Household Manager/Personal Assistant

Hands-On Estate Manager

Full-Time Position — Lexington, Kentucky

General Description

We are seeking an experienced, hands-on Estate Manager for an ultra-high-net-worth family in Lexington, Kentucky. The household consists of two adults and two children. This is, above all, a service role: five-star service is expected at all times.

This is a trusted, senior role at the center of the family's daily life. The Estate Manager serves as the family's representative and single point of contact to the outside world — vendors, staff, professionals, and the community — protecting the family's time and privacy so they can focus on what matters most. When something needs to be handled, you handle it; when the family needs something, you are the person who makes it happen.

The standard for this household is simple: it runs like a five-star hotel — and the benchmark is European and Asian hospitality, not typical American service. The Estate Manager is responsible for maintaining that level of service, at all times, in every detail — the home's condition, the staff's performance, and the family's experience day to day. Everything, large or small, is done with excellence. To support that standard, the family invests in this role: travel to Europe and/or Asia for formal hospitality training is a required — and fully supported — part of the position.

The duties listed below are representative, not exhaustive. The role encompasses anything a member of the household may need at any time, and the right candidate embraces that breadth rather than working from a checklist.

The family maintains two residences — the primary home in Lexington, Kentucky, and a second property in Puerto Rico. The majority of the work centers on the Kentucky residence, but the role applies to both households. Travel — to Puerto Rico or anywhere else the family needs — should be expected, at times on short notice. Frequency will be variable, and there may be stretches with no travel at all, but readiness to travel is part of the role.

This is a live-out position. This role reports directly to the homeowner, and daily updates are expected. Standard on-site presence is Monday through Friday, roughly 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, with 24/7 availability beyond that — and at times more may be required. An honest word on hours: some weeks may run as heavy as 60 hours, particularly early on, and the schedule can vary considerably with travel. The average, however, is around 40 — and the load lightens as systems, staff, and vendors are established and running to standard.

Requirements

· 24/7 availability — genuine around-the-clock reachability for the rare occasions it matters. In practice this is seldom called upon, and it will never be abused — but it must be real when needed. This applies at all times, including vacation and time off.

· A high level of accountability — you own outcomes, not tasks. Work is done as scoped, on budget, and to standard, and you answer for it.

· Independence with coordination — you operate self-sufficiently and exercise sound judgment day to day, while keeping the principal informed and obtaining approval on most significant decisions.

· A high level of execution — things get done completely, correctly, and on time, without follow-up or reminders.

· Exceptional attention to detail — nothing slips. You notice what others miss: the invoice that doesn't match the quote, the appointment that conflicts, the job that was finished but not finished right. Small details are treated as seriously as big ones, because in this household they are.

· Anticipation — you see needs and problems before they arrive. The best version of this role solves issues the family never hears about and has things ready before they're asked for.

· Discretion & confidentiality — an NDA is required. This role involves close access to the family's home, children, finances, and personal affairs; absolute discretion is a condition of employment.

· Background check & references — a comprehensive background check and verifiable references are required.

· Valid driver's license & clean driving record — the role includes transporting vehicles and occasional driving for the family.

· Hospitality or estate-management experience preferred — candidates from luxury hospitality, private service, or estate management backgrounds will understand the standard expected here.

· Tech proficiency — comfortable managing calendars, payment platforms, scheduling tools, and smart-home/security systems.

· Resourcefulness — you figure things out. You bring solutions and options, not problems.

· Travel flexibility — able to travel anywhere the family needs, at times on short notice. Frequency is variable — it may be rare or not happen at all — but readiness is required.

· International hospitality training — travel to Europe and/or Asia for general hospitality training is required. The service standard for this household is set to European and Asian levels of hospitality, and this training is how that standard is built and maintained.

· Willingness beyond this list — must be willing to do whatever is asked by the family, which may include tasks not written anywhere in this description. The duties here are representative; the commitment is not limited to them.

Required Experience

· Household or estate management — must have prior professional experience as a household manager or estate manager.

· Five-star hospitality — must have worked in a five-star hospitality environment and understand, from the inside, what that standard of service requires.

· Full dedication — must have no other business, side ventures, or employment of any kind. This role requires complete professional dedication to the household.

