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House Manager

Day-to-day leadership inside the home.

House Managers who run a single residence with warmth and precision — leading staff, managing vendors, and holding the standard the principal expects at home.

Typical compensation · $110K–$180K

Responsibilities

  • 01Manage household staff and daily service standards
  • 02Coordinate vendors, maintenance, and household calendars
  • 03Oversee inventory, procurement, and household budgets
  • 04Support entertaining, guests, and family logistics

Ideal for

  • ·Primary residences with 3+ household staff
  • ·Principals hosting frequently
  • ·Families formalizing household operations

What the role actually is

Beyond the job description.

A House Manager runs a single residence day to day — leading household staff, coordinating vendors and maintenance, managing entertaining, and holding the daily standard the principal expects at home. The role reports either directly to the principal (in a single-residence household) or to an Estate Manager (in a portfolio structure). The best House Managers combine warmth, precision, and quiet authority; they set the tone of the household staff and are the person the principal thinks about least because they simply work.

When to hire one

Most principals hire a House Manager when the household has three or more full-time staff, when entertaining has become frequent enough that the principal is coordinating it themselves, or when a residence transition — a renovation, an addition, a new second home — requires a professional layer of household leadership.

Vetting process

Every House Manager we place completes a working session on a real household problem, third-party background verification, and personally conducted reference calls with prior principals wherever tenure allows. We calibrate on judgment, warmth, staff management skill, and the ability to hold a standard without escalation.

Compensation

House Managers typically earn $110,000 to $210,000 base depending on residence size, staff structure, entertaining cadence, and geography. Full benefits and paid time off are standard. Roles reporting into an Estate Manager typically sit below single-residence House Manager roles because scope and authority are narrower.

Common mistakes

What we see fail.

  • 01Hiring a candidate whose only prior experience is hospitality; residence management is a distinct skill.
  • 02Under-scoping entertaining and event responsibilities in the mandate.
  • 03Failing to clarify the reporting relationship if the household also has a Personal Assistant.
  • 04Skipping personally conducted reference calls with prior principals.

Frequently asked

House Manager searches.

What is the difference between a House Manager and an Estate Manager?
A House Manager runs one residence day to day. An Estate Manager provides leadership across a portfolio of two or more residences, with House Managers typically reporting to them.
Do you place House Managers for households with young children?
Yes. We calibrate on family fluency and coordination with childcare staff before sourcing, and we screen finalists specifically for comfort in family-forward households.
How long does a House Manager search take?
A retained House Manager search typically runs six to ten weeks from kickoff to signed offer.

Where we place

House Manager search, nationwide.

Ready to open a House Manager search?

Every engagement starts with a private consultation.

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