Hiring household staff starts with one document that too many families overlook: a clear, detailed job description. Whether you need a nanny, an executive housekeeper, or a full estate team, the job description sets the expectations that keep both sides satisfied long after the hire is made.
Explore The Calendar Group’s private household staffing services to find qualified candidates matched to your family’s needs.
A vague posting attracts the wrong applicants. A precise one saves you weeks of interviews and protects you from costly turnover. According to the Society for Human Resource Management, replacing a household employee can cost 50% to 200% of their annual salary when you factor in recruiting, training, and lost productivity. The job description is your first line of defense against that expense.
This guide walks through every common household role, explains what each job description should include, and gives you the building blocks to write postings that attract top-tier candidates.
Why Household Staff Job Descriptions Matter
A household staff job description does more than list duties. It communicates your family’s standards, protects you legally, and gives candidates a realistic preview of the position. Families who skip this step often end up with misaligned expectations, early turnover, and frustration on both sides.
Clear job descriptions help with:
- Attracting qualified candidates who self-select based on your specific requirements
- Setting boundaries so responsibilities do not creep beyond what was agreed upon
- Legal protection by documenting the role, hours, compensation, and reporting structure
- Performance reviews because both parties have a written benchmark to reference
- Reducing turnover since expectations are transparent from the start
For high-net-worth families managing multiple properties or large household teams, these documents become even more important. They define how to define a household employee and where each person fits in the bigger picture.
What Every Household Staff Job Description Should Include
Before diving into specific roles, here is the framework that applies to any household position. Every posting should cover these sections:
- Job title: Use a specific, industry-standard title
- Position summary: Two to three sentences describing the role’s purpose and reporting structure
- Core duties and responsibilities: A bulleted list of daily, weekly, and occasional tasks
- Required qualifications: Education, certifications, years of experience, and specific skills
- Preferred qualifications: Nice-to-have credentials that set top candidates apart
- Schedule and hours: Full-time or part-time, live-in or live-out, weekend or holiday expectations
- Compensation range: Salary or hourly rate, plus benefits like housing, health insurance, PTO, and vehicle use
- Location: Primary residence and any travel requirements between properties
- Physical requirements: Lifting, standing, driving, or other physical demands
- Confidentiality expectations: Privacy requirements, NDA willingness, and discretion standards
With that framework in hand, let’s look at the most common household staff roles and what belongs in each description.
Nanny Job Description
A nanny provides dedicated, one-on-one childcare tailored to each child’s age, developmental stage, and daily routine. This role goes well beyond babysitting. Professional nannies manage schedules, prepare meals for children, assist with homework, and handle school transportation.
Core duties typically include:
- Full-time or part-time childcare for infants through school-age children
- School drop-offs, pick-ups, and activity transportation
- Meal planning and preparation for children
- Light housekeeping related to children’s spaces (laundry, tidying playrooms)
- Organizing age-appropriate activities and outings
- Maintaining daily logs of feeding, sleeping, and developmental milestones (for infants)
- Homework supervision and academic support
Qualifications to include: CPR and first aid certification, a minimum of 3 to 5 years of professional nanny experience, a valid driver’s license, and a clean background check. Families with infants may require newborn care specialist credentials.
Typical salary range: $55,000 to $85,000 annually for full-time positions in major metro areas, with live-in nannies often receiving housing and a vehicle as part of the compensation package.
When you are ready to begin your search, you can hire a professional nanny through a placement agency that vets candidates thoroughly.
Executive Housekeeper Job Description
An executive housekeeper manages every aspect of a home’s cleanliness, presentation, and upkeep. In larger estates, this role includes supervising a team of housekeeping staff, coordinating with vendors, and maintaining inventories of supplies.
Core duties typically include:
- Creating and maintaining daily, weekly, and seasonal cleaning schedules
- Conducting property inspections to uphold the home’s standards
- Managing household supply inventories and placing orders
- Training and supervising junior housekeeping staff
- Coordinating with laundry services, florists, and specialty vendors
- Preparing the home for guests, events, and seasonal transitions
- Caring for fine furnishings, art, antiques, and delicate fabrics
Qualifications to include: A minimum of 5 years in a similar household or hospitality environment, experience managing staff, knowledge of fine fabric and surface care, and organizational skills strong enough to run a multi-property household.
Typical salary range: $65,000 to $120,000 depending on the property’s size and number of staff supervised. You can learn more about the executive housekeeper’s role and what distinguishes it from general housekeeping.
If you are looking for this caliber of professional, explore how to hire an executive housekeeper with the right background for your home.
Butler and Personal Valet Job Description
A butler oversees formal service within the household, manages events, and coordinates household staff. A personal valet focuses on the principal’s personal needs, including wardrobe management, grooming preparation, and travel logistics. In many private homes, one person fills both roles.
