A private car collection manager looks after a private fleet of cars owned by a high-net-worth or ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) family. The cars are usually kept in private garages, and each one can be worth millions.
The manager books servicing, works with trusted garages, keeps the insurance current, and makes sure every car is ready to drive.
What does a private car collection manager do?
A private car collection manager looks after the care, condition, and records of a private car collection.
Most days start with a check of the cars. The manager looks at tire pressure, fluid levels, and battery charge.
Storage is a big part of the job. Cars need regular use to stay in good shape. Engines that sit too long build moisture, and tires develop flat spots. Many managers follow a weekly driving schedule. After each drive, the car is washed, dried, and put away.
Then there’s the paperwork. Each car has a full record, service history, insurance, registration, emissions papers, and proof of origin for the classics.
Auction houses like RM Sotheby’s and Bonhams ask for these records when a car is sold. A missing service entry can knock five figures off the value at auction. For larger collections, the manager also works with brand specialists, transport companies, and event teams for shows like Pebble Beach, Goodwood, and The Quail.
The manager has access to high-value assets and often overhears private conversations. Morgan Richez, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet International, worked as a chauffeur for UHNW families in London before starting the agency. He learned early how much professional boundaries matter, even with a boss you see every day.
Our recruiters look for that as much as they can when they interview. Candidates are given real-life scenarios during interviews.
What skills and experience does the role need?
Strong automotive knowledge is the foundation. A private car collection manager needs to understand vintage and modern engines, spot early signs of trouble, and drive valuable cars with care.
Hands-on experience with the marques in the client’s collection often matters most at interview. Recruiters in our London office often see the choice come down to model-specific experience.
The records a manager keeps could be checked years later by insurers, restorers, or family members during an estate sale. Rebuilding a missing service history with the original mechanics costs time and money, so a manager needs to be organized from day one.
Laurine Mallet, co-founder of Morgan & Mallet, says character often matters more than the resume. A new manager works within a system that was probably already running, with service schedules, suppliers, storage methods, and years of records already in place. Candidates who rush to change everything usually don’t do that well. The ones who do the best learn the system first, build trust, and only then suggest improvements.
How do you become a private car collection manager?
Most people come into this role from one of a few backgrounds. Some spend years as technicians at dealerships. Some come from classic car restoration workshops, or car museums where they learn to document vehicles properly. Senior chauffeurs sometimes do the role too, especially when a family’s collection grows large, and it’s a natural progression.
Morgan Richez talks about the soft skill that separates the people who last from the ones who don’t: “As a professional, chauffeur or butler, you need to feel when you can ask more and when it’s too personal. In French, we have an expression: you need to turn your tongue eight times before you talk. It means you need to think before you ask a question.”
From here, careers tend to go one of two ways. Some managers stay specialists and move into larger collections, often across several countries. Others move into estate manager or chief of staff roles, where the car fleet is one part of a wider household.
How is a private car collection manager different from a chauffeur?
A chauffeur drives the principal, with the car as the tool of the job.
A private car collection manager works on the cars, not directly with the principal. The cars are the entire job, and the work covers mechanics, records, acquisitions, supplier management, and event preparation.
On smaller estates the roles could merge. A senior chauffeur might take on fleet work, or an estate manager might handle the cars directly until the collection grows large enough to justify hiring someone just to do that job.
How much does a private car collection manager earn?
US salaries for a private car collection manager typically are between $80,000 and $150,000+ a year. Experienced managers often earn $200,000 or more.
According to the 2025/26 Morgan & Mallet Household Staff Salaries Annual Report, a car collection manager with specialist experience and a 20-car fleet typically sits above the chauffeur band and below the estate manager band.
Live-in roles often add accommodation, a personal-use vehicle, meals, and private health insurance, worth an extra $30,000 to $50,000+ on top of base.
Sample private car collection manager job description
If you’re writing a job posting, this is a working template based on the kind of brief Morgan & Mallet typically receives from a UHNW family. Adjust salary, location, and fleet details to match your own collection.
Title: Private Car Collection Manager
Location: Greenwich, Connecticut, with travel to a summer property in Tuscany
Reports to: Estate Manager
Type: Live-out, full-time
Salary: $90,000 to $140,000 + benefits
About the role
A private family is hiring a Private Car Collection Manager to oversee a 22-car collection of vintage Ferraris, modern Porsches, and pre-war Rolls-Royces. The cars are split between a primary climate-controlled garage in Connecticut and a smaller storage facility in Tuscany.
Key responsibilities
- Daily inspection of all vehicles (tire pressure, fluid levels, battery condition)
- Weekly driving rotation to keep engines and tires in good shape
- Coordinate servicing with marque specialists and trusted independent garages
- Manage insurance renewals, registration, and emissions paperwork
- Maintain digital and paper records for each car, including service history and provenance documentation
- Prepare cars and logistics for events such as Pebble Beach, Goodwood Festival of Speed, and The Quail
- Oversee transport logistics for international shipping between properties
- Liaise with auction houses on acquisitions and sales
Required experience
- 5+ years working with classic and modern luxury marques
- Hands-on experience with at least two of: Ferrari Classiche, Porsche Classic, Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Aston Martin Heritage
- SAE certification or equivalent technical training preferred
- Clean driving record and valid passport
- References from at least two previous head technicians or fleet managers
- Strong written records and digital filing skills
- Willing to sign an NDA
Hours: Monday to Friday, with flexibility for events and travel Benefits: Health insurance, personal-use vehicle, paid relocation, four weeks paid leave
Hiring a private car collection manager
If you’re hiring, the search is narrower than most household roles. The candidate pool is small, and rushing through the process can be an expensive mistake when the assets in the garage are worth eight figures or more.
Contact us at +1 (646) 965-2308 or get in touch online so our recruiters can help you find the right fit for your collection.
Applying for private car collection manager roles
If you’re a candidate, the route in usually starts with documented experience and a clean record for five to seven years of employment.
Apply through our job board to register your resume and let our recruiters match you to roles as they come in.