House Manager

House Manager
New York Locust Valley Estate

POSITION OVERVIEW
Role Title: House Manager
Reporting To: Principal / Family Office
Employment Type: Full-time live-out. Five days in seven (approx. 4050 hours per
week); specific days driven by the family residence schedule.
During school term routine is ThursdayMonday (primarily at Locust Valley) with Tuesday and Wednesday off. During school holidays the five working days are more flexible and shaped by family
requirements. Occasional evening extensions for events will be required. No routine overnight or live-in requirement.
Package Headlines: $125 to $175k;Salary by negotiation and commensurate with experience20 days annual leave and 8 Federal Holidays; health insurance contribution; employee-contributing
401(k).

THE CONTEXT & ROLE
This is a senior service-focused position at the heart of a HNW British familys Locust Valley Estate; an
8-acre Long Island property with principal house pool and gym. The residence serves as the familys
primary leisure base for weekends and during school holidays.

The House Managers remit is primarily hospitality and service. Every family stay at Locust Valley
should be delivered as if it was a bespoke five-star private break anticipated curated and flawlessly
executed. The role is about presentation atmosphere and the invisible choreography that makes a
complex private residence feel effortless to the principals and their guests. A strong and experienced
Property Engineer carries full accountability for MEP maintenance repair and construction across both
properties operating largely independently. This deliberately frees the House Manager to concentrate
fully on the guest experience the look and feel of the house and the quality-of-service delivery.

The House Manager leads the service team at Locust Valley two Housekeepers and the Caretaker
and coordinates with the Property Maintenance team. The role is hands-on as well as leadership:
setting standards by personal example working alongside the team in preparation for and through
family visits and taking direct ownership of the outcome.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Five-Star Guest Experience
The family should arrive to a property that anticipates every need and operates invisibly throughout
their stay.

Choreograph each family arrival and stay to a bespoke five-star standard from the moment the
car turns into the drive through to final close-down after departure.
Own the end-to-end presentation of the house on every visit: floral arrangements lighting
scenting music fires laid bedrooms turned down bathrooms freshly set welcome refreshments
prepared and appropriately placed.
Know the Principals and each childs preferences intimately food drink textiles scents
routines comforts and ensure these are present and anticipated on arrival without needing to
be asked for.
Deliver warm attentive personal service during family stays; overseeing refreshment coordinating
meal service and supporting in-house entertainment as required.
Brief all staff ahead of each visit on family movements guest arrangements dietary requirements
timings and any special requests; debrief after each visit and capture learnings.

Housekeeping & Presentation
Directly lead and work alongside the Housekeeping team at Locust Valley; set and maintain five-
star standards of cleanliness order and presentation at all times.
Oversee laundry linen wardrobing and textile care to couture-level standards; manage specialist
cleaning of fine fabrics rugs and soft furnishings.
Maintain complete household inventories linen tableware silverware glassware candles
consumables guest amenities replenishing proactively so nothing is ever short worn or tired.
Protect the care and rotation of the art objects and interiors; liaising with specialist cleaners
framers and conservators as required.

Food Beverage & Entertaining
Oversee all household food and beverage provisioning pantry wine cellar and bar management;
ensure seasonal preference-led stocking.
Plan and execute formal and informal dining hosting and entertaining from intimate family
meals to multi-course guest dinners drinks receptions and occasional larger events.
Brief and manage relationships with private chefs caterers florists and event specialists;
ensuring each understands and delivers to the familys standard and taste.
Set and dress tables manage service flow and take personal ownership of the dining experience
from first canapé to final course.

Team Leadership
Line manage the Housekeeping team and Caretaker at Locust Valley; oversee and if need be
manage the Maintenance team if required.
Set service standards through daily personal example and lead from the front during every family
visit.
Liaise with the Family Office and plan rotas around the family calendar; ensure the right coverage
for each visit event and closed period and genuine rest days for the team in between.

Recruit induct train and develop housekeeping and service staff; foster a culture of quiet
excellence warmth and absolute discretion.

Property Readiness (Light-Touch)
The Property Engineer holds full accountability for MEP equipment fabric grounds infrastructure
and construction across both properties. The House Managers engagement with the technical
function is deliberately lighter touch and front-of-house focused.
Walk the house ahead of each visit with the Property Engineer to confirm all systems finishes
and presentation elements are visit-ready; flag anything affecting the guest experience.
Coordinate with the Caretaker on exterior presentation where it is visible to the family and guests
terraces pathways planting at the house elevations and the pool surround.
Flag material issues to the Family Office promptly and clearly; otherwise the technical and
maintenance function runs independently and does not require active House Manager oversight.

Coordination with the Family Office
Integrate closely with the Family Office and Senior EA function to anticipate family movements
guest lists travel timings and special occasions well in advance.
Produce concise pre-visit briefings and post-visit summaries what was planned what went
well observations and actions arising as well as wider property reporting.
Manage day-to-day household operating spend at Locust Valley; approve and track routine
procurements and co-ordinate wider spend and accounts with to the Family Office.
Maintain clean records of service spend inventory supplier contacts and visit notes to support
continuity and reporting.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE

Substantial experience as a Yacht Chief Steward House Manager Head of Household or
Director of Residences within a super-prime private household; alternatively an equivalent senior
role in five-star private hospitality (ultra-luxury hotels private members clubs private villas or
yachts) with a clear transition into private service.

Demonstrable track record of creating and sustaining a warm anticipatory hotel-quality service
environment not merely managing one that already exists.

Deeply service-minded with natural hospitality instincts impeccable personal presentation and
the emotional intelligence to read a room and adjust.

Exceptional eye for detail across interiors housekeeping table settings floristry lighting and
atmosphere; able to hold the bar high for oneself and for others.

Confident people leader; able to lead a small mixed team with warmth clarity and quiet authority;
comfortable working alongside team members rather than only directing them.

Experienced in formal and informal entertaining at a high standard; confident briefing chefs
sommeliers caterers and event specialists.

Financially competent; able to manage an operating budget track procurement and keep clean
records and reports.

Excellent written and verbal communication; high personal standards of discretion integrity and
confidentiality; willing to commit fully to the familys schedule in practice weekends and school
holidays will be the busiest periods.

Physically capable of commuting to Locust Valley in all seasons.

POSITION REQUIREMENTS

• Significant service-oriented experience in private households preferably for UHNW clients

• Excellent verifiable references

• Legally authorized to work in the United States

• Valid drivers license with a clean driving record

• Current valid U.S. passport and ability to travel internationally

• Comfortable working in a fully staffed household environment

• Must love dogs and feel comfortable around multiple pets