House Manager (with Meal Prep and Light Childcare)

House Manager (with Meal Prep and Light Childcare)

Location: San Diego, CA 92103

Employment Type: Part-time, 10-15 hours per week

Anticipated role expansion around April 2027—responsibilities will increasingly shift toward household management, including coordinating schedules, anticipating household needs, managing vendors and appointments, maintaining household systems, and taking greater ownership of day-to-day logistics.

Schedule: 2-3 days per week, Monday through Friday, afternoon hours (approximately 1:00 PM-6:00 PM), occasional weekend hours available within the 10-15 hours/week range

Some flexibility is required for date-night coverage 2-4 times a month, occasional house- and pet-sitting, and occasional overnight childcare.

Compensation: $33-$38 per hour, depending on experience.

Start Date: Early to mid-September 2026; no later than October 1, 2026.

Requirements

• Maintain a smoke-free environment.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.
• Reliable transportation required (family vehicle provided for job-related driving duties).
• CPR and First Aid certification 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 flu and general recommended vaccines; COVID-19 vaccination preferred), subject to applicable legal accommodations.

About Our Family

Based in San Diego, we are a warm, bustling, and lively household of four with one incredibly gentle, medium-sized dog, two rambunctious, sweet boys (ages 14 months and 4), and a third on the way, whom we are excited to welcome this fall. Our home moves at a quick pace—the kids are going to different schools and are busy with extracurricular activities, including swimming, T-ball, and soccer, and with both parents working from home, balancing demanding schedules and frequent travel, the house's rhythm and energy shift depending on who is home and what's on the calendar.

We care deeply about a highly organized home that feels calm and reset, and fostering a healthy, active environment where our kids can thrive. Afternoons are our toughest stretch of the day—from school and daycare pickups to meal prep, loading the dishwasher, packing lunches, and laundry that always seems to be piling up—there's a lot to be done in this limited window. With two young, energetic kids, a pregnant parent, and a packed schedule, keeping everything on track has become a challenging juggling act.

While we have a postpartum doula through November and house cleaners, we are looking for long-term, consistent, grounded, and proactive support that can lighten the mental load of the household tasks that feel overwhelming. We're looking for someone who can truly grow with our family over time, so we can focus on spending more quality time together as a family and as partners, without feeling pulled in multiple directions.

Who You Are / What We're Looking For

You are a seasoned house manager with a calm, highly professional, and grounding presence and a “get it done” energy. You have high emotional intelligence, can easily read the room, and use good judgment and excellent time management to know what needs to happen and what tasks to avoid, especially with a newborn in the home.

You are highly observant and self-directed—you take pride in your work, feel real satisfaction from supporting others, and are comfortable taking cues from the family's rhythms—you know when it's appropriate to step in or step back. You're easygoing, focused, and comfortable in a home where the parents are present and respect the need for a calm, quiet working environment. You are warm and engaging, love working with infants and young children (newborn to 4 years old), and have experience doing so. You're also a fan of dogs and are comfortable with walking and feeding duties.

Because responsibilities will vary from week to week based on the family's needs, schedule, and priorities, the ideal person for this role is comfortable prioritizing tasks independently and taking ownership, rather than working from a fixed checklist. You also communicate effectively and ask questions when something is truly unclear, and love supporting organizational projects, including preparing a nursery for a new family member. You're the kind of person who quickly notices the yogurt stock is running low, the laundry needs switching, the car seats need to be vacuumed, the living room needs to be reset, and the kids need dinner — all at the same time — and truly enjoys proactively easing the mental load of a busy, active family that prioritizes being fully present and spending quality time together.

Key Responsibilities

Family Support

• Late afternoon school and daycare pickups for both children (approximately 5 pm)
• Childcare support following pickups, back-up childcare, and as-needed bedtime support, particularly when one parent is traveling
• Take the children on outings, including the park (during optional weekend hours)
• Prep backpacks, clothing, and snacks as needed

Meal Support

• Prepare and batch-cook healthy meals and snacks for the children (about 2-3 options per week), focusing on keeping the week ahead organized and well-stocked
• Grocery shopping, washing, prepping, and organizing produce
• Kitchen cleanup and maintenance
• Support light meal prep for the parents, as needed

Laundry & Linens

• Wash, fold, and organize laundry
• Linen rotation for bedding and towels
• Maintain a tidy and well-stocked laundry area

Household Organization & Maintenance

• Daily home resets and prep ahead of house cleaner visits
• Light tidying: dishes, surfaces, and vacuuming high-traffic areas
• Seasonal clothing swaps for children as they grow through sizes
• Prepare and coordinate donation drop-offs
• Holiday, event, and guest prep
• Create and maintain household organization systems as needed

Inventory & Errands

• Restock pantry, fridge, and household supplies
• Manage ongoing household supply lists
• Handle household orders and subscriptions (Amazon, Costco, Target)
• Returns, dry cleaning, and gift shopping
• Mail and package handling, including breaking down boxes
• Coordinating schedules, vendors, and appointments as the role expands

Deep Cleaning & Special Projects

• Occasional deep cleans: fridge, oven, baseboards, stroller, car seats, washing machine gasket, etc.
• Refresh garage, mudroom, and entryway
• Clean humidifiers and air purifiers
• Organizational projects (toys, reorganizing the children's rooms—including supporting moving one child out of the nursery and into a different room)

Pet Care

• Dog feeding and walking
• Drop-offs for vet and grooming appointments
• Administer medications, if needed
• Maintain pet supplies

Vehicle Upkeep

• Fuel, clean, and organize the family vehicles

Outdoor & Property

• Tidy outdoor spaces following kids' play and daily activity

How to Apply

Please submit a cover letter, an updated resume, and 3 professional references with contact information. Note that this role requires a background check.

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