Estate Manager (2026)

Position

Estate Manager (Private UHNW Household)

Location: Atherton, CA, 94027 (On-site)

Job Type: Full-Time (40 hours/week), Hourly, Non-Exempt

Availability: Typically 9 am - 5:30 pm M-F, with availability for on-call support as needed

Compensation:

• $180,000 - up to $300,000/year (DOE)
• Discretionary year-end bonus (up to 20%)
• Health insurance
• Paid vacation, holidays, sick days
• Paid meal breaks

Position Overview

A private ultra-high-net-worth household in Atherton, California is seeking an experienced Estate Manager to oversee the day-to-day operations of a high-end private residence.

This role requires a proven estate operations professional with experience managing large private residences, household staff, vendors, maintenance, projects, service standards, and household systems.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, discreet, proactive, operationally strong, and capable of managing complex household operations with minimal principal involvement.

This is an onsite role based in Atherton, CA. Qualified candidates nationwide are welcome to apply, but relocation or reliable long-term onsite availability is required.

Key Responsibilities

• Estate Operations
  • Oversee daily operations of a high-end private estate in Atherton.
  • Ensure the property is maintained to an exceptional standard at all times.
  • Manage household readiness, maintenance schedules, service quality, and operational priorities.
  • Identify issues early and resolve them proactively before they require principal involvement.
  • Maintain a structured system for property operations, follow-ups, issue tracking, and closure.

• Staff Management
  • Manage and coordinate household staff and onsite service personnel.
  • Set clear expectations, workflows, standards, and accountability.
  • Monitor staff performance, service quality, punctuality, professionalism, and execution.
  • Support training, corrective follow-up, and continuous improvement of household operations.
  • Reduce repeated mistakes and low-level operational issues through structured management systems.

• Vendor Management
  • Manage vendors and service providers, including maintenance, landscaping, pool, HVAC, security, repairs, specialty contractors, and other estate-related vendors.
  • Coordinate vendor schedules, access, service quality, follow-up, and issue resolution.
  • Ensure vendors meet household standards and complete work properly and on time.
  • Maintain vendor records, service history, and recurring maintenance schedules.

• SOP, Systems & Quality Control
  • Build, improve, and enforce SOPs, checklists, inspection routines, communication protocols, and escalation standards.
  • Create practical systems that improve consistency, reduce mistakes, and make daily operations easier to manage.
  • Conduct regular quality checks and ensure issues are documented, assigned, followed up, and closed.
  • Help create a household operation that is structured, reliable, and not dependent on principals’ daily involvement.

• Project Management
  • Manage estate-related projects, repairs, upgrades, maintenance tasks, and operational improvements.
  • Track timelines, owners, vendors, costs, risks, and completion status.
  • Ensure projects are completed properly, efficiently, and with minimal disruption to the household.

• Communication & Reporting
  • Provide concise, organized, and solution-oriented updates to management and principals when needed.
  • Escalate issues appropriately with clear options and recommendations.
  • Maintain discretion and professionalism in all communication.
  • Protect the privacy, confidentiality, and preferences of the household.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• 7+ years of experience managing large, high-end private residences, private estates, UHNW households, family office residences, or comparable luxury residential environments.
• Proven experience managing household staff, vendors, maintenance, service standards, and daily estate operations.
• Strong project management and people management skills.
• Proven ability to build or operate SOPs, checklists, quality control systems, vendor logs, staff schedules, trackers, and escalation protocols.
• Flexibility for a 24/7 on-call lifestyle, adapting to the dynamic needs of the estate.
• Exceptional communication skills in English, both written and verbal.
• Technologically proficient, including Google Workspace / G-Suite, iPhone, MacBook, shared calendars, trackers, task management tools, and practical AI tools.
• Strong analytical, learning, communication, prioritization, multitasking, and problem-solving skills.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and able to anticipate issues before they escalate.
• Strict adherence to confidentiality and privacy.
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States and able to pass extensive background checks.
• Ready for pre-employment health screenings, including physical, psychological exams, and drug tests; annual flu vaccination required.
• Valid driver's license with a clean record; reliable transportation for daily commute to Atherton, CA.
• Seeking a long-term commitment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in UHNW private households, luxury residences, family office residences, or similar high-standard private environments.
• Experience managing large estates, multiple residences, vacation homes, or multi-state household operations.
• Experience stabilizing household operations, improving service quality, and reducing operational friction.
• Experience building household systems from the ground up.
• Prior experience in Atherton, the San Francisco Bay Area, or similar UHNW markets is a plus.