The world of family offices is undergoing profound change. Across the globe, the number of single family offices has risen dramatically. Deloitte estimates that the total has grown from around 6,130 in 2019 to more than 8,000 today, with assets under management forecast to reach $5.4 trillion by 2030. Families are professionalising their structures, broadening the scope of their activities and increasingly seeking external talent. Yet despite this expansion, the sector remains one of the most private and least understood in financial services.
At Somers Partnership, we see every day how difficult it is for professionals to break into this arena. The small size of most family offices, typically fewer than 15 staff, means vacancies are rare and competition is fierce. On top of this, families are not only looking for technical competence. They are looking for people they can trust with their most private affairs, who will align with their values and who can navigate the complexities of family relationships as readily as they can analyse an investment. This combination of requirements makes the family office career path both uniquely rewarding and uniquely challenging.
Why Skills Alone Are Not Enough
For candidates from investment banking, private equity, law, or consulting, the assumption is often that technical excellence will be sufficient to secure a family office career. In reality, this is only the starting point. In a family office, the ability to operate across disciplines is crucial. Employees may find themselves managing a diverse set of responsibilities, from investment due diligence to real estate oversight, philanthropic initiatives, or succession planning. Agility and the willingness to adapt are as important as prior experience.
Even more critical is communication. As we have argued before, communication is not merely a professional competency in this sector, it is the mechanism through which trust is built and sustained. The ability to mediate between generations, translate family values into strategy and deliver difficult messages with discretion and empathy is essential. For this reason, when we assess candidates, we are as attentive to how they listen, calibrate their tone and respond under pressure as we are to their technical expertise.
Emotional Intelligence and Values Alignment
Alongside communication sits emotional intelligence. Family offices operate within a highly personal environment where business decisions and family dynamics intertwine. Employees must be able to read subtle cues, manage their own emotions and respond sensitively when tensions arise. It is not unusual for professionals with strong analytical skills to falter when faced with the relational demands of the role. High EQ is therefore indispensable.
Equally, alignment with the family’s values is non-negotiable. Family offices exist not simply to preserve and grow wealth, but to safeguard legacy, support philanthropy and promote cohesion across generations. Candidates who pursue roles as a stepping stone or as a badge of prestige rarely succeed. Families want advisers who will act in their long-term interests, who share their purpose and who are prepared to dedicate themselves for the long haul. Integrity and stewardship must therefore sit at the heart of any application for a family office career.
The Traits of Successful Candidates
From our experience, those who thrive in family office careers are distinguished by four qualities. First, they bring transferable skills but also the curiosity and flexibility to apply them in unfamiliar contexts. Second, they communicate with precision, empathy and discretion, adjusting their approach to suit the sensitivities of each situation. Third, they demonstrate emotional intelligence and self-awareness, ensuring they can build trust across generations. Finally, they align themselves with the family’s values and long-term vision, positioning themselves as stewards rather than short-term employees.
These qualities are not theoretical. In practice, we see that the most enduring relationships between families and their executives are built not on technical acumen alone, but on an individual’s ability to act as a trusted confidant, to anticipate challenges before they surface and to embody the family’s ethos in all that they do.
Preparing for a Career in Family Offices
For professionals seeking to enter this world, preparation must go beyond credentials. It requires a deep understanding of the unique governance, succession and intergenerational dynamics that shape family offices. It also requires self-reflection: asking not only whether you can perform the tasks expected of you, but whether you are ready to embrace the responsibility of safeguarding a family’s wealth, reputation and legacy over decades.
At Somers Partnership, we have distilled years of experience recruiting for family offices into practical guidance for aspiring candidates. Our book, Family Office Careers, is designed to help professionals understand what families are really looking for, how to position themselves effectively and how to build the skills and mindset needed to succeed in this rarefied sector.
If you are serious about pursuing a career in family offices, we encourage you to explore the insights we share in this guide. It may prove the difference between remaining an outsider and becoming a trusted insider in one of the most rewarding careers in financial services.
Order Family Office Careers here and take the first step towards building a future of trust, purpose and impact.
