When you are looking for someone to manage the affairs of your household and home, you have two different potential options—an estate manager and a household manager. Unfortunately, many people mistakenly interchange these two positions and believe they are the same.

However, since they are two different domestic staff positions, you might be wondering what is the difference between these two positions to ensure you choose the right manager for your house.

What Is an Estate Manager?

An estate manager is responsible for managing multiple properties, homes, landscaping, yachts, vehicles, jets, and wine cellars, although they can work on a single property that is relatively larger with a primary home, guest homes, staff quarters, and many acres of land. Essentially, they are the top domestic staff position one can have.

What Does an Estate Manager Do?

An estate manager has many different duties and job responsibilities. These can vary based on the complexity of the estate and the number of properties being managed. In addition, their job duties and responsibilities will also vary depending on the needs of their principal.

Some of the more common duties and responsibilities include:

• Manage and Supervise Other Household Staff – An estate manager ensures other household staff performs their jobs correctly.
• Hire and Train Other Household Staff – When you need to fill domestic staffing positions, your estate manager interviews, hires, and trains them or ensures they are trained by another staff member. They will also terminate positions as needed.
• Perform Administrative Duties – Estate managers have to manage budgets and estate finances, pay estate bills and property taxes, and handle payroll and general bookkeeping and accounting functions.
• Oversee Maintenance and Upkeep – All maintenance and upkeep of your properties are overseen by your estate manager.
• Preparing Properties for Guests – Your estate manager will ensure your properties are prepared for your arrival or the arrival of guests, as when you switch from your winter home to your summer home.
• Coordinating and Planning Events – Estate managers are also event planners. They will coordinate all aspects of your event, whether a private diner party, charity event, or business event.
• Manage Estate Business Operations – Some estates generate incomes through hosting social events and weddings or are active farms or wineries. An estate manager is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of these types of estates.
• Vehicle, Yacht, and Jet Management – Estate managers will ensure vehicles, yachts, and jets are maintained and ready for use whenever you need them.

What Don’t Estate Managers Do?

Estate managers will not be as “hands-on” regarding specific household duties and responsibilities. For example, they will not assist with housekeeping tasks or prepare and serve meals. Instead, they would ensure domestic staff employees were available to perform “hands-on” tasks.

What Is a Household Manager?

A household manager is responsible for the management of a single household. They are responsible for the home’s day-to-day operations and have more “hands-on” responsibilities and job duties.

What Does a Household Manager Do?

Depending on the size of the home, they may be the only domestic worker or could oversee other household employees. In some cases, a household manager will report directly to an estate manager rather than the principal.

Some of the more common job responsibilities and duties of a household manager include:

• Managing Appointments for the Principal and Their Family
• Making Travel Arrangements
• Supervising Other Household Staff
• Hiring and Training of Household Staff
• Running Errands
• Managing Inventories of Cleaning Supplies, Materials, Etc.
• Grocery Shopping
• Managing Liquor Cabinet and Wine Celler Inventories
• Paying Household Bills
• General Administrative Duties
• Event Planning
• Greeting Guests
• General Upkeep and Maintenance of the Home and Grounds

In smaller households, a household manager can be required to perform other functions, such as service cleaning, preparing meals, and chauffeur duties.

What Don’t Household Managers Do?

Unlike an estate manager, there are no specific restrictions on what a household manager will or will not do. Instead, it largely depends on your particular needs and the size of your household.

Furthermore, it is worth noting that household managers do not provide housekeeping or laundry services. The service cleaning duties they may provide refer to assisting the principal with laundry, organizational tasks, and tidying up the home. Nor do they do deep cleanings of the house. For these types of services, you would want to hire a housekeeper and laundress.

In addition, household managers do not typically manage more than a single property. In cases where properties also function as businesses, household managers usually will not oversee the day-to-day business operations.

Which One Is Right for Your Household?

Hopefully, you now can see the differences between an estate manager and a household manager. When deciding whether an estate manager or household manager is better for you, think about what job duties and responsibilities you want the individual to perform.

Another factor to consider is whether you want them to oversee a single household or multiple properties. In cases where you have a single home that is rather large or one that also operates as a business, then an estate manager may be better suited.

Therefore, the first thing you will want to do is list all the job duties and responsibilities you want the individual to perform. Then, based on the items on your list, it can better help you determine whether an estate manager or household manager is better suited to meet your needs.

Find an Estate Manager or Household Manager Today

It is easy to find an estate manager or household manager for your home with help from Staffing at Tiffanie’s. We take the time to listen to your needs and work with you to determine which one would be better for your home.

Next, we carefully match candidates who fit your personality, beliefs, and ideals. Then you interview the candidates until you decide on the one you want to hire. Furthermore, we offer complete employment packages to make the hiring process much easier.

Find your estate manager or household manager today by contacting us at 866-484-5550.