Background
British Land partnered with Maxwell Stephens to recruit an Estate Property & Communications Manager for Paternoster Square. British Land is one of the largest property development and investment companies in the UK, known for an extensive portfolio of prime locations and a commitment to creating outstanding environments for modern living and working. Paternoster Square, adjacent to St Paul's Cathedral in the City of London, is one of its most recognisable sites.
Paternoster Square is a significant urban space known for its blend of historic and contemporary architecture. It serves as a hub for business, retail and leisure, which makes it a focal point for the surrounding community and means its management needs a nuanced approach to both property and communications if it is to keep its prestige and its functionality.
The Challenge
The Estate Property & Communications Manager is central to maintaining the standards of Paternoster Square. The role spans three distinct disciplines, each of which would normally be a job in its own right.
Property and Estate Management
- Building and maintaining relationships with occupier representatives.
- Managing the annual estate service charge budget.
- Ensuring compliance with health and safety regulations, and acting as the Responsible Person and Senior Fire Warden.
- Overseeing estate staff training and development.
- Procuring and managing contracted property management services.
- Embodying the vision and values of Broadgate Estates, then British Land's property management arm, in all estate services, and supporting the estate through the activities that deliver them.
Communications
- Facilitating effective communication between commercial occupiers, retailers and the management team.
- Developing the Paternoster Square website and social media presence.
- Managing communications with end users across online and offline media.
- Maintaining the communications element of the induction process.
Events
- Developing and proposing an annual events programme, and obtaining all necessary approvals.
- Engaging occupiers and stakeholders in activities on the square.
- Acting as brand guardian for Paternoster Square.
- Continuously reviewing and refreshing the events programme to keep it engaging.
Finding one person who is credible across all three is the difficulty. Estate managers with strong service charge and compliance experience do not always have a feel for communications and events; marketing and events professionals rarely want to be the Responsible Person for fire safety. On a public-facing estate of this profile, weakness in any one area shows quickly.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens ran a comprehensive recruitment strategy built around the full range of skills the role required: property management, health and safety management, contract management, IT and social media proficiency, and strong relationship-building. Alongside those skills, we assessed candidates for the competencies British Land needed to see in post — service excellence, team working, effective communication and financial responsibility — rather than treating the role as a conventional estate management appointment with a communications element attached.
The Outcome
The appointment of the Estate Property & Communications Manager is set to strengthen the operational efficiency and economic competitiveness of Paternoster Square. With a proactive communications structure and a lively events programme in place, the new manager will help maintain the square's standing as a premier destination in London.
Why This Placement Worked
Hybrid estate roles are best recruited by defining every discipline in the brief as essential from the start, rather than hoping a strong estate manager will grow into the communications side. Treating property, communications and events as equally weighted criteria is what allowed this search to reach a candidate who could carry all three.
If you are recruiting an estate, property or communications manager for a high-profile public space or mixed-use estate, Maxwell Stephens can help. Get in touch with our team.