Oplu runs discreet recruitment for UHNW private households and estates. We place housekeepers, nannies, estate managers, butlers, chefs, and senior household staff into environments where trust is earned daily and lost in a single lapse. Household staffing forms a core part of the private client services sector, and recruitment here is a different discipline. The stakes are personal, the environments are intimate, and the consequences of a mis-hire land in the home, not in an office.
We recruit on proven track record, not potential. When a family needs a housekeeper who has run a comparable property, a nanny who has worked with a similar family structure, or an estate manager who has managed multi-residence operations, we find someone who has done exactly that. Clients want unicorns. Unicorns do not exist. Our job is to get as close as possible and be honest about where the brief meets reality.
Private household recruitment agency
Oplu is a specialist private household and estate recruitment agency for UHNW principals and their representatives. We run searches where discretion, cultural alignment, and proven capability matter as much as qualifications. In private homes, CVs look the same. What separates candidates is how they behave when nobody is watching.
Specialist recruitment for Private Households & Estates
For senior and sensitive household mandates, Oplu runs targeted search rather than broad advertising. Many of our placements come through direct outreach to candidates we know or through trusted referral networks. The best household staff are rarely on job boards. They move through word of mouth, and they choose where they work as much as clients choose them.
In private staffing, client preferences extend beyond qualifications. Language fluency, accent, cultural alignment, and presentation standards all factor into the brief. These are not arbitrary. They reflect the environment the candidate will work in daily. We discuss preferences openly during scoping and advise on where they narrow the candidate pool and what trade-offs that creates.
We have had clients request birth dates before interview so they could check astrological compatibility. We have staffed yachts where no crew member could be taller than the principal. In private work, the brief is the brief. Our job is to deliver against it.
Who we support
UHNW principals and their families hiring household, estate, or childcare staff
Private offices and family offices managing recruitment on behalf of principals
Estate managers and house managers building or restructuring household teams
Chiefs of Staff and PAs coordinating domestic hiring alongside office recruitment
Trustees and advisers overseeing household governance and staffing budgets
Families relocating internationally who need staff with local knowledge and networks
Role families we cover
Domestic & Service Staff
We recruit Housekeepers, Butlers, Private Chefs, Chauffeurs, and Household Couples for residences where service standards, discretion, and presentation are non-negotiable. These roles carry daily access to the most private areas of a principal's life. Explore Domestic & Service Staff
Property & Estate Management
We place Estate Managers and House Managers who run multi-residence operations, vendor ecosystems, and property standards across locations. Authority, governance, and calm delivery under pressure define success in these seats. Explore Property & Estate Management
Childcare & Education
We recruit Nannies, Maternity Nurses, and Governesses for families where childcare quality, language requirements, and cultural fit are paramount. At this level, nannies choose where they work as much as families choose them. Explore Childcare & Education
How Oplu works
We start by scoping the brief properly. We confirm the environment: how many residences, what the household looks like day to day, who else is on the team, what the working pattern is, and what the principal actually needs versus what has been written in a job description. In private households, the brief on paper and the reality in the home are often different. We close that gap before approaching candidates.
We then design the search around the brief. For roles with close personal access, we use direct outreach and controlled referral networks. We do not advertise widely for sensitive positions. Candidates are approached discreetly, assessed against the specific household environment, and presented with written profiles covering role-fit, working pattern, compensation, and notice period.
Clients who relocate from regions where domestic staffing is cheaper often expect the same coverage in London or New York. Seven-day, long-hours coverage with a single hire does not work in the UK or US. A rota system gives constant coverage within a framework that retains staff. We advise on coverage models as part of the scoping process.
Shortlists stay deliberately small. We support trials where appropriate, manage referencing discreetly, and provide offer guidance and onboarding support to reduce early churn.
Private Households & Estates vs Family Offices
Some roles sit across both Private Households & Estates and Family Offices. The difference is where the centre of gravity sits:
Private Households & Estates roles are anchored in household operations, property, and day-to-day service delivery across one or more residences.
Family Offices roles are anchored in the office, entity, and principal's strategic and administrative infrastructure.
Where a role spans both, Oplu scopes before searching to make sure the brief reflects reality.
Principals who own hospitality or luxury brand assets often need both household staff and commercial leadership. We recruit for these through our Luxury Brands & Hospitality division.
Next steps
Explore roles: Domestic & Service Staff, Property & Estate Management, Childcare & Education
For family office roles: Family Office Recruitment
For hospitality and luxury brand roles: Luxury Brands & Hospitality
Hiring now: start a confidential search with a scoped brief and a discreet process
Candidates: explore current opportunities and submit your CV on our job board
Private PA
UHNW International Family, Florida
House Manager
UHNW Family, Monaco
Chief of Staff
UHNW Family, London