Professional Household Manager with Childcare Support

About the job

Professional Household Manager with Childcare Support

Location: Dunlap, IL 61525

Employment Type: Part-Time | 25-30 hours per week (potential to grow into a full-time role as the relationship develops)

Proposed Schedule:

• Weekday afternoons/evenings (Monday-Friday): Core hours start with home management and then shift to afternoon logistics and supervision, with availability requested until 7–8 PM on select evenings
• Potential for additional hours: • Coverage for Saturday morning family activities or Sunday afternoon weekly prep is available, but not a hard requirement
• Availability to watch kids while parents traveling at an agreed upon weekend (all-inclusive) rate is preferred

Compensation: $28-32 per hour

Start Date: ASAP

Requirements

• Must be authorized to work in the United States
• Able to maintain a smoke-free environment
• Reliable personal transportation and valid driver's license required (mileage reimbursement or gas stipend provided)
• Must be able to safely transport children as a core function of the role
• Up to date on recommended vaccinations in line with American Academy of Pediatrics and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines (including influenza and routine adult vaccinations), subject to applicable legal accommodations
• CPR and first aid certification preferred
• Ability to move throughout a large home repeatedly throughout the day, including carrying laundry, groceries, and household items

About Our Family

We're a two-parent, dual-career household with a full house and a lot of heart. Both parents work demanding professional schedules, and our home runs on a rhythm that requires coordination, energy, and someone who genuinely loves being part of a busy family environment. With such a wide range of ages and stages (a 14-year-old, an 11-year-old, 8-year-old twins, and a 3-year-old), our days are full of movement, personality, and constantly shifting needs. We also have one easygoing dog who is part of the family.

Our household is active and joyful — mornings are a full sprint, afternoons are packed with activity pickups and homework, and evenings wind down with on-the-go dinners and staggered bedtimes. We use systems to stay organized, from a shared family calendar app to weekly grocery deliveries and a rotation of sitters who help with kids' activities.

We've been lucky to have incredible support in the home before, and we know what a difference the right person makes. What we're looking for is someone who can step into that role not just as a helper, but as a true partner in keeping this household running smoothly — so the parents can show up fully present for the kids, not buried in logistics.

Who You Are / What We're Looking For

You're the kind of person who walks into a room and quietly spots what needs to happen next — and then does it. You don't need to be told twice, you take initiative, and you take pride in a home that runs well. You're warm and engaged with kids, but you know how to read the room: when the family needs energy and connection, you bring it; when a parent needs to focus, you fade into the background and hold things together without interruption.

You are comfortable balancing hands-on household work with family assistance. During the school day, you are happy to manage laundry, reset shared spaces, prep meals, stock groceries, organize household items, and handle errands. In the afternoon, you can shift naturally into supporting the children, helping them stay on task, and assisting with nearby activity transportation when needed. You are comfortable using shared calendar tools such as Cozi and can keep up with a schedule that changes from day to day.

You understand that your role is to support the family, not to take over. You help create the moments rather than try to be the moment. You're firm with kids in a way that's kind and consistent, and you don't take it personally when a system you set up gets completely undone by lunchtime. You're honest, reliable, and trustworthy — someone this family will feel completely comfortable having in their home day after day. Experience with children, household management, or family support roles is a plus, but your character and dependability matter most.

Key Responsibilities

Family Support

• Handle school pickups as needed throughout the week.
• Manage afternoon logistics, including activity transportation, scheduling coordination, and light supervision or backup childcare.
• Help the children unpack and reset backpacks, school materials, clothing, snacks, and personal spaces at the end of each day.
• Assist with homework as needed, particularly for the older children.
• Schedule and provide transportation to recurring appointments and commitments, such as orthodontist visits and tutoring.
• Handle child-related errands as needed.
• Help assign and coordinate sitters for after-school activity coverage using the family calendar app, and proactively flag scheduling gaps each week.

Household Organization & Maintenance

• Create, maintain, and improve household organization systems that work for a busy family of seven.
• Complete daily resets of shared spaces, including dishes, kitchen surfaces, common areas, and light vacuuming of high-traffic areas.
• Prepare the home for the weekly cleaning service by straightening rooms, clearing surfaces, and addressing general clutter.
• Manage seasonal transitions for clothing, décor, outdoor furniture, and family gear.
• Coordinate donation sorting and drop-offs and manage organizational projects involving toys, clothing, sports equipment, and other household items.
• Refresh and reorganize the garage, mudroom, and entry areas seasonally or as needed.
• Complete occasional special cleaning projects, such as cleaning the refrigerator, oven, or baseboards.
• Support holiday, birthday, and family celebration preparation, including planning ahead around the family’s work and travel schedules, coordinating timelines, shopping, and wrapping gifts.
• Assist the children with packing for family travel, ensuring favorite and trip-appropriate items are included; help unpack afterward, complete travel laundry, and return luggage and supplies to their proper places.
• Provide occasional indoor plant care.
• Address simple household needs when noticed, such as replacing batteries, light bulbs, or smoke detector batteries, or flagging items that require further attention.

Laundry & Linens

• Complete approximately two loads of family laundry each day, including washing, drying, folding, and returning items to their proper places.
• Manage linen rotation and provide occasional light ironing for linens as needed.
• Identify and separate dry-clean-only items and coordinate drop-off and pickup.

Meal Support

• Prepare the family’s nightly dinner midday using ingredients from a weekly meal delivery service.
• Portion and pack meals to have ready for children to eat before activities or take with them to evening commitments.
• Clean the kitchen after meal preparation, store leftovers properly, and reset the space.

Inventory & Errands

• Receive, unpack, and organize weekly grocery deliveries, keeping the pantry and refrigerator orderly and well stocked.
• Maintain running lists of groceries, household supplies, and other items that need to be replenished.
• Initially compile Amazon, Costco, Target, and other household orders to be placed, with the opportunity to take ownership of ordering and subscriptions as trust and familiarity develop.
• Flag inventory needs and restock household essentials as directed.
• Manage returns, dry cleaning, occasional grocery runs, donation drop-offs, and other family errands.
• Assist with gift shopping, wrapping, and seasonal or celebration-related purchases.

Vendor & Property Oversight

• Serve as the on-site point of contact for service providers, including HVAC technicians, pool maintenance, landscapers, cleaning crews, and other household vendors.
• Receive contractors and help coordinate access, scheduling, and follow-up for home repairs and maintenance.
• Research service providers, gather quotes, and present options to the family as needed.

Vehicle Management

• Check family vehicles weekly and reset them as needed, including removing clutter, organizing essentials, and making sure fuel levels are sufficient.
• Schedule routine and ad hoc vehicle maintenance, including oil changes, inspections, and repairs.
• Coordinate professional detailing approximately every six weeks, anticipating additional service before or after road trips and other high-use periods.

Pet Care

• Provide daily care for the family dog, including feeding, refreshing water, and letting the dog outside.
• Monitor pet supply needs and restock food and other essentials as directed.
• Schedule grooming, boarding, and other routine pet appointments as needed.

How to Apply

Please submit:

• A short letter introducing yourself and explaining why you’d be a great fit.
• Your updated resume.
• Three professional references with contact information.

This role requires a background check.

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