Delivering a Head of Projects & Facilities Management for EBRD

Background

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) engaged Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Head of Projects & Facilities Management Division (PMFD). This was a strategically important leadership appointment: the post-holder would shape EBRD's real estate, workplace and facilities management strategy across a complex global portfolio.

Reporting directly to the Director of Administrative Services, the role carried responsibility for operational efficiency, estate optimisation and long-term workplace planning, while keeping facilities services aligned with the bank's wider business objectives. EBRD was therefore looking for a senior leader who could combine strategic direction with operational control across facilities management, corporate real estate and project delivery.

The Challenge

This was a highly specialised appointment. EBRD needed a senior facilities and real estate professional able to influence organisational strategy while leading a broad range of operational functions. The successful candidate would be responsible for:

• Developing and implementing long-term real estate and workplace strategies
• Leading space allocation and workplace utilisation initiatives
• Driving facilities management policy and operational performance
• Managing engineering projects and capital programmes
• Overseeing maintenance and building services operations
• Leading procurement and contract management activities
• Managing corporate support services
• Delivering workplace technology, audio-visual and video conferencing solutions
• Managing significant operational and capital budgets
• Leading multi-disciplinary facilities and project management teams

Few candidates hold genuine depth across all of these areas. Senior facilities leaders in large organisations tend to have come up through either the hard services and projects route or the workplace and corporate real estate route. A remit that spans engineering programmes, space strategy and corporate support services at the same time narrows the field considerably.

Alongside the technical scope, the role demanded strong leadership, communication and change management skills. The appointee would need to influence senior stakeholders, manage complex technical, commercial and stakeholder challenges across an international environment, and drive continuous improvement across the bank.

Our Approach

Understanding the requirement

Maxwell Stephens worked closely with EBRD to understand the strategic objectives behind the appointment and the leadership qualities needed to succeed in the role. It was clear early on that the successful candidate would have to combine expertise across facilities management, workplace strategy, real estate planning and project delivery, and operate confidently within a multinational environment.

Executive search

Drawing on our network of senior facilities, estates and corporate real estate professionals, we ran a targeted search rather than relying on advertising response. We focused on candidates with experience across corporate real estate strategy, facilities management leadership, workplace transformation, space planning and utilisation, capital projects and programme management, engineering and building services, contract and procurement management, change management, budget and financial management, and international stakeholder engagement.

Particular emphasis was placed on candidates with a proven track record of delivering strategic workplace initiatives and leading large-scale facilities operations within complex organisations.

Candidate assessment

Shortlisted candidates were assessed against the full range of leadership and technical competencies the role required:

• Strategic capability — strategic facilities management leadership, real estate and workplace planning expertise, and the ability to set direction for a global estate.
• Delivery — capital project delivery, financial and budget management, and procurement and contract management.
• Leadership — change leadership and organisational influence, stakeholder engagement and communication, and team leadership and people development.
• Context — experience operating within multinational environments.

Only candidates capable of delivering both strategic direction and operational performance were presented to the client.

The Outcome

Maxwell Stephens appointed an experienced Head of Projects & Facilities Management Division with a proven track record of leading facilities, workplace and real estate functions within complex international organisations. The successful candidate brought:

• Extensive experience in strategic facilities and real estate management
• Expertise in workplace planning and space optimisation
• Strong leadership across multi-disciplinary teams
• Significant experience managing engineering and capital projects
• Commercial acumen and budget management expertise
• Proven success delivering organisational change initiatives
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills

The appointment gave EBRD a senior leader capable of shaping long-term facilities and workplace strategy while improving operational performance across the estate. The value delivered included:

• Strengthened leadership across facilities and project management functions
• Better workplace and space utilisation strategies
• Closer alignment between facilities operations and business objectives
• Greater oversight of engineering projects and maintenance programmes
• Effective management of procurement and supplier relationships
• Improved operational efficiency across corporate support services
• Better workplace technology and collaboration infrastructure
• Stronger governance, budget control and strategic planning

EBRD was particularly impressed with the quality of candidates presented and the efficiency of the recruitment process. The appointee has become integral to the bank's long-term real estate and facilities management strategy.

Why This Placement Worked

Appointments of this scope succeed or fail on how honestly the brief is framed at the start. Treating the role as a genuine combination of projects, corporate real estate and facilities leadership — and assessing candidates against all three rather than the one they happened to be strongest in — meant the shortlist reflected the job as it would actually be done, not a narrower version of it.

Maxwell Stephens supports financial institutions, corporate occupiers and multinational organisations with specialist recruitment across facilities management leadership, corporate real estate, workplace strategy, estates management, capital projects, engineering & building services, property & workplace transformation and executive facilities appointments. If you are planning a senior facilities or corporate real estate hire, get in touch with our team.