· Established local network — must bring a deep, established list of trusted local contacts — contractors, service providers, and professionals — or be ready to rapidly build one and prove it can be done.

· Family-first commitment — must be genuinely willing to put the needs and wants of the family first. That mindset is the foundation of this role, and candidates without it will not succeed in it.

Benefits

· Salary — $130,000 per year. This is a salaried position; overtime is not offered.

· 401(k) retirement plan

· Health insurance — 100% employer-paid.

· Dental & vision insurance — 100% employer-paid.

· Paid vacation — two weeks per year. Efforts will be made to guard this time, though it cannot be guaranteed — availability by phone and computer is required even while on vacation.

· Paid holidays

· Life insurance & disability coverage

· Mileage & expense reimbursement

· Phone allowance

· Relocation assistance — available for the right candidate.

Benefits eligibility begins after 60–90 days of employment.

Sample Job Duties1. Home Payments & Financial Administration

Manage all recurring household payments and service accounts: ensure autopay is set up correctly and running, keep billing accurate, resolve billing disputes or surcharge issues, and stay on top of service/product changes so nothing lapses or overcharges.

· Recurring service arrangements — Maintain ongoing scheduled service agreements for the home and keep them current.

· Bill payment — Pay household bills using approved payment methods and forwarded pay links.

· Homeownership payments — Verify property tax and mortgage payments are current.

· Charge disputes — Assemble and file disputes for charges that shouldn't have been billed.

· Account statements — Retrieve statements and review charges as needed.

· Expense tracking & reporting — Track household spending across vendors, bills, and staff, and provide regular budget reporting so the family always knows what was spent and why.

2. Vendors & Home Projects

We've just purchased a home in Lexington and have a significant slate of upgrades and modifications underway — this is a major part of the role. You are the primary point of contact for all vendors and contractors on the household's behalf.

· Sourcing vendors — Research and solicit quotes, screen recommendations, and vet listings.

· Coordinating vendors — Schedule and supervise work across multiple vendors, including re-booking no-shows.

· Project management — Run home projects end to end: make sure work is completed as scoped and requested, handle surprises as they arise, keep everything on budget, and hold contractors accountable.

· Arranging work — Arrange any work the family needs around the home — handymen and other contractors, garden and lawn management, and whatever else the property requires.

· On-site presence & documentation — Be present for all work performed at the home unless otherwise instructed, and document it: what was done, what was completed, and the condition of the finished work.

· Access control — Manage vendor and contractor access to the home: everyone who needs access gets it, but access is restricted and scoped to what the job requires.

3. Vehicle Upkeep

Handle general upkeep for the household vehicles:

· Insurance — Maintain appropriate insurance coverage.

· Maintenance & care — Arrange cleaning, detailing, and maintenance as needed — including transporting vehicles to service locations and securing rental cars when required.

· Registration — Manage annual registration/tagging and related recurring vehicle tasks.

4. Children & Family

· Programming & schooling — Work with caregivers on the children's programming, including summer programming and schooling.

· Children's appointments — Keep tabs on children's appointments (medical, social, etc.), and step in directly if a nanny or caregiver is unavailable.

· Family scheduling — Manage general family scheduling.

5. Household Staff Management

Ultimately responsible for all household staff and for holding them to the family's standards. General household staff includes nannies, chef/meal services, cleaner, and laundry. The household is expected to run like a five-star hotel — this role owns that standard of service and ensures the entire staff delivers it every day.

· Recruiting & hiring — Recruit, screen, vet, run background checks, and present candidate options for household staff positions; handle hiring and, when necessary, termination.

· Onboarding — Handle staff onboarding end to end, so every new hire starts trained, equipped, and clear on the household's standards.

· Payroll & employment administration — Payroll is processed through a payroll service, but this role oversees it: ensuring staff are paid correctly and on time, and managing tax/employment paperwork and related employment administration.

· Performance management — Conduct performance evaluations, review staff work regularly, and enforce standards — with full accountability for staff output.

· Access control — Manage staff access to the home and household systems: access granted as needed, restricted and scoped to each role.

· Gap coverage — Be prepared to step in and personally cover household staff duties (nanny services, household services, etc.) during vacancies or gaps — not as an ongoing role, but as needed.

6. Service & Hospitality Management

Five-star service is expected at all times. This role owns service and hospitality across the household — for the staff and for everyone who serves the family.

