— Private Household Recruitment

Private households, quietly staffed.

Nannies, family assistants, family managers, house managers and specialist staff — privately placed with a small number of principal households across Europe.

A private household runs on a very small number of people. Who they are — and how well they fit — has more impact on daily life than almost any external decision a family makes. This is not work that suits a database.

ZEN Family conducts private household recruitment personally, by appointment and by referral. We meet every candidate, speak to every reference, and present only when we can vouch for what we present.

— Roles we place

The full spectrum of the private household.

Nannies, live-in nannies, travel nannies, family assistants, family managers, house managers, personal assistants to the principal, and specialist household staff engaged in coordination with vetted partners.

Every mandate is treated individually. We do not run parallel searches for the same candidate across multiple households.

— Our approach

Reference-led, never database-led.

Candidates enter our roster through personal referral and direct outreach to people whose work we already know. Every profile is met in person, referenced with previous households, and assessed against the ZEN Family Certified™ standard.

For families, this means fewer profiles — three to five people, not thirty.

— Where we operate

Principal residences across Europe.

Households in Germany (Frankfurt, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Düsseldorf), Belgium (Brussels, Knokke), France (Paris, Nice, Monaco), Switzerland, the UK and Italy. Cross-border and split-residence engagements are a core part of our work.

01

By referral only.

Candidates enter our roster through people we already trust.

02

In-person interview.

No profile shared without a personal meeting.

03

References verified.

Direct conversations with previous principals or their staff.

04

Confidentiality.

Family details are protected end-to-end.

05

Contract advisory.

Guidance on fair terms, tax setup and household structure.

06

Aftercare.

We remain reachable long after the first month is over.

— Questions

Frequently asked.

Single search or full household build-out?

Both. Single-role and complete household staffing (nanny + family manager + house manager) are both common.

How long does a placement take?

First candidates are usually presented within two weeks; a confirmed start typically follows within four to six weeks.

Is the process confidential from candidates too?

Yes. Principal names and addresses are only shared once mutual interest is confirmed.

Do you work with existing family offices?

Yes — we integrate quietly alongside a family office or private secretary.

— The Next Step

Introduced only by appointment.

Every enquiry is confidential. We take the time to understand the household before we propose anyone.