Client Overview
INTO University Partnerships is a leading international education organisation, working in partnership with universities across the UK and globally to support international students in achieving their academic ambitions.
Operating a diverse portfolio of academic facilities, student accommodation and corporate offices, INTO provides world-class learning and living environments that support thousands of students each year.
To support the continued development of its UK estate, INTO required an experienced Facilities Director capable of providing strategic leadership across a multi-site portfolio while ensuring operational excellence, compliance and long-term estate performance.
The Challenge
INTO University Partnerships required a senior facilities leader to oversee a geographically dispersed estate portfolio spanning academic buildings, student residences and office accommodation across key UK locations, including Exeter, Newcastle, London and Manchester.
The successful candidate would be responsible for ensuring the safe, compliant and efficient operation of all facilities while supporting the organisation’s wider strategic objectives around growth, sustainability and student experience.
Key areas of responsibility included:
• Strategic facilities and estates leadership
• Multi-site operational management
• Academic and residential estate oversight
• Health, safety and statutory compliance
• Contractor and supplier management
• Budget management and financial control
• Sustainability and ESG initiatives
• Asset management and lifecycle planning
• Operational risk management
• Space utilisation and workplace optimisation
• Team leadership and organisational development
• Stakeholder engagement across university partnerships
The role required an individual capable of balancing strategic estate planning with operational delivery while managing multiple stakeholders across a complex educational environment.
Strong leadership skills, commercial awareness and the ability to influence at senior level were essential to support the organisation’s long-term estate strategy.
Our Approach
Understanding the Requirement
Maxwell Stephens worked closely with INTO’s senior leadership team to gain a detailed understanding of the organisation’s estate portfolio, operational challenges and strategic ambitions.
The successful candidate needed to combine deep facilities management expertise with the leadership capability required to manage large-scale operations across multiple locations.
Executive Search Process
Drawing upon our extensive Facilities Management and Estates network, we conducted a targeted search focused on candidates with experience across:
• Multi-Site Facilities Leadership
• Higher Education Estates
• Student Accommodation Operations
• Strategic Estates Management
• Health, Safety and Compliance
• Sustainability and Carbon Reduction Programmes
• Contractor and Supplier Management
• Asset Management and Capital Planning
• Operational Transformation
Particular emphasis was placed on identifying candidates with experience leading complex estates functions while driving continuous improvement, operational efficiency and stakeholder engagement.
Candidate Assessment
Candidates were assessed against a comprehensive range of technical, commercial and leadership competencies, including:
• Strategic facilities and estates management
• Multi-site operational leadership
• Compliance and governance expertise
• Budget and financial management
• Sustainability and environmental performance
• Asset optimisation and estate planning
• Team leadership and people development
• Stakeholder engagement and partnership management
Our assessment process focused on securing a facilities leader capable of supporting both the immediate operational needs of the estate and the organisation’s long-term growth strategy.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens successfully appointed an experienced Facilities Director with a proven track record of leading large-scale, multi-site estates and facilities operations.
The successful candidate brought extensive experience managing complex property portfolios and demonstrated the strategic vision required to support the future development of INTO’s UK estate.
Key strengths included:
• Significant multi-site facilities and estates leadership experience
• Strong health, safety and compliance expertise
• Proven success managing diverse property portfolios
• Extensive contractor and supplier management capability
• Experience leading sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives
• Strong financial and budget management skills
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and partnership management abilities
Following their appointment, the Facilities Director assumed responsibility for the operational and strategic leadership of INTO’s UK estate portfolio, helping ensure facilities continue to support both academic excellence and an outstanding student experience.
Results Delivered
The appointment delivered significant benefits across INTO’s UK operations, including:
• Strengthened leadership of facilities and estates functions
• Enhanced oversight of academic, residential and office environments
• Improved compliance, governance and risk management
• Increased focus on sustainability and environmental performance
• Stronger contractor and supplier management
• Improved estate planning and asset performance
• Enhanced operational efficiency across multiple locations
• Continued support for students, staff and university partners
The successful placement provided INTO University Partnerships with a Facilities Director capable of delivering operational excellence while shaping the long-term strategy of a complex and growing estate portfolio.
Specialist Estates & Facilities Management Recruitment
Maxwell Stephens supports universities, student accommodation providers, educational institutions and corporate organisations with specialist recruitment solutions across estates, facilities and property leadership.
Our expertise includes:
• Facilities Director Appointments
• Estates Management
• Higher Education Facilities Management
• Student Accommodation Operations
• Health & Safety Leadership
• Sustainability & ESG
• Asset Management & Capital Planning
• Strategic Estates Leadership
By combining specialist Facilities Management recruitment expertise with a deep understanding of educational and operational environments, we help organisations secure the leaders responsible for maintaining safe, compliant and future-ready estates.