Senior Facilities Manager Recruitment for CIPFA

Background

CIPFA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, is the professional body for people in public finance. It asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Senior Facilities Manager in its Corporate Services directorate, reporting to the Chief Financial Officer.

The role runs facilities across CIPFA's London premises, with occasional travel to Chester, and is offered as a part-time post of 24 or 32 hours a week.

The Challenge

Part-time senior roles are difficult to fill. The post combines the strategic and the practical: supporting the CFO on the property portfolio, leases, disposals and space planning, working with a property agent on tenanted space, and holding day-to-day relationships with tenants and landlords.

It also carries named responsibility as the organisation's health and safety officer, with audits, risk assessments, fire and evacuation arrangements, first aid and business continuity planning. On top of that sit outsourced service contracts, an environmental policy to lead and a facilities budget to manage alongside the finance team.

Candidates who have led facilities, managed outsourced suppliers, held health and safety accountability and driven sustainability work are well established in their jobs, and many want full-time hours. We needed to find people for whom a reduced week was a deliberate choice.

For a professional body whose members are public finance specialists, credibility with senior colleagues and sound financial judgement matter as much as technical facilities knowledge.

Our Approach

• We agreed the brief in detail with CIPFA, including which experience was essential, such as leadership, outsourced contracts, health and safety and sustainability, and which was desirable, such as professional membership.
• We approached senior facilities and property managers in London across professional bodies, corporate offices and mixed-use buildings, and raised the part-time pattern openly from the first conversation.
• We screened each candidate on health and safety accountability, environmental initiatives and their record of managing suppliers to budget, and checked their ability to advise senior leadership.
• We put forward a shortlist with CVs and interview notes, and supported CIPFA through interview and offer to acceptance.

The Outcome

Maxwell Stephens made the appointment.

If you are planning a facilities, estates or workplace appointment, talk to Maxwell Stephens about how we would run the search.