The Home Manager
Domestic Services
What Is a Home Manager?
A Home Manager is a senior household professional responsible for the overall organization, coordination, and day-to-day functioning of a private residence. The role centers on creating effective systems, maintaining structure, and ensuring the household runs smoothly and consistently. Home Managers are particularly well suited to families who value clear processes, reliable oversight, and proactive support.
The scope of a Home Manager’s responsibilities can vary depending on the household’s needs. In some homes, Home Managers take on a more hands-on role, directly supporting the physical organization of the home and assisting with routine daily upkeep such as general tidying, kitchen reset, and waste and recycling management. In other households - particularly those with more complex lifestyles needs or existing staff - the role is more operational in nature, focusing on coordination, oversight, and systems, rather than daily tasks.
Home Managers commonly oversee household schedules and calendars, coordinate vendors and service providers, and manage ongoing maintenance needs. They often serve as the central point of communication within the home, ensuring priorities are clear, timelines are met, and standards are maintained across all areas of the household.
In homes with multiple staff members, a Home Manager may also take on fuller leadership responsibilities, including supervising domestic employees, coordinating schedules and tasks, supporting onboarding and training, and fostering clear communication among team members. Whether hands-on or primarily operational, the core focus of the role remains the same: anticipating household needs and ensuring the home functions smoothly and efficiently.
Families seeking a blended role that includes childcare, may also wish to explore the role of a Family Assistant, while families with larger homes or more complex household operations may wish to explore the role of an Estate Manager.
To learn more about working with a home manager or to begin the placement process, we invite you to connect for a consultation.
The Responsibilities of a Home Manager.
A Home Manager is responsible for ensuring the smooth, organized, and efficient functioning of a private household. Responsibilities vary based on the needs of the home and may be hands-on, operational, or a combination of both. Common responsibilities include:
Overseeing household schedules, calendars, and daily routines
Creating, implementing, and maintaining organizational systems
Building and maintaining household manuals
Coordinating vendors, service providers, and routine home maintenance
Managing household budgets, invoices, and recurring expenses
Maintaining household inventory and overseeing restocking of essential items
Providing hands-on support with household organization and daily upkeep, such as general tidying, kitchen resets, and waste or recycling management
Serving as the central point of communication for household needs and priorities
Supervising or coordinating household staff schedules and coverage, when applicable
Anticipating household needs and addressing issues proactively to ensure continuity
Stepping in to fill gaps in coverage, should another staff member ever be unable to fulfill their duties
The role is designed to bring structure, reliability, and continuity to the daily functioning of the household, supporting a calm, well-organized, and efficiently run home.
Families often choose Home Managers when they want reliable day-to-day oversight of their home without the scope of full estate management. This role is well suited to households that benefit from consistent organization, clear systems, and hands-on support to keep routines running smoothly.
Home Managers are a strong fit for families who value structure, proactive planning, and a central point of coordination for household needs, while still maintaining a personal, involved presence in the home.
What Types of Families Choose Home Managers?
Questions and Answers
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A Home Manager typically oversees the day-to-day operations of a private residence, focusing on organization, systems, staff coordination, and ongoing household needs. An Estate Manager generally operates at a higher level, often managing multiple properties, larger staffs, and more complex assets. Families with a single primary residence usually find a Home Manager to be the right fit, while larger or multi-property estates may require estate level management.
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A Home Manager role can be either hands-on, operational, or a blend of both, depending on the household’s needs. In some homes, the Home Manager is actively involved in daily upkeep and organization. In others, the role is more oversight-focused, coordinating vendors, supervising staff, and maintaining systems rather than performing tasks directly. The scope is customized during the hiring process.
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No. A Home Manager is not intended to replace specialized household staff, but rather to coordinate and support them. The role functions as a central point of organization and communication, helping ensure that everyone - from service providers to domestic employees - align and operating efficiently within the household.
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A Home Manager role is designed to be scalable.
As household needs evolve - such as adding staff, expanding vendor relationships, or increasing the complexity of schedules and properties - the role can shift to include more oversight, coordination, and systems management and become more hands off as needed. This flexibility allows families to maintain continuity and structure without needing to redefine the role entirely.
At The Grocery Store, The Anti-Agency, the process begins with a brief conversation about your household and the way you prefer it to run. From there, the role is clearly defined and a confidential search for uniquely qualified candidates is conducted.
How to Hire a Home Manager.
The Grocery Store places Home Managers across major residential, metropolitan, and resort destinations:
Southern California, Los Angeles, Malibu, Santa Barbara, Newport Beach, and surrounding communities
Northern California, San Francisco, Atherton, Palo Alto, Woodside, and the greater Bay Area
Florida, Miami, Palm Beach, Boca Raton, and neighboring coastal areas
New York City and New York State, the Upper East Side, Upper West Side, SoHo, TriBeCa, Chelsea, Brooklyn, the Hamptons, and the greater Tri-State area
Connecticut and nearby regions, Greenwich, Stamford, Westchester, and surrounding communities
New England, Boston and surrounding areas of Massachusetts, as well as Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard
The Midwest, Chicago and surrounding areas
Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, Maryland and Virginia
Texas, Houston, Austin, Dallas, and other major cities
The Pacific Northwest, Seattle and Portland
Resort destinations, Aspen, Colorado, and Jackson Hole, Wyoming
The Hawaiian Islands, Honolulu, Maui, and the North Shore
Nationwide, with select international placements
