A bodyguard protects a principal at home, during travel, and at public events. The role focuses on safety, awareness, and fast response in real time.
In Los Angeles, 76% of the bodyguards Morgan & Mallet International places come from law enforcement or military backgrounds. This shapes how they assess risk and act under pressure.
This page gives you a clear job description you can use when hiring a bodyguard. It sets out duties, skills, and expectations in plain terms.
For a wider view, see our residential security hiring page. It explains how Morgan & Mallet vets candidates, what bodyguards do in different cities, and compensation.
Example of a bodyguard job description
This is an example job description for a full-time, live-out bodyguard based in Los Angeles. The duties reflect a typical US close protection role for a high-profile principal. Licensing and certification rules vary by country.
Job Description
A high-profile family is hiring an experienced bodyguard to provide close personal protection in Los Angeles. The principal travels often between Beverly Hills, New York, and London, and attends regular public events with media presence. The household has a property guard team and a head of security who oversees the wider setup.
The bodyguard acts as the principal’s main close protection officer. They travel with the principal, check each venue in advance, and work with the wider team. The aim is simple. The principal feels safe and at ease at all times.
The role is full-time and live-out.
Responsibilities
Close personal protection
- Provide armed or unarmed protection during daily routines, business meetings, and public appearances
- Keep a low profile in both formal and informal settings
- Scan each setting for risk before the principal enters
Travel and advance work
- Plan secure routes and check each venue ahead of arrival
- Work with hotel teams, event staff, and local law enforcement when needed
- Manage airport movements, including private jet and commercial travel
Threat assessment and emergency response
- Spot weak points in routines, homes, and travel plans
- Act first in medical emergencies with current CPR and first aid training
- Handle pressure from paparazzi, fans, and unwanted contact
Coordination with the household team
- Update the head of security on movements and schedule changes
- Work with the chauffeur on routes and timing
- Stay in close contact with the personal assistant on calendar changes
Discretion and confidentiality
- Sign and follow an NDA covering the principal and family
- Keep all details about the principal’s life private
- Avoid all social media activity related to the role
Requirements
- At least 5 years in close protection with strong references from HNW or UHNW principals
- Valid state bodyguard certification in the US, SIA close protection license in the UK, or an equal license
- Current CPR and first aid certification
- Background in executive protection, law enforcement, or military service
- Clean criminal record in country of work and country of origin
- Valid US work authorization and a clean driver’s license
- High level of discretion at all times
- Calm under pressure and able to make fast, sound decisions
- Strong fitness and able to pass annual testing
- Sharp awareness of people and surroundings
- Able to blend into a household without drawing attention
Work conditions
- Full-time, live-out role
- 46 to 48 hours per week, with shift changes during travel
- Longer hours during public events and international trips
- Salary depends on experience
What separates a bodyguard from a head of security or a security chauffeur
Job titles in private security often blur together. A family writing the role and a candidate reading it can picture two different jobs. Getting this right affects salary, working hours, and who the role reports to inside the household.
A bodyguard focuses on close personal protection for one principal or family. The role is mobile and built around real-time decisions. The bodyguard travels with the principal, checks each location before arrival, and adjusts position through the day. They act as the last layer of protection.
A head of security runs the full setup. They set the overall plan, manage the guard team, oversee CCTV and alarms, vet vendors, and liaise with local law enforcement. They rarely travel with the principal. In larger homes, the bodyguard reports to them, while in smaller setups the bodyguard reports to the principal or a PA.
A security chauffeur is a separate role. It combines driving with protection training. Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet, notes that this path is well known in London, where formal training is common. The role suits principals who want protection without an extra visible presence. It does not replace a dedicated bodyguard for high-risk or public-facing roles.
This distinction matters when writing the job description. A vague title leads to a poor hire. If the role centers on driving with some protection, it should be written as a security chauffeur position with a lower salary range.
If the role involves running the full security setup, it should be a head of security role with a higher range. A bodyguard sits between these two, and the salary, hours, and reporting line should reflect that.
How do you adapt this job description for your hire?
Every brief is different. A bodyguard who supports a principal traveling between New York and Dubai faces a very different role from one based full-time at a private estate in the Cotswolds.
Before you post a job, adjust the details to match the reality of the position, including whether the role is armed or unarmed, the level of travel, the reporting line, and any language needs linked to where the family spends time.
Morgan & Mallet places bodyguards and close protection professionals across New York, Los Angeles, Miami, London, Paris, Geneva, and Dubai. You can look into hiring a body guard  or call +1 (646) 965-2308 and get in contact with one of our offices.
If you are searching for a bodyguard role, you can view current vacancies on the Morgan & Mallet job board.