House Manager & Family Assistant (with Meal Prep)

House Manager & Family Assistant (with Meal Prep)

Location: Los Gatos, CA 95030

Employment Type: Part-time, 20-25 hours per week

Schedule: Flexible scheduling Monday through Sunday — half-days 4-5 days per week or 3 longer days spread across the week. Some flexibility required for occasional house check-ins during family vacations and pet sitting 1-2 times per year.

Compensation: $35-$45 per hour, commensurate with experience.

Start Date: September 1, 2026

Requirements:

• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Maintain a smoke-free environment.
• Reliable personal transportation required; mileage reimbursement provided.
• Basic vaccinations required. Candidates are required to be up to date on recommended vaccinations in line with American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (including standard recommended adult vaccinations), subject to applicable legal accommodations. Seasonal flu and COVID vaccinations preferred.
• CPR and First Aid certification preferred.
• Must be comfortable around a high-energy, medium-sized dog.
• Must be comfortable working with infants and young children.

About Our Family:

Based in Los Gatos, we're a bustling, active family of four who are in the process of settling into our new home. Our household runs at a fast pace — with schedules that shift week to week, a spirited older dog with some quirks, and two young children (6 months old and 2.5 years old), who make our home feel lively and bright. Both parents have very fluid work schedules, with one traveling for extended stretches (up to two weeks at a time), while the other works at a one-week-on, one-week-off cadence, which means the rhythm of the house changes depending on who is home and what's going on.

We care deeply about a well-run, highly organized home and a healthy environment for our kids to flourish in. We love fresh, whole foods, a tidy kitchen, and spaces that feel calm and reset. While we have some systems in place and a general sense of order, with two young kids and a packed, ever-shifting schedule, keeping everything on track has become incredibly time-consuming and is eating into our quality time together.

Although we have weekly cleaners and a nanny for our two children, we're looking for a highly seasoned, proactive house manager who can fill in the gaps in between—starting with creating and maintaining meaningful systems in our home, tackling laundry with attention to detail and care, resetting spaces, and overseeing household inventory and vendors, so we can focus on what matters most to us: having the time to be present as a family and enjoy each other's company.

Who You Are / What We're Looking For:

You are a highly seasoned house manager who has seen it all and doesn't need to be handed a detailed to-do list to show up and get to work. You can easily walk in, read the room, assess the family's ever-changing schedule, and use good judgment and excellent time management to know what needs to happen and what tasks to avoid. You're proactive, think a few steps ahead, create meaningful systems that truly hold up over time, and take quiet pride in a refreshed, organized household that runs like a well-oiled machine.

Your energy is efficient, incredibly professional, and grounded — you would describe yourself as capable, highly detail-oriented, self-directed, and quick on your feet (it would be a bonus if you also have a dry sense of humor). You have a "let's get it done" attitude, offer helpful suggestions to streamline household operations, and are quick to notice what needs attention — a low humidifier, a stain on a garment, makeup brushes that need cleaning, a pantry item running low — and you handle it seamlessly, without having to be asked.

Our ideal fit is someone who is comfortable adapting to a schedule that shifts week to week, naturally anticipates needs, has high emotional intelligence, takes professional boundaries seriously, and can respectfully work alongside other household staff. You also have excellent time management skills, can balance competing priorities with ease, and are comfortable taking cues from the family's rhythms—you know when it's appropriate to step in or step back. You must be comfortable and have experience working with dogs and young children, including infants, and feel aligned with a lifestyle that values health, wellness, and active, intentional living.

Key Responsibilities:

Laundry & Linen Care

• Wash, fold, and organize laundry with meticulous attention to garment care labels
• Treat stains proactively using Branch Basics products and appropriate techniques
• Iron and steam garments; provide special care for delicate items
• Rotate linens (sheets, towels, bedding)
• Maintain a tidy, well-stocked laundry area

Household Organization & Maintenance

• Create and maintain household organization systems throughout the home
• Perform light tidying, vacuuming as needed, and daily resets of common areas — surfaces and high-traffic zones, mudroom, entryway
• Prep home before cleaners arrive and direct cleaners on priorities during visits
• Perform basic cleaning duties if cleaners cancel or reschedule, or if a space or surface needs a mid-week clean
• Maintain kitchen surfaces, cycle through dishes, and keep appliances clean and functioning (including coffee machine daily/weekly maintenance)
• Clean and refill humidifiers and air purifiers
• Change batteries, light bulbs, and smoke detector batteries as needed
• Indoor plant care as needed
• Event/holiday/guest prep as needed
• Occasional seasonal swaps (clothing, décor, bedding)
• Occasionally prepare and coordinate donation drop-offs
• Support packing and unpacking for family travel

Inventory & Errands

• Manage household supply lists and proactively restock the pantry, fridge, and general supplies.
• Handle mail, packages, and returns as needed
• Break down boxes and manage household recycling as needed
• Gift shopping and dry cleaning drop-off/pickup as needed

Meal Support

• Wash, chop, and prep produce (especially post farmers market hauls), with increased support when one parent is traveling
• Prep healthy snacks focused on whole foods
• Grocery shopping (in-person or order-based)
• Kitchen clean-up and ongoing maintenance

Pet Care

• Defrost and prepare dog's frozen food daily
• Administer daily medication (given in a ball of meat), as needed
• Walk the dog as needed
• Maintain pet supply inventory (food, poop bags, etc.)
• Pet sitting 1-2 times per year during family vacations

Vendor & Property Oversight

• Oversee and coordinate with cleaners, contractors, and landscapers
• Be present during construction or contractor visits as needed
• Manage outdoor spaces: reset furniture, wipe down grill and surfaces, direct cleaners to outdoor areas, and proactively flag any issues (including pool maintenance concerns once the pool is complete)
• Research and coordinate repair quotes as needed

Family Support

• Backup childcare as needed if nanny is unavailable (drop-offs, pickups, snack prep, light supervision)

Deep Cleaning & Special Projects

• Occasional deep cleaning coordination with cleaners (fridge, oven, baseboards)
• Organizational projects for toys and kids' gear as needed
• Miscellaneous household tasks (e.g., cleaning makeup brushes, calendar management as needed)

How to Apply:

To apply, please submit a cover letter describing your background and why this role is a great fit, an updated resume, and 3 professional references with contact information.

Please note that this role requires a