Job Description

Principal with primary residence in Potomac, Maryland is seeking a professional and experienced domestic couple to complete housekeeping and houseman tasks, assist with house management, drive, and prepare basic healthy meals. Schedule is on 5-6 days per week at 40 hours per week (including combination of weekdays and weekends). Daily schedule will depend on the principal’s schedule. Principal has a newly built condo in Georgetown of Washington, DC that needs to be maintained with the help of full-time housekeeper. Flexibility is required to travel to condo in Washington, DC. The ability to work around the principal’s schedule while at the same time cleaning and organizing in an efficient manner is important. Applicants need to be honest, trustworthy, understand the importance of maintaining discretion (confidentiality agreement required), collaborative to work with family office and domestic employees (e.g., chief of staff, personal assistant, housekeeper, etc.), experienced working with principals that are around residence (discreet and staying out of the way is important), adept at organizing, detail oriented with the know-how to thoroughly deep clean, knowledgeable with cleaning various surfaces and artwork, experienced assisting with entertaining, and skilled with laundry and linen care. Candidates with many years of private full-time domestic couple experience working in large square footage residence(s) is required. Uniform is required and provided. Domestic Couple is replacing two full-time housekeepers who have worked in residence for almost 40 years. Principal is open to local candidates and domestic relocations. Start date is flexible for the right candidates.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Cleaning, organization and management of 10,000 square foot residence (including guest house and pool house on property)

• Supervise and assist domestic staff on property. Other employees on the estate have their specific responsibilities and must be doing their jobs. They must be responsible for completing their duties. The couple must see to this and ensure their job expectations are met and quality of work is exemplary. 

• Always take notes of things to do and keep a priorities list and agenda (do not rely solely on memory as some days there is more work than others). Therefore, taking notes and completing tasks asked of you, you take responsibility and get things done efficiently. Time management, proactive and prioritizing are keys to success.

• Serve as caretakers and assume responsibility for the property. The property should never be left vacant at any time. There must always be someone staying at the residence, so coordination with daily domestic staff is important. This has to be taken into consideration when planning holidays. 

• When principal and/or chief of staff ask that something be done, the task should be completed the same day or on the specified completion date

• Servicing vehicles (routine service/maintenance, interior and exterior cleaning, filling gas tank, etc.) 

• Creativity in planning and preparing basic healthy meals for principal (organic food required)

• Capable of creating lists and ordering or shopping for fresh foods

• Properly storing ingredients and leftovers

• Coordinating cooking and serving times with principal 

• Cleaning and tidying kitchen after each use

• Interactions with extended family, friends and and business associates for holiday meals, business lunches and events at the residence

• Maintaining fireplaces, chimney sweep and stocking wood in winter

• Ensure bicycle tires are full and ready for use at all times 

• Managing all aspects of care, keeping and maintenance of the homes on property

• Responding to special requests from principal and/or chief of staff for household related errands 

• Daily walk through of main residence to ensure that all systems are functioning properly

• Scheduling service personnel and contractors while keeping family office, chief of staff and other staff informed of appointments 

• Negotiating contracts and managing relationships with outside vendors (always receive a few estimates/proposals before approving project or work to be completed) 

• Complying with household budgets and conscious of spending (work with family office and/or chief of staff on accounting procedures) 

• Overseeing household projects from start to finish 

• Maintaining comprehensive household manuals setting priorities for tasks on daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and annual basis

• Maintaining file systems including those for household operations, warranty manuals, household equipment, invitations, entertainment logs, etc. 

• Manage inventory for all household item supplies (e.g., China, crystal, clothing, etc.) 

• Ensure pantry, refrigerator and wine cellar are properly stocked in accordance with principal’s travel and entertaining schedules

• General housekeeping including care for fine art and antique furniture (specific knowledge of how to care for fine fabrics, different woods, antiques and natural stone) 

• Housekeeping responsibilities (Laundry, ironing, cleaning, etc.)

• Maintain security systems at residences and check/test on a regular basis

• Provide hospitality and attend to guests and family members needs when visiting 

• Managing household schedules and calendars

• Event planning, organization, coordination and flawless execution day of event

• Handling household bills and administrative duties 

• Manage household petty cash and proper documentation and submission of house credit card purchases/receipts

• Coordinate trips to other residence to maintain condo with full-time housekeeper

• Prepare principal for travel (e.g., purchasing requested items, creating pack list, packing, unpacking, etc.)

• Schedule meetings with principal and/or chief of staff as needed to discuss their schedules, travel plans, upcoming events, special projects, etc.

• Running errands and performing necessary tasks (e.g., shopping for home supplies, food and other requested items)

• Household projects and handling things around the residence (e.g., receiving deliveries, service providers, contractors, answering phone calls, sending emails, etc.)

QUALIFICATIONS: 

• Highly flexible with work hours, schedule and willing to be accommodating to the principal’s needs 

• Ability to travel domestically to other residence / condo whenever necessary 

• Highly organized, detail oriented, proactive, excellent time management, efficient and service focused 

• Attentive to principal’s preferences and style (intuitive to their needs)

• Understand the importance of maintaining discretion (confidentiality agreement is required)

• Ability to be discreet with respect for employer’s privacy (ability to be friendly without being too familiar and available without being intrusive)

• Professional with positive attitude, hard working, and pleasant to be around

• Ability to develop and maintain solid working relationships with service providers, contractors and vendors

• Ability to easily take direction 

• Strong ability to communicate and collaborate efficiently with principal, family office, chief of staff and domestic staff (effective verbal communication skills required)

• Strong technology skills and experience working with Macintosh, PC, Microsoft Word and Excel 

• Sufficient knowledge of business communications (including telephone, voicemail and e-mail)

• High level of energy, positive attitude and ability to handle residences and staff with ease and calm demeanor

• Active and fit

• Discreet and calm demeanor 

• Non-Smoker

REQUIREMENTS:

• 5-10+ years of recent and consistent full-time domestic couple experience

• 2-3+ references from domestic positions

• Eligible to work in the United States

• Fluent in English (verbal and written communication)

• Driver’s license and clean driving record

• Willing to run extensive background checks, motor vehicle checks, drug tests, and psychological evaluation 

• Seeking longevity / long term commitment (e.g., at least 2-5+ years)

COMPENSATION:

• $250K+ gross annual salary (based on experience and qualifications)

• Gross monthly health insurance stipends (independent policies required for reimbursement)

• PTO

• Government holidays paid

• Sick days paid

• Discretionary annual bonus and raise (performance evaluation required)

• Newly renovated furnished living is provided in separate guest house on property 

• Vehicle is provided for professional and personal use

Please read the job description carefully and kindly apply with your cover letter, resume, references (email address and phone number), letter(s) of recommendation, and professional photo if you meet all of the requirements. We look forward to hearing from you!

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