Client Overview
St John’s Waterloo is one of London’s most distinctive and historic community landmarks. Situated on the South Bank and affectionately known as “the church by the roundabout”, the Grade II* listed building serves as a place of worship, cultural destination, arts venue and community hub.
Since its extensive transformation and refurbishment, St John’s has evolved into a vibrant multi-use environment hosting community initiatives, performances, exhibitions, commercial events and public gatherings. Alongside its commitment to heritage preservation, the organisation has established itself as a leader in sustainability, achieving Gold Eco Church status through its environmental initiatives and responsible operational practices.
To support the ongoing management of both St John’s Waterloo and its sister site, St Andrew’s, the organisation required an experienced Facilities and Front of House Manager capable of overseeing estate operations, sustainability initiatives, visitor experience and compliance across a complex and diverse operational environment.
The Challenge
St John’s Waterloo required a facilities professional capable of balancing the demands of heritage estate management with the operational requirements of a busy events, community and commercial venue.
The successful candidate would be responsible for ensuring both sites remained safe, compliant, welcoming and operationally effective while supporting a wide range of stakeholders, including visitors, tenants, community groups, volunteers, event organisers and commercial partners.
Key areas of responsibility included:
• Facilities and estate management
• Planned and reactive maintenance coordination
• Contractor and supplier management
• Front-of-house operations and visitor experience
• Health, safety and compliance management
• Fire safety and security oversight
• Sustainability and environmental performance
• Utility and energy management
• Tenant and occupier liaison
• Event and venue support
• Budget management and operational planning
• Volunteer and staff coordination
The role required an individual capable of working across multiple priorities while maintaining the unique balance between heritage stewardship, community engagement, commercial activity and environmental responsibility.
Our Approach
Understanding the Requirement
Maxwell Stephens worked closely with the leadership team at St John’s Waterloo to gain a detailed understanding of the operational demands of the role and the organisation’s wider mission.
The successful candidate would need to demonstrate not only facilities management expertise but also a strong commitment to sustainability, customer service and community engagement.
Specialist Search Process
Drawing upon our specialist Facilities Management network, we conducted a targeted search focused on candidates with experience across:
• Facilities Management
• Heritage and Listed Buildings
• Venue and Events Management
• Front-of-House Operations
• Community and Charitable Organisations
• Health & Safety Management
• Sustainability and Environmental Performance
• Contractor and Supplier Management
• Multi-site Operations
Particular emphasis was placed on identifying individuals capable of operating within complex stakeholder environments while maintaining a highly visible and customer-focused presence.
Candidate Assessment
Candidates were assessed against a range of technical, operational and behavioural competencies, including:
• Facilities and property management expertise
• Health, safety and compliance knowledge
• Sustainability and environmental management
• Contractor management and procurement
• Customer service and front-of-house leadership
• Stakeholder engagement and communication
• Event support and operational planning
• Problem-solving and organisational capability
Our assessment process focused on identifying a candidate who could successfully combine operational excellence with the values and mission of the organisation.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens successfully appointed an experienced Facilities and Front of House Manager who brought a strong blend of facilities management expertise, operational leadership and customer service capability.
The successful candidate quickly established themselves within the organisation, taking responsibility for facilities operations, front-of-house services and compliance activities across both sites.
Key strengths included:
• Extensive facilities and workplace management experience
• Strong health, safety and compliance knowledge
• Proven contractor and supplier management capability
• Experience supporting events and public-facing venues
• Commitment to sustainability and environmental improvement
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• A proactive and hands-on management approach
Working closely with internal teams, volunteers, tenants, contractors and commercial partners, the appointed manager helped strengthen operational performance while ensuring the venues remained welcoming, compliant and aligned with their wider community mission.
Results Delivered
The appointment delivered significant benefits across St John’s Waterloo and St Andrew’s, including:
• Enhanced oversight of facilities and estate operations
• Improved coordination of maintenance and contractor activities
• Strengthened health, safety and compliance management
• Improved visitor and occupier experience
• Increased focus on sustainability and environmental performance
• Effective management of tenant and event requirements
• Enhanced operational support for community, cultural and commercial activities
• Continued protection and stewardship of important heritage assets
The successful placement provided St John’s Waterloo with a facilities leader capable of supporting both day-to-day operational requirements and the long-term success of one of London’s most unique community and cultural destinations.
Specialist Facilities Management Recruitment
Maxwell Stephens supports heritage organisations, charities, cultural institutions, community venues and commercial organisations with specialist recruitment solutions across facilities, workplace and property management.
Our expertise includes:
• Facilities Management
• Estate Management
• Heritage & Listed Buildings
• Venue & Events Operations
• Front-of-House Leadership
• Health & Safety
• Sustainability & Environmental Management
• Property & Workplace Services
By combining specialist Facilities Management recruitment expertise with a deep understanding of operational environments, we help organisations secure the professionals responsible for creating safe, sustainable and welcoming places for people, communities and businesses.