A busy private family is seeking an exceptional, hands-on Private Household PA to become a trusted right hand to the principals and provide comprehensive support across their personal, family, household and social lives. They currently have 3 residences in Oxfordshire and one in London. The PA will be expected to be at the central Oxford residence, Monday to Friday 9-5pm with flexibility to work remotely outside of these hours when needed.
This is far more than a traditional administrative PA position. The successful candidate will take ownership of the family’s day-to-day personal operations, household coordination and lifestyle logistics, quietly removing the mental load from two busy principals and ensuring that everything runs seamlessly behind the scenes.
Both principals have demanding professional commitments alongside active family and social lives. They have two teenage children who attend school and boarding school, and the PA will help coordinate the family’s constantly changing schedules and requirements.
The family has four private properties; however, this role will ordinarily be based at the main Oxfordshire residence. The PA will coordinate relevant staffing, administration and operational matters relating to the wider property portfolio from this principal place of work, rather than routinely working physically across all four residences. The PA will work closely with and report to the Estate Manager, who has overall responsibility for the properties, while also supporting and reporting directly to both principals.
This is a fast-paced, autonomous and all-encompassing position. It requires someone who enjoys taking ownership, naturally thinks several steps ahead and can move effortlessly between complex planning, household leadership, personal administration and practical, hands-on support.
PERSONAL AND FAMILY OPERATIONS
- Take ownership of the principals’ day-to-day personal and family operations.
- Act as a trusted point of contact for both principals, anticipating requirements and proactively resolving problems.
- Manage complex personal, family and social diaries, appointments and commitments.
- Coordinate the schedules and requirements of the family’s two teenage children, including school and boarding-school arrangements, activities, appointments and travel.
- Manage reminders, renewals, important dates and recurring personal commitments.
- Handle personal correspondence, paperwork and confidential administration.
- Undertake personal research, bookings, purchasing and errands as required.
- Manage multiple projects simultaneously from initial idea through to completion.
- Develop and improve systems and processes to make the family’s lives more organised and efficient.
- Remain calm and responsive when plans or priorities change at short notice.
LIFESTYLE MANAGEMENT
- Coordinate UK and international travel, including transport, accommodation, itineraries and associated logistics.
- Arrange restaurant, hotel, hospitality and event bookings.
- Support the organisation of family occasions, dinners, social engagements and private events.
- Source gifts, personal items and specialist services.
- Maintain an awareness of the principals’ preferences, priorities and upcoming commitments.
- Liaise with schools, clubs, professional advisers, friends, family members and other trusted contacts where appropriate.
- Ensure the principals are fully prepared for personal, family and social commitments.
- Provide practical, hands-on assistance whenever required.
HOUSEHOLD AND PROPERTY OPERATIONS
- Support the efficient day-to-day operation of the main Oxfordshire residence and coordinate relevant administrative and operational matters relating to the wider property portfolio.
- Act as a central point of communication between the principals, Estate Manager, household staff and external suppliers.
- Take the lead in coordinating and managing household employees across the residences.
- Communicate schedules, priorities and changing requirements clearly to the household teams.
- Assist with staff rotas, holidays, cover arrangements and day-to-day staffing matters in conjunction with the Estate Manager.
- Help ensure that consistent standards of service, organisation and communication are maintained across all properties.
- Build positive, trusted and professional relationships with household employees.
- Coordinate contractors, suppliers, maintenance providers and other external professionals.
- Oversee appointments, deliveries, servicing and household access arrangements.
- Support household maintenance projects and property improvements from instruction through to completion.
- Monitor progress, follow up with suppliers and ensure agreed work is completed to the required standard.
- Help ensure that household inventories, supplies and essential arrangements are maintained.
- Escalate significant property or staffing matters appropriately to the Estate Manager or principals.
FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT
- Review and process household invoices for approval.
- Monitor agreed household expenditure and maintain accurate records.
- Manage subscriptions, memberships, renewals and recurring payments.
- Liaise with suppliers regarding quotations, invoices and payment queries.
- Maintain organised household, property and supplier records.
- Track project expenditure and ensure supporting paperwork is retained.
- Use appropriate digital systems to keep information accessible, accurate and up to date.
- Handle all personal and financial information with absolute discretion.
THE IDEAL CANDIDATE
The successful candidate will be equally technically capable and emotionally intelligent. They will enjoy bringing order to complexity and understand that trust, discretion, sound judgement and excellent communication are fundamental to working successfully within a private household.
They will be proactive rather than reactive and will not wait to be asked before taking action. They must be comfortable making informed decisions independently while understanding when matters should be referred to the Estate Manager or principals.
Previous experience working in London would be particularly valuable, giving the candidate a strong understanding of the pace, service expectations, contacts and logistics associated with supporting busy principals in the capital.
- Highly experienced within a genuine Private Household PA, Lifestyle PA, Family Office PA or UHNW support position.
- Able to demonstrate experience supporting busy principals with both personal and household matters.
- Experienced in coordinating household employees and confident taking the lead with a private household team.
- Comfortable supporting more than one principal and balancing competing priorities.
- Technically confident and able to use modern technology, productivity tools and digital systems effectively.
- Skilled at creating efficient systems, processes, trackers and administrative structures.
- Emotionally intelligent, personable and capable of working with a wide variety of personalities.
- An excellent communicator who understands professional boundaries.
- Exceptionally organised, with meticulous attention to detail.
- Calm, discreet, trustworthy and solutions-focused.
- Commercially aware and confident managing suppliers, quotations, invoices and household expenditure.
- Adaptable and comfortable working within a fast-paced and constantly changing environment.
- Hands-on and willing to assist with tasks at every level.
- Confident taking ownership and progressing projects independently.
- Warm and family-focused while maintaining appropriate professional boundaries.
- Committed to building a trusted, long-term working relationship with the family.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS
- Substantial previous experience supporting a private household or UHNW family.
- Experience managing or coordinating private household staff.
- The ability to work consistently from the family’s main Oxford residence, with occasional travel only where genuinely required.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong technology and digital administration skills.
- Demonstrable longevity in previous positions.
- Flexibility to be contacted outside normal working hours when genuinely required.
- Absolute discretion, integrity and respect for the family’s privacy.
- Full right to work in the UK.
- A full UK driving licence.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
The successful candidate will become the person who quietly keeps everything running. They will anticipate rather than wait to be asked, create solutions rather than simply complete tasks and establish systems that save time and remove unnecessary pressure from the principals.
They will provide a reliable link between the family, the Estate Manager, the household teams and external suppliers, ensuring that information is communicated clearly and that nothing is overlooked.
Most importantly, they will become a trusted extension of the principals: someone who combines operational excellence with emotional intelligence and consistently delivers with professionalism, warmth and discretion.
Salary: £60,000 gross per annum +
REF:S&W#3658509