Core duties typically include:
- Managing formal dining service, table settings, and wine service
- Greeting and hosting guests with discretion and professionalism
- Overseeing other household staff members and coordinating schedules
- Wardrobe organization, dry cleaning coordination, and travel packing
- Running personal errands and managing the principal’s daily logistics
- Event planning, coordination, and on-site management
- Maintaining silver, china, crystal, and other household valuables
Qualifications to include: Formal butler training (or equivalent high-level hospitality experience), 5 or more years in a private household or luxury hotel, impeccable references, and fluency in etiquette and protocol.
Typical salary range: $75,000 to $150,000 depending on duties, household size, and location. Learn more about how to hire a butler or personal valet who meets your household’s standards.
Contact The Calendar Group to discuss your staffing needs and find candidates matched to your household’s culture and expectations.
Family Assistant Job Description
A family assistant is the anchor of the household, managing both administrative and personal responsibilities. This role blends personal assistant duties with household coordination, making it one of the most versatile positions on any domestic team.
Core duties typically include:
- Calendar management for all family members
- Running errands, managing deliveries, and coordinating appointments
- Travel research, booking, and itinerary preparation
- Vendor coordination for household maintenance and repairs
- School-related logistics and children’s activity schedules
- Meal planning, grocery ordering, and light meal preparation
- Pet care coordination
- Household bill tracking and expense reporting
Qualifications to include: Strong organizational and multitasking skills, proficiency with scheduling software, 3 or more years in a similar household or executive assistant role, a valid driver’s license, and the ability to work flexible hours.
Typical salary range: $50,000 to $90,000 based on the scope of responsibilities and household complexity. For a deeper look at this evolving role, read about the multifunctional family assistant and what makes it a modern necessity. Ready to hire? Learn how to hire a family assistant through a specialized agency.
Household Manager or Estate Manager Job Description
A household manager (sometimes called an estate manager) operates as the CEO of the home. This person oversees all staff, manages budgets, coordinates vendors, and keeps every aspect of the household running smoothly. For multi-property families, this role often includes travel between residences and coordination across time zones.
Core duties typically include:
- Hiring, training, scheduling, and supervising all household staff
- Managing household budgets, expense tracking, and vendor payments
- Coordinating maintenance, renovations, and capital projects
- Overseeing security, safety systems, and emergency protocols
- Managing relationships with external service providers (landscaping, pool, HVAC)
- Coordinating between multiple properties, including seasonal openings and closings
- Reporting directly to the principal or family office
Qualifications to include: 7 or more years of household or property management experience, strong financial and budget management skills, leadership experience with teams of 5 or more, and comfort with technology (smart home systems, project management tools). A background in hospitality management or business administration is common among top candidates.
Typical salary range: $90,000 to $200,000 or more for complex estates. For a detailed look at this role, review the core duties of a household manager.
Personal Chef Job Description
A personal chef prepares meals tailored to the family’s dietary preferences, health requirements, and entertaining schedule. Unlike a private cook who handles everyday meals, a personal chef often brings restaurant-level culinary training and can manage everything from weeknight dinners to formal multi-course events.
Core duties typically include:
- Menu planning based on dietary needs, allergies, and preferences
- Grocery shopping, sourcing specialty ingredients, and managing food budgets
- Preparing daily meals, snacks, and packed lunches
- Cooking for dinner parties, holidays, and special events
- Kitchen inventory management and equipment maintenance
- Accommodating multiple diets within the same household
Qualifications to include: Culinary school training or equivalent professional kitchen experience, 5 or more years as a personal or private chef, food safety certification, knowledge of various cuisines, and experience with dietary restrictions (gluten-free, kosher, vegan, allergen-free).
Typical salary range: $70,000 to $130,000 for full-time positions, with higher compensation for chefs who also manage catering and entertaining.
Chauffeur and Private Driver Job Description
A chauffeur provides safe, discreet, and reliable transportation for the family. Beyond driving, this role requires time management, vehicle maintenance awareness, and the ability to adapt to last-minute schedule changes.
Core duties typically include:
- Daily transportation for principals and family members
- Airport transfers, school runs, and appointment transportation
- Route planning and real-time schedule coordination
- Vehicle cleanliness, fuel management, and maintenance scheduling
- Special event transportation and coordination with security teams
- Waiting on standby during events, meetings, or social engagements
Qualifications to include: A clean driving record spanning at least 5 years, a valid commercial or chauffeur’s license (state-dependent), defensive driving training, knowledge of local and regional routes, and discretion with family information.
Typical salary range: $50,000 to $85,000 for full-time positions, with higher pay in cities like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Explore how to hire a private chauffeur who fits your family’s schedule and privacy requirements.
Household Assistant Job Description
A household assistant handles a broad mix of cleaning, organizing, errands, and light administrative support. This role is more hands-on than a family assistant and focuses on keeping the physical household running day to day.
