House Manager

Pocketbook Agency; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Laptop provided

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Long-term growth potential

Job summary

Pocketbook Agency seeks a highly capable Personal Assistant / House Manager to support a private family across three residences: Palo Alto, Manhattan, and the Hamptons. This hands-on role centres on property and household project management, with events, travel coordination, research, and special projects.

The ideal candidate is organized, discreet, resourceful, tech-savvy, and collaborative, able to manage vendors, prep homes ahead of arrivals, and implement efficient systems using Google

Qualifications

• Experience supporting a private principal, family office, estate, or multi-property household.
• Strong project management and follow-through skills.
• Ability to manage vendors and multi-property calendars with discretion.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day coordination across three properties (Palo Alto, Manhattan, Hamptons).
• Manage vendors, maintenance, and household service needs.
• Prepare homes ahead of family arrivals and maintain punch lists.
• Track household projects and ensure timely follow-through.
• Support planning of future renovation projects and travel logistics.
• Provide occasional executive-support, scheduling, and research.

Skills

Project management

Vendor coordination

Organization

Discretion & judgment

Tech-savvy

Tools

Google Suite

Notion

Job description

Private family in Palo Alto seeks a highly capable, proactive, and grounded Personal Assistant / House Manager to support the principal across three residences: Palo Alto, Manhattan, and the Hamptons. This role is primarily focused on property and household project management, with additional support across events, travel coordination, research, and special projects.

The right person is organized, discreet, resourceful, and collaborative. They should be equally comfortable handling logistics, managing vendors, preparing homes ahead of arrivals, and taking on occasional higher-level research or project work. This is a hands-on role for someone with strong judgment, high EQ, and a no-task-too-small mindset.

Core Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day coordination across three properties in Palo Alto, Manhattan, and the Hamptons
• Manage vendors, maintenance schedules, repairs, and household service needs
• Prepare homes in advance of family arrivals, including maintenance follow-up, household readiness, and detailed punch lists
• Track ongoing household projects and ensure timely follow-through
• Support planning and coordination of a future renovation project in Amagansett
• Serve as the principal's eyes and ears on property-related matters and proactively flag issues

Property and Household Management

• Coordinate multiple moving parts across homes, calendars, vendors, and special projects
• Create and maintain organized systems, trackers, and status updates
• Bring structure and follow-through to both recurring needs and one-off initiatives

Events and Travel

• Assist with planning and execution of events hosted primarily in Palo Alto
• Help coordinate logistics for travel tied to the family's residences
• Travel ahead of the family when needed to ensure homes are fully prepared for arrival

Executive and Research Support

• Provide occasional executive-assistant-style support, including scheduling, research, and administrative coordination
• Take on special projects such as market mapping, vendor research, and other organizational initiatives
• Help build systems and improve workflows using tools such as Google Suite and, ideally, Notion

Ideal Candidate Profile

• Experience supporting a private principal, family office, estate, or multi-property household
• Strong project management skills with excellent follow-through
• Calm, capable, and highly organized
• High emotional intelligence and strong situational awareness
• Collaborative and adaptable, with the confidence to work independently and the judgment to know when to ask questions
• Comfortable in a hands-on environment where no task is beneath anyone
• Curious, tech-comfortable, and open to learning new tools, including AI-enabled workflows
• Familiarity with Google Suite required
• Notion experience required
• New York-friendly and comfortable navigating between West Coast and East Coast environments

Logistics

• Based in or near Palo Alto, California
• Role will require occasional travel to New York and the Hamptons
• Schedule flexibility is important; principal offers flexibility in return
• Some in-person presence required, especially during onboarding and for vendor/property coordination

Compensation and Benefits

• $150,000-$175,000 base salary, depending on experience
• Paid time off and sick time
• Paid holidays
• Laptop provided
• Long-term growth potential within the role

Pocketbook Agency is an equal opportunity recruiting firm and does not discriminate in its recruiting, screening, or placement practices based on race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.