· Service standards — Define, teach, and enforce the household's service and hospitality standards across all household staff, benchmarked to European and Asian hospitality.

· Training & coaching — Train and coach staff in service delivery — presentation, courtesy, anticipation, discretion — and correct lapses immediately.

· Family & guest experience — Ensure the family and their guests experience seamless, attentive, unobtrusive hospitality in the home at all times.

· Extended service network — Hold vendors, providers, and anyone else serving the family to the same standard of conduct and service.

7. Managing Appointments

· Medical & healthcare scheduling — Schedule doctor, healthcare, and specialist appointments for the family.

· Provider sourcing — Find and vet providers, including securing hard-to-get appointments.

· Research & options — Research medical treatments and providers and present organized options for the family to choose from.

8. Legal & Professional Services

· Attorney interactions — Source and vet attorneys and advocate for the family; may include personal and, at times, business matters (business scope is sourcing/identification, not granular legal work).

· Accounting & banking — Source and vet accountants, banking contacts, and other professionals as needed.

9. Travel

· Travel booking — Research and present options for hotels, flights, and accommodations, and book according to family requests and wishes.

· Trip readiness — Ensure everything is in place before a trip — hotel accommodations, flights, and all coordination — including fixing issues last-minute if something breaks.

10. Insurance & Government Administration

· Insurance administration — Retrieve plan details, request replacement cards, and keep coverage information current.

· Government matters — Interface with the appropriate professionals or research options as needed for personal government/administrative items.

11. Calendar & Scheduling

· Schedule accountability — Own and maintain accountability over the general household schedule: prevent major conflicts, schedule vendors and appointments, and keep everything coordinated. In this capacity the role functions much like a personal assistant.

12. Event Management

· Plan and manage household events end to end as they arise.

13. Entertainment Management

· Book and coordinate entertainment of any scale — from a band on a Friday night to a full party with multiple entertainers.

14. Errands & Personal Logistics

· Handle day-to-day errands and personal logistics as they come up — anything from grocery runs and shuttling vehicles to service or detailing appointments, to providing an airport ride when no one else is available. Flexibility is the point: whatever small logistics the household needs handled, this role handles.

15. Home Security & Emergency Response

· Manage home security systems (cameras, alarms) and serve as the household's first call in an emergency — a burst pipe, an alarm trip, storm damage — coordinating the response whenever something breaks, day or night.

16. Household Supplies & Inventory

· Keep the home stocked: monitor and replenish consumables, cleaning supplies, and whatever staff need to do their jobs, so nothing runs out.

17. Gift & Occasion Management

· Track birthdays, holidays, and occasions; source, purchase, and handle gifts and thank-yous on the family's behalf.

18. Household Documentation

· Build and maintain a household manual: vendor contacts, account lists, staff procedures, warranties, and service schedules — so household knowledge is organized and never walks out the door.

19. HOA & Community Liaison

· Represent the household within the community: engage with neighbors and the HOA as needed, research HOA rules and covenants when questions arise, and coordinate with city (and occasionally state) offices on local ordinances and community matters affecting the property.

20. General Household Oversight

· Handle day-to-day common-sense care of the home — securing the house, doors locked, and the general things a responsible household presence covers.

How to Apply

Send an introduction email containing the following two items:

· A cover letter — introducing yourself and your background in private service or hospitality.

· A short video (5 minutes maximum), recorded on Loom — covering: why you are applying, why you would be an exceptional fit for this role, your experience as a household or estate manager, the most senior position you have held, and the finest service environment you have worked in.

To record your video: go to loom.com and create a free account, record with your camera on, and paste the share link into your introduction email. Applications without a video will not be considered.

Pay: $75,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Application Question(s):

• Describe your experience managing a private residence or estate for a family or principal. How many years, and what was the scope?
• This role requires hands-on work — you will personally handle errands, vehicle logistics, vendor oversight, and physical tasks, not just delegate them. Are you comfortable with that?
• This position requires 24/7 on-call availability and a non-negotiable schedule set by the family. Can you commit to that?
• Discretion is essential and an NDA is required. Have you worked in a role requiring strict confidentiality about your employer's personal life?
• Give one example of a problem you identified and solved for an employer before being asked.

Work Location: In person

Salary : $75,000 - $130,000