Core duties typically include:
- General cleaning, organizing, and maintaining household order
- Laundry, ironing, and linen management
- Grocery shopping, errand running, and package handling
- Assisting with meal preparation and kitchen cleanup
- Coordinating with repair technicians and service providers
- Pet feeding, walking, and veterinary appointment scheduling
Qualifications to include: 2 or more years of household experience, reliability and punctuality, physical stamina for active tasks, and a valid driver’s license. Read more about the daily responsibilities of a household assistant to understand how this role supports the broader team. You can also hire a household assistant through a staffing agency for a pre-vetted candidate.
Typical salary range: $40,000 to $65,000 based on location and scope.
How to Determine What Household Staff You Need
Not every family needs a full estate team. The right staffing configuration depends on your property size, family structure, lifestyle, and how much of your daily routine you want to delegate.
Ask yourself these questions:
- How many properties do you manage? Multi-property families typically need an estate or household manager to coordinate between locations.
- Do you have young children? A nanny or family assistant is usually the first hire for families with children under 12.
- How often do you entertain? Frequent hosting may call for a personal chef, butler, or both.
- What is your household’s square footage? Homes over 5,000 square feet often benefit from an executive housekeeper, while estates over 10,000 square feet may need a full housekeeping team.
- Do family members have complex schedules? A family assistant or household manager can coordinate calendars, travel, and logistics across the family.
For families just beginning the process, reading through the steps to hiring the right household staff can help you map out which roles to prioritize first.
How to Write a Strong Household Staff Job Description
Once you know which roles you need, follow these steps to write a job description that attracts serious, qualified candidates:
- Start with the job title and a clear summary. Use recognized titles. “Executive Housekeeper” is searchable and understood; “Household Organizer” is not.
- List duties in order of importance. Lead with daily responsibilities, then weekly and occasional tasks. Candidates scan the first five bullets before deciding whether to read further.
- Be specific about qualifications. Separate “required” from “preferred.” Requiring 10 years of experience and culinary school training for a household assistant role will scare off strong candidates. Match the qualifications to the role’s actual demands.
- Include compensation details. Private household candidates expect salary transparency. A range is fine, but “competitive salary” tells them nothing.
- Describe the household environment. Candidates want to know the family’s size, the home’s location, whether children or pets are present, and whether the role is live-in or live-out. These details matter more in domestic staffing than in almost any other industry.
- State confidentiality requirements upfront. High-net-worth families should mention NDA expectations, social media policies, and privacy standards in the posting itself.
- Mention the screening process. Listing background checks, reference verification, and trial periods signals professionalism. Top candidates expect this, and it filters out those who are not prepared for it.
Learn how The Calendar Group’s placement process works and how we match families with candidates who fit both the role and the household culture.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the duties of household staff?
Household staff duties vary by role but generally include childcare, cleaning and home maintenance, cooking, driving, personal assistance, and property management. Each position has a specific focus. A nanny manages children’s daily care and development. An executive housekeeper oversees cleaning standards and vendor coordination. A household manager supervises the entire team and manages budgets. The specific duties depend on the role, the family’s needs, and the property’s size.
What household staff do I need?
The staff you need depends on your property size, family structure, and lifestyle. A family with young children in a single home may only need a nanny and a housekeeper. A family managing multiple properties with frequent entertaining might need a household manager, executive housekeeper, personal chef, nanny, and chauffeur. Start by identifying which daily tasks take the most time and hire for those roles first.
What are the top skills for household staff?
The three most valued skills across all household positions are discretion, reliability, and adaptability. Beyond those, each role demands specific technical skills. Nannies need child development knowledge and CPR certification. Housekeepers need expertise in fine fabric and surface care. Household managers need budgeting, leadership, and vendor management skills. The best household employees combine technical competence with strong communication and a service-oriented mindset.
How much should I pay household staff?
Household staff salaries depend on the role, location, experience level, and whether the position is live-in or live-out. As a general range: household assistants earn $40,000 to $65,000, nannies earn $55,000 to $85,000, executive housekeepers earn $65,000 to $120,000, and estate managers earn $90,000 to $200,000 or more. Major metropolitan areas like New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco command higher salaries. Benefits such as housing, health insurance, paid time off, and vehicle use significantly add to total compensation.
Should I use a staffing agency to hire household staff?
A staffing agency is the most efficient path for families who value thorough vetting and a strong candidate match. Agencies handle background checks, reference verification, skills assessments, and personality fit evaluations that would take an individual family weeks to complete. For families hiring their first household employee or building a full estate team, an agency also provides guidance on job descriptions, compensation benchmarking, and onboarding. Learn more about how domestic staffing agencies work and what to expect from the process.
Start Building Your Household Team
A well-written job description is the foundation of every successful household hire. It attracts the right candidates, sets clear expectations, and protects both the family and the employee from misunderstandings down the line.
Whether you are hiring your first nanny or assembling a complete estate staff, start with the frameworks above. Define the role clearly, list specific qualifications, include compensation details, and describe the household environment. These steps will put you ahead of the vast majority of families posting vague, one-paragraph ads that attract the wrong applicants.
Contact The Calendar Group today to start your search with a team that understands the standards your household requires.
