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A lovely HNW family is looking for an experienced trained multilingual House Manager/ Butler to manage their properties to high standards in London and the Swiss Alps with travel. Must speak English and at least German or Italian or French. Drivers only. Local separate apartments provided.
The family own a town house that is spread over several floors in Central London as well as a chalet in the Swiss Alps (German speaking side). All properties are fully staffed including a Private PA/ Chief of staff and a full-time driver and private chef in London. The family is looking for a smooth high end all-round front of house service. Concierge/ PA type duties or cooking will not be required. All properties have a modern high end interior and are managed by smart home technology which the House Manager/ Butler needs to be familiar with.
This role is ideally for a consummate service professional who lives and breathes high end service and who thrives on it. Ideally with strong experience in international household management, exceptionally high standards and an acute eye for detail. A high degree of flexibility and being hands on is a must as the households are well organized yet are always busy particularly in the evenings.
The properties are run informally with formal occasions, so excellent knowledge of etiquette and a true service attitude is essential along with strong front of house skills are key. A yachting background is welcome. This role requires someone who is able to oversee all areas competently and with a friendly demeanour which the family appreciate. The role reports to the Principals and the PS/ Chief of Staff.
Duties of the House Manager/ Butler:
- Assist with managing household staff (recruit, train, supervise) and schedules
- Daily checks of properties
- Oversee family's schedule ahead of time and make arrangements
- Update household manuals, inventories and maintenance for art and furniture
- Check family wardrobe (sorting and ordering)
- Shop for food, household items, personal clothing etc..
- Manage wine cellar (purchasing and inventory)
- Organize and planning events incl. invitations
- Welcome guests provide drinks service
- Oversee menu/ table laying and decorations with Private Chef (incl. special diets of guests)
- Provide table service
- Arrange and maintain flower arrangements and bouquets
- Oversee security and alarms within the property (training staff accordingly)
- Ensure properties are kept child safe
- Organize and oversee maintenance of property (hands on as well as oversee contractors)
- Manage and update smart home management automation
- Refresh rooms or ready rooms/ property for arrival
- Liaise with private office, the Private PA/ CoS and the Private Chef
- Oversee care of garden and exterior spaces and furniture
- Provide chauffeur service when required
- Pack/ unpack and oversee luggage transport
- Occasional travel with the Principal on short trips
- Accompany family on holidays (primarily school holidays)
- Run errands
Requirements for the House Manager/ Butler:
- EU passport with Pre or Settled Status OR UK passport
- Must have clean drivers´ license and be a confident driver (UK and EU driving)
- Fluency in English and must speak either (ideally) German or French or Italian
- 5 years experience managing staffed private households
- Formal butler or house management training including service skills
- Must be techsavvy (incl. smart systems and security)
- Strong front of house and etiquette skills
- Knowledge of London an advantage
- Must be independent without commitments, able to travel when required
- High degree of flexibility and being able to work as a team
The family is looking for a House Manager/ Butler who is hands on, hard-working, honest, well organized, highly professional, adaptable and able to prioritize while knowing what is happening where and when. Someone who is confident in their abilities offering the family a high level of an all-round service so they can enjoy their properties and time together.
Accommodation: Live-in with a separate local self-contained apartment provided locally. In the Swiss Alps a newly refurbished studio is provided close by. When travelling elsewhere, single accommodation and subsistence is always provided.
Hours: 5 days a week (Sunday/ Mondays off), from approx. 9/10am till 7/8pm plus with breaks during the day and a lot of flexibility particularly when travelling. During the day the household is less busy when breaks should be taken. The busiest time is the mornings and the evenings particularly when entertaining guests during the holidays.
Salary: £75K-£100K gross per year (live in with separate accommodation provided), depending on experience and previous salary level, plus holidays.
To apply please send a short cover letter outlining your training, private household experience and language skills with your CV. Thank you.
