Background
Alexandra Palace is one of London's most iconic heritage and entertainment venues. Affectionately known as "Ally Pally," the Grade II listed palace and its surrounding park host millions of visitors each year, welcoming concerts, exhibitions, conferences, sporting events, community activities and live broadcasts.
Following the departure of its Head of Facilities, Alexandra Palace required an urgent appointment to provide operational leadership during a critical period, including the delivery of a major £27 million East Wing restoration programme.
Following a competitive tender process, Maxwell Stephens was appointed as the exclusive recruitment partner to lead the search for this strategically important leadership position.
The Challenge
The successful candidate would assume responsibility for the operational management of one of London's most complex and historic venues, balancing day-to-day facilities operations with long-term estate strategy and major capital projects.
The role required an experienced Facilities leader capable of managing a diverse estate while preserving the character of a nationally significant heritage asset.
Key responsibilities included:
- Leading all Facilities Management operations across Alexandra Palace and Park.
- Developing and implementing a five-year Facilities Management strategy.
- Managing planned and reactive maintenance programmes.
- Supporting the £27 million East Wing restoration project.
- Overseeing hard and soft Facilities Management contracts.
- Managing operational budgets and resource planning.
- Developing robust operational policies and procedures.
- Leading internal Facilities teams.
- Building relationships with regulatory bodies and heritage organisations.
- Ensuring statutory compliance across the estate.
- Supporting the safe delivery of major public events throughout the year.
The successful individual needed to combine strategic leadership with operational excellence while understanding the unique challenges associated with managing a historic listed building.
Our Approach
Before commencing the search, Maxwell Stephens met extensively with senior stakeholders to develop a detailed understanding of Alexandra Palace's culture, operational priorities and long-term vision.
This collaborative process enabled us to identify the blend of technical expertise, leadership capability and cultural fit required for this prestigious appointment.
Our executive search focused on candidates with experience in:
- Heritage and listed buildings.
- Facilities and Estates Management.
- Large public venues and visitor attractions.
- Capital projects and building restoration.
- Hard and soft Facilities Management.
- Contract and supplier management.
- Health & Safety and statutory compliance.
- Strategic asset management.
- Team leadership and organisational development.
Following a comprehensive search, Maxwell Stephens conducted preliminary interviews before presenting a shortlist of nine exceptional candidates.
All nine candidates progressed to first-round interviews, with four invited back for final interviews before one outstanding candidate accepted the position.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens successfully recruited an experienced Head of Facilities with extensive expertise in heritage estates, operational leadership and strategic Facilities Management.
The successful candidate quickly assumed responsibility for one of London's most recognisable public venues, providing strong leadership during a significant period of investment and transformation.
Since joining Alexandra Palace, they have successfully:
- Strengthened operational Facilities Management across the Palace and Park.
- Supported the successful delivery of major restoration projects.
- Improved maintenance planning and operational efficiency.
- Enhanced contractor performance and supplier management.
- Developed long-term Facilities Management strategies.
- Strengthened compliance and governance across the estate.
- Helped preserve one of Britain's most important historic venues for future generations.
The appointment demonstrated Maxwell Stephens' ability to recruit senior Facilities leaders capable of managing complex heritage estates while supporting ambitious long-term development programmes.
Specialist Recruitment for Heritage Estates and Landmark Venues
Historic buildings require a unique combination of technical expertise, commercial awareness and respect for conservation.
Maxwell Stephens has extensive experience recruiting senior Facilities and Estates professionals for heritage organisations, cultural institutions and landmark properties, helping clients protect their assets while delivering exceptional visitor experiences.
Client Testimonial
"Following a competitive tender process we appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit our Head of Facilities. Once the brief had been agreed, they quickly presented an outstanding shortlist of candidates. The quality was so impressive that we interviewed every shortlisted individual, with several progressing to final interviews before making a successful appointment. From our initial discussions through to references, Maxwell Stephens provided exceptional support throughout. They understood both the business and the role, making the entire recruitment process efficient, professional and highly successful."