House Manager (Meal Prep and Occasional Childcare)

Job Title: House Manager (Meal Prep and Occasional Childcare)

Location: San Mateo, CA 94403

Employment Type: Part-Time | 20–25 hours per week, 20 hours guaranteed

Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am–12:00pm with some flexibility

Compensation: $40–$45/hour, depending on experience

Start Date: September 2026

Requirements

• Tech-savvy; comfortable using Google Calendar, Notion, school communication apps, and texting for responsive day-to-day coordination
• CPR and First Aid certified; must be trained or willing to train on EpiPen use (child in home has severe nut allergy)
• Maintain a smoke-free environment.
• Fragrance-free approach required; household includes children with sensitivities
• Reliable transportation and valid driver's license; mileage reimbursement provided when using personal vehicle for errands
• Must be authorized to work in the United States.

About Our Family

We are a busy, career-driven family of four living in a walkable Bay Area neighborhood with our two young children, 1 and 3 years old. Both of us work in tech, and our days move quickly. Between school schedules, work commitments, and the beautiful chaos that comes with family life, we've built a wonderful village of support around us and are now excited to add a House Manager to help anchor our daytime hours.

Starting in September, both of our children will be in school, creating a rhythm that allows this role to focus primarily on household management, organization, meal prep, and helping us stay a few steps ahead of our busy lives. While our home is lively and full of fun energy, we value calm behind the scenes and appreciate someone who enjoys creating order and making things run smoothly.

We're definitely a tech-friendly household that runs on systems. We love a beautifully maintained calendar, thoughtful organization, and efficient routines that keep everyone on track. We appreciate someone who is meticulous, proactive, and enjoys creating systems that make everyday life easier. Whether it's keeping household projects organized, preparing healthy meals for the week, managing errands, or helping us stay prepared between our primary home and second home, we value a thoughtful partner who takes pride in the details.

Our home is cozy, welcoming, and intentionally organized to feel both functional and calm. We're close to the market, most errands are nearby, and we enjoy creating a warm environment where people feel appreciated and supported. We value reliability, creativity, flexibility, and a positive spirit. Most importantly, we're looking for someone who genuinely enjoys helping a busy family thrive—someone who can bring calm to our mornings, keep the household running seamlessly in the background, and become a trusted presence in our family's day-to-day life.

Who You Are / What We're Looking For

You are someone who genuinely enjoys creating calm and order in a busy, loving household. You thrive in a dynamic environment, find satisfaction in keeping things organized and running smoothly, and take pride in anticipating needs before they become tasks on someone else's list.

Highly organized, detail-oriented, and tech-savvy, you are comfortable working with digital calendars, shared apps, household systems, and organizational tools to keep schedules, projects, and routines on track. You appreciate efficiency, communicate clearly and responsively, and can easily adapt when priorities shift or the day takes an unexpected turn. A love for systems and an eye for detail will help you thrive in this role.

Warm, approachable, and naturally great with children, you understand how to balance professionalism with kindness and flexibility. While this role is primarily focused on household management, you're comfortable around young kids, enjoy their energy, and can confidently step in as a friendly, capable extra set of hands when needed. Our home is a multi-level townhouse with several flights of stairs, so you're comfortable safely carrying, assisting, or juggling little ones and the items that come with them while navigating stairs throughout the day. A calm presence and positive attitude go a long way in this home.

In the kitchen, you're comfortable preparing simple, healthy meals and assisting with light meal prep. This might include washing and chopping produce, assembling lunches, preparing family favorites, or helping maintain an easy, repeatable meal routine. You don't need to be a chef, but you enjoy cooking and approach food preparation with care, consistency, and attention to detail, especially within a nut-free environment.

Proactive, dependable, and resourceful, you naturally take ownership of your responsibilities. You notice when supplies are running low, keep spaces tidy and functional, and enjoy creating systems that make everyday life easier. You love checking things off a list but are equally comfortable handling the unexpected with flexibility and grace.

Most importantly, you're someone this family can count on—a thoughtful partner behind the scenes who brings calm, competence, and a little fun energy to a home that runs on love, technology, great systems, and a beautifully organized calendar.

Key Responsibilities

Family Support & Child Assistance

• Support the morning routine: assist with breakfast, help children get ready, prep backpacks, clothing, and snacks to reduce scrambling before school
• Provide occasional, flexible school drop-off support when both parents have scheduling conflicts (school approximately 15-minute drive; around 9:00am start)
• Serve as backup childcare when a child is unable to attend school; comfortable providing light supervision, snacks, activities, and transitions while parents adjust their schedules (not a primary caregiver role)
• Manage nut allergy protocols diligently in all food handling and prep
• Party and activity planning for children 

Household Organization & Maintenance

• Maintain existing organization systems and improve as needed; manage ongoing rotation of children's clothing, gear, and toys as kids grow
• Coordinate decluttering and donation drop-offs, including managing Facebook Buy Nothing group workflow
• Execute daily resets: dishes, dishwasher, surfaces, and tidying after the morning rush
• Prep home ahead of weekly cleaner visits
• Handle light tidying, vacuuming high-traffic areas, and keeping common areas functional throughout the week
• Swap batteries for home devices including cameras in children's rooms
• Deep clean of washer and dryer on regular basis

Laundry & Linens

• Keep laundry moving and put away, with priority on children's clothing and items
• Adult laundry folded and organized as schedule allows
• Weekly wash and reset of towels and bed linens

Inventory & Errands

• Restock pantry, fridge, and household consumables (soap, toilet paper, cleaning supplies)
• Maintain running household supply lists and proactively flag low stock
• Handle returns, package drop-offs (UPS, etc.), and local errands within the area
• Break down boxes and manage mail and package intake
• Walk to store to pick up groceries as needed 

Meal Support

• Meal prep approximately twice per week- think batch cooking
• Children: maintain a rotating pasta options ready to portion and go
• Adults: prepare simple proteins (chicken, salmon, shrimp) and sauteed vegetables for easy assembly throughout the week
• Prep simple school lunches (e.g., pasta portioned into insulated containers)
• All food prep must be nut-free; nut allergy protocols must be followed at all times
• Kitchen clean-up and maintenance after cooking sessions

Vehicle Upkeep

• Occasional coordination of routine family vehicle maintenance (e.g., oil changes)

Administrative & Personal Assistant Support

• Manage household and children's calendar updates, including last-minute schedule changes
• Track school newsletters and communications; flag relevant dates and action items
• Coordinate appointments (medical, household) and manage scheduling friction
• Support travel packing and unpacking for children; occasional support for second-home trips as a nice-to-have

Deep Cleaning & Special Projects

• Occasional deep cleaning tasks: fridge, oven, humidifiers, air purifiers
• Organizational refresh projects for toys, gear, and shared spaces as needed
• Maintain household consumables throughout the home

Vendor & Property Oversight

• Serve as primary point of contact for weekly cleaners, including scheduling, communication, and payment coordination
• Coordinate contractors, repair quotes, and service providers as needed (approximately quarterly)

How to Apply

Please submit a short intro letter telling us a bit about yourself and why this role is a great fit, an updated resume, and 3 professional references with contact information including phone and email. This role requires a background check.

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