Estate Manager/Houseman job (M/F) in Southampton, New York, USA
Job description
A private household in New York is seeking an experienced Estate Manager/Houseman to oversee front and back of house operations across their primary residence in Southampton.
This role requires a proactive professional who can manage property maintenance, coordinate repairs and construction projects, and provide high-level household support.
The ideal candidate will work within an established system alongside existing housekeeping staff, demonstrating exceptional organizational skills and the ability to work with minimal supervision. This position offers growth potential within a formal, private household environment.
Responsibilities
- Manage and coordinate repair and construction projects from initiation to completion
- Oversee house maintenance schedules and ensure all systems are functioning properly
- Assist with measurement and design work for household projects
- Handle store returns and errands as needed
- Set tables for formal dinner parties and prepare guest rooms to high standards
- Maintain detailed records using Excel and other computer systems
- Approve and document expenses for household operations
- Provide support across entire Southampton residence
- Work collaboratively with part time assistant as well as housekeeper and head housekeeper
- Demonstrate proactive problem-solving with sense of urgency
- Maintain discretion and professionalism in all household matters
- Care for household dogs as part of daily responsibilities
Requirements
- Minimum of 5 years in formal private service, preferably in a butler or estate management role
- Exceptional organizational skills, with a proven ability to work autonomously and anticipate needs without direction
- Strong computer skills, including Excel spreadsheets
- Excellent written communication skills
- Polished, traditional demeanor, able to keep appropriate professional boundaries while staying responsive to household needs
- Comfortable working in a formal environment
- Handles confidential matters with absolute discretion
- Able to manage multiple priorities at once
- A genuine affinity for dogs
- Local candidates in the New York area strongly preferred
Work conditions
- Live-out position, based primarily at the New York residence
- Two weeks’ paid vacation to start, increasing by one week every two years
- Holiday pay
- No health insurance provided
- Established, organized household system with clearly defined expectations
- Time tracked and approved through the household manager
- Formal interview process, including reference checks and a paid trial day
Salary
Catherine brings more than a decade of experience in private household staffing and service, with a career spanning recruitment and placement, private childcare, education, household support, and work with high-profile and ultra-high-net-worth families.
Her extensive firsthand experience within private residences and fully staffed households gives Catherine a distinctive perspective as a recruiter. She understands that exceptional placements extend far beyond qualifications on paper—they require careful consideration of personality, values, communication style, discretion, adaptability, and the unique dynamics of each household.
Having traveled extensively throughout the world and supported families across complex domestic and international schedules, Catherine brings a strong sense of cultural awareness and an understanding of the flexibility required within globally mobile households.
Catherine approaches recruitment with warmth, intuition, and meticulous attention to detail. She is passionate about building trusted relationships with both clients and candidates and creating thoughtful, long-term placements in which both can thrive.
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