A warm family of four is seeking an experienced, highly organized, and detail-oriented Live-In Housekeeper/Cook to primarily care for their home in Purchase, NY, with occasional work at their Manhattan apartment. The family consists of two adults, 14-year-old twins, and a sweet, friendly large dog.

The family's primary residence in Purchase is approximately 8,000 square feet with six bedrooms. They split their time between Westchester and Manhattan and are looking for someone who can take ownership of the day-to-day care of the home, prepare simple family meals, and handle light household oversight while they are in the city.

This is primarily a housekeeper/cook position, rather than a formal house manager role. However, the candidate should be comfortable handling the practical responsibilities that naturally arise when caring for a large private residence.

Schedule

44 guaranteed hours per week

The family is looking for someone who can work Friday through the weekend, with two days off during the week. The exact schedule can be discussed with the candidate.

Friday and the weekend are particularly important coverage days. The family is flexible regarding the two weekdays off, with options such as Tuesday/Wednesday or other mutually agreed-upon weekdays.

This is a live-in position, and the family strongly prefers someone who will make their home their primary residence and remain overnight even on days off, particularly because the family spends much of the school week in Manhattan and would like someone present in the home with their dog. This is a strong preference rather than an absolute requirement.

Responsibilities

• Full-charge housekeeping and general upkeep of the family's approximately 8,000-square-foot Purchase residence

• Housekeeping and upkeep of the family's Manhattan apartment as needed

• Maintaining a clean, organized, and well-functioning household

• Laundry and light ironing

• Preparing approximately three to four family dinners per week

• Following family-provided recipes and meal plans

• Preparing occasional simple breakfasts or lunches as needed

• Comfortable preparing two different proteins at a meal when necessary to accommodate different family preferences

• Keeping the kitchen clean and organized

• Being present for household deliveries and service appointments

• Letting contractors and vendors into the home and keeping an eye on work being completed

• Taking down relevant information from vendors or contractors and communicating it to the principals

• Handling small practical household tasks as they arise

• Proactively noticing what needs attention and addressing it without requiring extensive direction

• Occasional domestic travel between the Purchase residence and the family's Manhattan apartment

Cooking

This is a housekeeper/cook position rather than a private chef role. The family will plan the week's dinners and provide recipes.

Cooking will generally consist of straightforward, everyday family meals approximately three to four evenings per week. The candidate should be comfortable confidently following recipes and preparing simple, healthy meals. Examples might include dishes such as a 45-minute berbere brown sugar chicken.

Occasionally, one of the children may want a simple breakfast or lunch, such as eggs, so the candidate should be comfortable preparing easy meals as needed.

The family places a high value on care and attention to detail when handling food. For example, if the candidate notices a small piece of bone in one chicken breast, they should naturally think to inspect the remaining pieces as well. They are looking for someone who approaches their work with the same thoughtfulness and care they would use for their own family.

Pet Care

The family has a sweet and friendly approximately 70-pound Great Pyrenees/Yellow Lab mix.

Professional dog walkers already handle the dog's regular daily walks, so this is not a dog-care-heavy position. The candidate should simply be comfortable being home with a large dog and letting her outside periodically into the family's fenced yard.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is warm, kind, friendly, discreet, and highly responsible. They should be an excellent self-starter who is deeply organized and takes genuine pride in maintaining a home.

The family is particularly looking for someone who is:

• Exceptionally trustworthy and dependable

• Highly organized and detail-oriented

• Proactive and able to work independently

• Thorough and conscientious

• Warm and pleasant to have in the home

• Calm, low-key, and professional

• Discreet and respectful of the family's privacy

• Comfortable taking responsibility for a home while the principals are away

• Someone who notices small details and follows through

• Dedicated to doing things properly rather than simply "checking the box"

• Prior professional housekeeping experience in a private home

• Experience caring for a larger residence strongly preferred

• Strong cooking skills and ability to confidently follow recipes

• Excellent, verifiable references

• Valid driver's license

• Comfortable driving in the suburbs; Manhattan driving is not required

• Comfortable around a large, friendly dog

• Comfortable with a live-in arrangement

• Extremely trustworthy, reliable, and dedicated to their work

• Non-smoker; no vaping or drug use

$45–$50/hour, depending on experience

• 44 guaranteed hours per week

• Time-and-a-half for hours worked above 44 per week

• Time-and-a-half for holidays worked

• Position paid legally on the books

• Healthcare stipend

• Two weeks of paid vacation annually

  • Family selects one vacation week

  • Candidate selects one vacation week

• Major holidays off

The family is seeking a long-term candidate who will become a trusted presence in their household and appreciates the stability and privacy of a live-in role. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced housekeeper/cook who enjoys taking ownership of a home, working independently, and supporting a warm family in a thoughtful and detail-oriented way.