attention to detail
• Strong administrative skills, including budgets, expenses and record keeping
• Full clean driving licence and a confident driver 
• Excellent, checkable references

This is a full-time role, working an average of 45 hours per week, with flexibility around evenings and weekends as the household requires, occasional travel for fulfilment of duties.

Salary: depending on the persons experience

If this opportunity sounds ideal to you, or someone you know, we would love to hear from you.

Please send your details to Rebecca: [email protected]