Our client, with two properties in Kensington, London and near Basingstoke, require assistance on a temporary basis.  Dates are yet to be confirmed. However, you will be required for 2 weeks in June, and other potential dates throughout the year. You will be reporting to the Principal’s PA

You will be responsible for providing high quality and attentive cooking, housekeeping, house manager, butler and driver services to the family, ensuring nutritious, pleasing meals are provided. Both residences must be maintained and secured to a high standard, and to the Principal’s requirements. A safe and confident chauffeur service must be provided whenever required. You will be working closely with other members of the team to ensure the Principal’s needs are met, including cleaning staff at both residences to ensure a high standard of housekeeping.

Key Duties:

Cook/Housekeeper:

• Using excellent cooking skills to produce nutritious, varied, and pleasing meals and menus as agreed with the Principal and to meet dietary requirements
• Planning and ordering all food items required
• Adapting menus and working in partnership with the kitchen garden team to make the most of home-grown seasonal produce where possible
• Ensuring appropriate and pleasing table settings and fresh garden flower arrangements are on display within the home
• Planning and catering to a high standard for occasional dinner parties and events (any events during the contract will be confirmed prior to booking)
• Liaising with PAs and the Office Manager in Basingstoke residence if any maintenance or healthy and safety concerns and requirements are noted so that these can be addressed
• Answering the door and phone as required and if no-one else available
• Communicating clearly and in a friendly, positive and approachable way with the family, visitors and the rest of the household and garden team
• Working in partnership with all other staff to ensure the smooth and happy running of the residence

House Manager/Butler-Driver:

• Being responsible for the overall security, locking up and setting alarms
• Highlighting any maintenance or safety issues spotted to PA or Estate Office Manager
• Handing over any relevant information to the other live-in couple on changeover day
• Providing an attentive, professional, yet friendly butler/house manager service to ensure the smooth running of the home and the comfort of the principal
• Helping the Cook-Housekeeper in meal prep and any housekeeping duties needed eg cleaning the kitchen, cleaning and maintaining shutters, floors, brasses, silver and fireplaces (including laying), assisting the clean-up process after all meals
• Always ensuring that their accommodation areas are clean and tidy
• Noting any wine consumed from the wine cellar using the system in place
• Helping to set tables and serve snacks, meals and drinks
• Helping to pack and unpack suitcases as required, checking with the Companion
• Driving principal between residences and to engagements and appointments
• Completing small maintenance tasks if competent doing so (eg changing light bulb) and supervising contractors for larger maintenance works
• Maintaining both swimming pools in good, clean, working order and ensuring the pavilion is well maintained and stocked and prepared for use as required
• Performing light gardening tasks at the Kensington residence as required such as watering, raking up leaves and sweeping the paths

Personal Characteristics required:

• Being flexible, calm, and composed
• Reliable, trustworthy, and discreet respecting the requirement for strict confidentiality of the family’s affairs and that of their visitors or contacts
• Friendly and positive demeanour
• Pro-active, organised, practical, and mature in approach
• Team players who are able to get on well and work closely with other staff
• Meticulous eye for detail with high standards of cleaning and cleanliness
• Able to provide a safe and competent chauffeur service as required including driving in London in an electric car
• Able to drive between both residences for work, shopping and to carry out errands
• A current Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) Certificate

Hours: 48 hours per week, worked from Monday to Thursday or Thursday to Sunday (to fit with other couple) with working hours generally 7:30am to 9:30pm with a 2-hour break at a time that works with the diary and household. These hours and day rate to include any time for menu prep, shopping etc.
Meals each day: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and morning and afternoon tea. Diary for each day will be confirmed at the time of booking
Accommodation: The Domestic Couple will be provided a double room with an en-suite in the London residence and a double room with a separate private bathroom in the Basingstoke residence