A household personal assistant (PA) runs the personal side of a principal’s life. The role covers the calendar, travel, errands, home admin, vendor calls, and family plans. You work for one principal or one family.
Homes that benefit most share two traits. The principal has a busy public or business life, and the home has enough moving parts to fill a full-time role.
In homes with more staff, the household PA keeps everyone on track. Our London team has seen that the household PA often links the butler, nanny, and housekeeper so plans run smoothly and nothing gets missed.
What does a household personal assistant do?
A household PA manages the personal side of a principal’s life and keeps daily plans running on time.
Calendar and travel take up most of the day, and the pace can shift quickly. The household PA books flights, hotels, drivers, and restaurants, then keeps the schedule steady across time zones, even when last-minute changes affect several plans at once.
Admin work also needs regular attention. The role covers bills, contracts, subscriptions, insurance, vendors, deliveries, and basic home supplies, along with managing the principal’s inbox and calls by deciding what needs attention and what can be handled directly.
When guests are due or an event is planned, the household PA steps in to manage the details. This includes briefing staff, confirming plans, and keeping things on track on the day, while also handling errands, shopping, pet care, and family schedules when needed.
“We place personal assistants,” says Laurine Mallet, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet International. “Clients expect them to know the best local specialists, the right florist, the best restaurant. That is all part of the personal assistant job.”
The tasks that never appear in the job brief often show the real value of the role, because they rely on judgment and timing. The strongest hires notice what the principal missed and deal with it early, before it becomes a problem.
What skills do household personal assistants need?
Household PAs need strong organization from day one. The work moves fast and plans can change without warning. Many new hires struggle when several requests arrive at once and they lose track of priorities.
Most roles involve managing two or three calendars at the same time. The household PA also handles several vendors, often across more than one language. Clear systems keep tasks on track and stop small errors from building up.
Tech skills now play a clear role in hiring. The gap shows quickly in interviews and trial days. Candidates with solid service experience can still lose out if they move slowly with everyday tools.
A household PA needs to use shared calendars, expense apps, password managers, and home inventory tools with ease. Many principals also use basic AI tools, so the household PA needs to work with them in a calm and confident way.
Languages matter in international homes where daily life crosses cultures and cities. English is expected, and French is common in senior roles. Italian, Russian, Arabic, or Mandarin can raise a candidate’s value in global cities.
Judgment shapes long-term success in this role. It shows in small daily choices rather than formal training. Our New York recruiter, Eric Rios, say placements often fail due to poor judgment, while strong household PAs speak up early and deal with issues before they grow.
How much does a household personal assistant earn?
Pay depends on country, scope, languages, and confidentiality requirements. The figures below are from Morgan & Mallet’s 2025/26 Household Staff Salaries Annual Report.
| Country | Salary range |
| USA | $80,000 to $250,000+ |
| UK | £60,000 to £135,000+ |
| Switzerland | CHF 90,000 to CHF 130,000+ |
| Monaco | €70,000 to €100,000+ |
| France | €45,000 to €60,000+ |
| Belgium | €70,000 to €120,000+ |
| UAE | AED 300,000 to AED 900,000+ |
| Saudi Arabia | SAR 72,000 to SAR 120,000+ |
What’s the difference between a household personal assistant and a family personal assistant?
A household PA focuses on the home, while a family personal assistant focuses on the people who live in it. The day-to-day priorities are different.
A household PA spends most of their time managing the home and the principal’s day. This includes admin, vendors, the calendar, and household bills. They also handle contractors, deliveries, and any events that take place at the property.
A family PA focuses more on the family’s day to day life. This covers school runs, children’s schedules, birthdays, and school admin. They work closely with nannies, governesses, and tutors to keep plans running smoothly and on time.
In a home with one principal and no children, a household PA is usually enough to cover the workload. In larger homes with children and busy social calendars, families often bring in both roles so the work stays clear and manageable.
How do you become a household personal assistant?
Most household PAs move into the role from a nearby job rather than starting there from day one.
The most direct route our recruiters see is from corporate executive assistant work into a private household, often after the candidate has already supported a UHNW principal at work and slowly taken on more personal tasks.
The second common path starts inside the home. A long-term nanny may begin to manage the calendar, or a junior house manager may take over vendors and scheduling, and the role builds around them as trust grows.
The third route is the one most people expect, which is applying for open roles. It can work, though it usually takes longer, and many of the strongest hires come through referrals that place them one or two steps closer to the household.
What are the working conditions of a household personal assistant?
Hours are long and rarely identical week to week. A typical week runs Monday to Friday with weekend availability for emergencies. In a busy household the day starts at 7am with the principal’s first calls and ends when the last vendor leaves. The same role in a quieter household can look like a structured nine to five with occasional travel.
Live-out is the standard arrangement in the US, with live-in roles mostly in remote estates or multi-home families where having someone on site around the clock makes more sense.
Hybrid working is now the expectation at senior level. Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet International, says: “For the personal assistant job, you need to offer at least one or two days home office. If you say Monday to Friday in the office, people won’t accept this anymore.”
Travel comes with the role at the senior end, and NDAs are standard for high-profile placements. In Los Angeles, 77% of Morgan & Mallet’s household PA placements require an NDA before the first interview, according to the 2025/26 Household Staff Salaries Annual Report.
Sample household personal assistant job description
Role: Household PA
Location: Manhattan, New York, with travel to Hamptons summer home
Reports to: Principal directly
Schedule: Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm, with weekend availability for travel and events. Hybrid: two days home office.
Compensation: $130,000 to $180,000 base salary, plus health insurance, paid vacation, and discretionary bonus. NDA required before the first interview.
Duties:
- Manage the principal’s personal calendar and work with the corporate EA on shared scheduling
- Book all personal travel: flights, hotels, drivers, and restaurant reservations
- Run household admin: bills, contracts, vendor relationships, deliveries, and household inventory
- Liaise with the housekeeper, the chef, and external contractors on the principal’s behalf
- Plan family events, birthdays, dinners, and weekend hosting
- Manage personal shopping and gift lists for family, friends, and corporate contacts
- Handle confidential paperwork including financial documents and personal correspondence
- Travel with the principal to the Hamptons home as needed during the summer
Required experience:
- Five-plus years as a household PA, EA, or similar private household role
- Strong references from previous private household principals
- Confident with Microsoft 365, expense management software, and travel platforms
- Discretion and willingness to sign an NDA before the first interview
Preferred:
- Bilingual English-Spanish or English-French
- Experience working alongside nannies, butlers, and house managers
- Driver’s license and clean driving record
Hire a household personal assistant
Morgan & Mallet International places household PAs for high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth homes all around the world. Every candidate goes through a 90-minute structured interview, reference checks back five to seven years, and criminal background screening.
Call us on +1 (646) 965-2308 or get in touch with us to start your search.
Hire a Household PA.
Apply for household personal assistant roles
If you have private household experience, apply to open household PA roles through the Morgan & Mallet International job board.