A good nanny job description defines the work before recruitment starts. It should state the role, children’s ages, location, working arrangement, days and hours, core duties, any household tasks, required experience, driving or qualification requirements, gross pay basis and expected start date. The clearer the brief, the easier it is to compare candidates fairly.
Below are adaptable templates for a nanny, nanny-housekeeper and housekeeper. They are recruitment templates, not employment contracts. Once a candidate is chosen, move the agreed terms into a written employment document using our nanny employment contract guide.
What every household job description should include
| Field | What to specify |
|---|---|
| Role title | Nanny, nanny-housekeeper or housekeeper |
| Location | Area of London and any regular travel requirement |
| Working arrangement | Full-time or part-time; live-in or live-out |
| Days and hours | Normal start/finish times, weekends, evenings and overtime expectations |
| Start date | Preferred or required start date |
| Children | Ages and the routines relevant to the role |
| Core duties | The tasks that define the role |
| Additional duties | Cooking, errands, travel, pet-related tasks or household support if genuinely required |
| Experience | What previous experience is relevant and why |
| Qualifications | Only those genuinely needed for the position |
| Driving | Whether driving is essential, preferred or not required |
| Pay | Gross salary or gross hourly basis, to be agreed before offer |
| Employer checks | Right to work and any role-appropriate evidence checks |
Nanny job description template
Job title: Nanny
Location: [London area]
Working arrangement: [Full-time / part-time] · [Live-in / live-out]
Days and hours: [e.g. Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 6:00pm]
Start date: [date]
Children: [ages]
Role summary
We are looking for a nanny to take primary responsibility for the children during the agreed working hours. The role should focus on childcare, routines and age-appropriate activities. Any household duties should be limited to those stated below rather than added informally after the role begins.
Core duties
- Day-to-day care and supervision of the children.
- Preparing meals and snacks for the children where required.
- School or nursery drop-offs and pick-ups where applicable.
- Age-appropriate play, reading, outings and activities.
- Children’s laundry, bedrooms and play areas if agreed as part of the role.
- Supporting homework or school routines where relevant.
- Following agreed instructions for medication, allergies, emergency contacts and household rules.
- Providing clear handover to parents about the day.
Candidate requirements
- Relevant experience with children of comparable ages.
- References from previous employers where available.
- Communication skills appropriate to the household and safety responsibilities.
- [First aid / driving / childcare qualification] only if genuinely required.
- Ability to demonstrate the right to work in the UK before employment starts.
Pay: [gross annual salary / gross hourly rate] subject to agreement.
Nanny-housekeeper job description template
Job title: Nanny-Housekeeper
Location: [London area]
Working arrangement: [Full-time / part-time] · [Live-in / live-out]
Days and hours: [days and times]
Start date: [date]
Children: [ages]
Role summary
This is a combined childcare and housekeeping role. The job description should state how the time is expected to be split between the two. Childcare takes priority when a child needs attention; non-urgent housekeeping should not create a conflict with the agreed childcare responsibilities.
Childcare duties
- [List the same childcare duties that genuinely apply to the family.]
- School or nursery routines and activities where applicable.
- Children’s meals, laundry and areas where agreed.
Housekeeping duties
- General cleaning and tidying of agreed rooms.
- Laundry and ironing.
- Bed linen and household organisation.
- [Family meal preparation] if part of the role.
- [Grocery shopping / errands] if part of the role.
Important: Avoid vague wording such as “and anything else required”. If a duty matters enough to affect workload, hours or pay, state it explicitly.
Housekeeper job description template
Job title: Housekeeper
Location: [London area]
Working arrangement: [Full-time / part-time] · [Live-in / live-out]
Days and hours: [days and times]
Start date: [date]
Role summary
We are looking for a housekeeper to maintain the household to the agreed standard during the scheduled hours. The role is housekeeping-focused. Childcare should not be assumed unless it is separately stated and agreed.
Core duties
- Cleaning and maintaining agreed rooms and surfaces.
- Laundry, ironing and wardrobe organisation.
- Changing bed linen and towels.
- Kitchen organisation and routine cleaning.
- Monitoring household supplies where required.
- [Cooking / grocery shopping / errands] only if included in the role.
Candidate requirements
- Relevant housekeeping experience for the type and size of home.
- References where available.
- Ability to follow household instructions and communicate about priorities or problems.
- [Driving / cooking / specialist fabric-care experience] if genuinely required.
- Right to work in the UK before employment starts.
Live-in roles: add the accommodation details
A live-in job description should state what accommodation is provided, whether meals are included, the normal working hours and the boundaries between working time and private time. Live-in does not mean 24-hour availability.
If an accommodation offset is relevant for minimum-wage calculations, use the current official rules rather than assuming that providing a room removes normal pay obligations. Our UK household employer legal guide covers the wider employment framework.
What belongs in the employment contract instead?
A job description explains the role. The employment contract or written particulars formalise the employment terms. Items such as pay dates, holiday entitlement, sickness arrangements, notice, pension information and other statutory particulars belong in the employment documentation rather than being left only in a recruitment advert.
See our nanny employment contract guide and PAYE and payroll guide.
From our enquiry process
Our client enquiry form asks families to identify the type of help they need, whether the role is full-time or part-time, the expected weekly hours, working days and preferred start date. Our current client Terms and Conditions also require the family to specify the exact nature of the work and the period or arrangement for which the candidate is required.
Those fields are not administrative details. They are the core of the matching brief. When a role is described vaguely, different candidates may be evaluated against different expectations. A written job description gives the family, agency and candidate the same reference point before interviews begin.
Job description checklist before you recruit
- Is the role title accurate?
- Are the children’s ages and relevant routines clear?
- Are normal days and hours stated?
- Is live-in or live-out explicit?
- Are childcare and housekeeping duties separated?
- Are cooking, driving, travel or pet duties stated if required?
- Are qualification requirements genuinely necessary?
- Is the pay basis described in gross terms?
- Have you removed vague “anything else” clauses that could cause role creep?
- Can a candidate decide from the description whether the job suits them?
Next step: turn the brief into a shortlist
Once the job description is clear, use our how-to-hire guide and nanny interview checklist. If you want the agency to discuss candidate options, send the role details through the client enquiry form.