About us

Bespoke Recruitment for Luxury Propertiesworldwide

As a Domestic Staffing Agency, we’re the architects of creating exceptional experiences for both clients and candidates. We pride ourselves on sourcing the very best candidates to ensure that the world's most successful properties and yachts are staffed to 7* standards.
Domestic Staffing is a unique and exciting industry and Silver Swan is here to provide connections and support that are essential to advance your home or career.

Our Story

Silver Swan Recruitment was launched in 2013 by Philippa Smith.

Whilst working in HR for a prestigious luxury ski tour operator, Philippa noticed the formidable challenge of attracting and retaining top-tier hospitality professionals to work within opulent chalets throughout the ski seasons. Surprisingly, there seemed to be a huge absence of any specialised staffing agency which catered to this niche at the time, and so, in 2013, Philippa took the plunge and decided to fill the gap herself by establishing Silver Swan Recruitment.

It didn’t take long before requests for personnel began to encompass permanent residences, yachts, and jets across the globe, turning Silver Swan into the agency it is today. With a growing team and an even faster-growing client base, it was clear that our London presence was slightly too limiting for the global outreach that was developing, so we expanded our footprint and established operations in both Dubai, UAE, and Miami, Florida.

Ever since its establishment over ten years ago, Silver Swan has been dedicated to simplifying the process of hiring domestic professionals for discerning clients, presenting passionate individuals with unique backgrounds that reach beyond the conventional.

Our tell-tale stamp on the industry is the personal relationships we’ve fostered with our clients and candidates as we manage the entire candidate selection process from sourcing to offer acceptance and beyond to ensure a long-lasting placement.

OUR VALUES

BE BOLD

Strive to be the leader in your region and think beyond boundaries, seeking new opportunities with confidence.

BE KIND

Create a culture of support and empathy, working collaboratively and celebrating each other’s successes.

BE EXCEPTIONAL

Build lasting relationships with candidates and clients, sharing your expertise and having communities at the heart of everything we do.

Be Curious

Actively seek new knowledge and skills, setting personal goals and utilising feedback to continuously improve.

CAREERS AT SILVER SWAN

JOIN OUR team

At Silver Swan, we like to do things differently.

We believe that injecting some fun and relaxation into our work environment ensures that everyone is motivated to work to the best of their ability, whilst creating strong and lasting supportive relationships.

Do you enjoy helping others whilst obliterating ‘that Sunday feeling’? Silver Swan might be the perfect company for you.

Silver Swan communities

We’ve created vibrant communities for estate managers, house managers, and personal assistants around the globe. Our communities are currently thriving in London, Europe, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Florida, Los Angeles and San Francisco, with many more in the pipeline.
Our communities are completely free of charge. Hosted on WhatsApp, they provide a friendly and welcoming environment to offer support and advice to each other, while having access to a hugely valuable hub of information for your ‘black book’.

Life in Private Staffing podcast

Do you know what it takes to be successful working on yachts, private jets, palaces, private households and chalets? Join Philippa and guests discussing all things private staffing, a regular and long-standing podcast aimed to educate and inspire.

From cheffing for celebrities to working for royalty or becoming a private swimming tutor - this podcast dives into the compelling world of private staffing, with entrancing experiences and fascinating career opportunities.

Latest update from our team

Introducing The Inner Circle: A New Era for the Private Service Community

This week marks an exciting new chapter for Silver Swan Recruitment as we officially launch The Inner Circle — our new private service community. The Inner Circle is a...
Personal Assistants US house Roles

What Is a Family Assistant? The US Private Household Role Explained

The role of a Family Assistant has become increasingly popular in private households across the USA, particularly among busy families who need flexible, highly capable...

Building a Private Island Team: Four Months, Five Countries and One Extraordinary Project

Over the past four months, Silver Swan Recruitment has been leading one of the most ambitious and rewarding hospitality recruitment projects in our company’s...
USA Housekeepers

What Private Families Expect From House Managers in the USA

As the Mediterranean season approaches, interest in superyacht careers traditionally rises, with many hospitality professionals exploring opportunities to work at sea....

Superyacht Careers: What It Really Takes to Work in Luxury at Sea

As the Mediterranean season approaches, interest in superyacht careers traditionally rises, with many hospitality professionals exploring opportunities to work at sea....

Silver Swan in Dubai & Abu Dhabi: Community, Connections and Conversations

Last week, Philippa & Anita travelled to the UAE for a busy and rewarding few days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, combining community events, candidate meetings and time...

Temporary Staffing Is Surging: What Candidates Need to Know in Today’s Market

Over the past year, we’ve seen a notable rise in temporary and short-term placements across private households — from travelling private chefs to seasonal nannies and...

Understanding Staff Retention in Private Households: Why Great Talent Stays, or Leaves

In the world of private households, discretion, loyalty, and consistency are everything. A strong, long-term staff team isn’t just a convenience — it’s the foundation...

Global Paternity Leave in Private Staffing: Where Do Men Stand?

In the exclusive world of private staffing, where discretion, dedication, and long hours are the norm, conversations around paternity leave are only just beginning to...

As Summer Ends, It’s Time to Prepare for the Winter Season in Private Staffing

As the last of the summer sunshine fades and August draws to a close, the luxury private staffing world begins its annual seasonal pivot. The lively buzz of...