Client Overview
The Royal Institution (Ri) is one of the UK’s most respected scientific organisations, dedicated to making science accessible to all through education, public engagement and world-renowned scientific programmes. Operating from its historic Grade I listed headquarters on Albemarle Street in London, the Ri combines a rich heritage with a forward-looking commitment to sustainability and innovation.
As part of its long-term estate strategy, the Ri launched Project FootpRint — a major capital programme designed to improve the environmental performance of its historic estate, reduce carbon emissions and enhance building efficiency while preserving the architectural significance of the property.
To lead this ambitious initiative, the Ri required an experienced Facilities Project Manager capable of delivering a complex retrofit programme within a live heritage environment.
The Challenge
This was a highly specialised appointment requiring a unique blend of facilities management expertise, project delivery capability, heritage building experience and sustainability leadership.
The successful candidate needed to balance the demands of a major capital project while ensuring minimal disruption to the Institution’s daily operations, public programmes, tenants and events activities.
Key areas of responsibility included:
• Leading Project FootpRint from planning through to delivery
• Managing the retrofit of a Grade I listed building
• Driving energy efficiency and carbon reduction initiatives
• Coordinating multiple stakeholders across the organisation
• Managing project governance and reporting requirements
• Overseeing budgets and grant-funded expenditure
• Ensuring compliance with heritage and planning requirements
• Managing project risks and operational impacts
• Liaising with consultants, contractors and external partners
• Supporting business continuity throughout the programme
The role also required extensive experience managing complex capital works, sustainability projects and stakeholder engagement within sensitive heritage environments.
Strong communication skills, financial management expertise and the ability to navigate government-funded project requirements were essential.
Challenges and Solutions
Understanding the Requirement
We worked closely with senior leadership at the Royal Institution to gain a detailed understanding of both the technical requirements and wider strategic objectives of Project FootpRint.
It was clear that the successful candidate would need to combine facilities management knowledge with significant project management expertise, while demonstrating a genuine commitment to sustainability and heritage preservation.
Specialist Search Process
Using our extensive Facilities Management and Estates network, we conducted a targeted search focused on professionals with experience across:
• Capital Projects
• Heritage and Listed Buildings
• Facilities Management
• Sustainability and Net Zero Initiatives
• Estate Transformation Programmes
• Building Retrofit Projects
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Grant-Funded Projects
• Compliance and Governance
• Operational Risk Management
Particular emphasis was placed on identifying candidates with proven experience delivering complex projects within occupied and operational buildings.
Candidate Assessment
Candidates were assessed against a comprehensive range of technical and behavioural competencies, including:
• Project and programme management capability
• Heritage building experience
• Facilities and estate management expertise
• Sustainability and energy management knowledge
• Budget and financial management skills
• Governance and reporting experience
• Stakeholder engagement and communication ability
• Risk management and operational planning
• Leadership and collaborative working style
Our assessment process focused on identifying an individual capable of successfully delivering a transformative estate project while protecting the Institution’s operational and heritage requirements.
Maxwell Stephens successfully appointed an experienced Facilities Project Manager with a strong track record in complex estate projects, sustainability programmes and stakeholder management.
The successful candidate brought:
• Extensive facilities and project management experience
• Proven expertise delivering capital works within heritage environments
• Strong sustainability and carbon reduction knowledge
• Experience managing grant-funded programmes
• Excellent governance and reporting capability
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• A collaborative and solutions-focused approach
• A genuine passion for heritage preservation and environmental improvement
Following their appointment, the Facilities Project Manager quickly integrated into the organisation and assumed responsibility for driving Project FootpRint forward while maintaining operational continuity across the Institution.
Results Delivered
The appointment delivered significant benefits to the Royal Institution, including:
• Strong leadership of a major sustainability and retrofit programme
• Effective coordination of complex stakeholder requirements
• Enhanced governance, reporting and project oversight
• Improved management of project risks and operational impacts
• Support for carbon reduction and environmental objectives
• Successful integration of sustainability initiatives within a heritage estate
• Continued delivery of public programmes and tenant services throughout project activities
• A clear pathway towards long-term estate resilience and efficiency
The successful placement provided the Royal Institution with a Facilities Project Manager capable of delivering one of the most important estate projects in its history while supporting its wider mission of scientific education, sustainability and public engagement.
Specialist Facilities & Estates Recruitment
Maxwell Stephens supports organisations across the heritage, cultural, education, commercial and not-for-profit sectors with specialist recruitment solutions covering facilities management, estates leadership and capital project delivery.
Our expertise includes:
• Facilities Project Management
• Estates Management
• Heritage Property Management
• Sustainability & Net Zero Programmes
• Capital Projects
• Building Retrofit Programmes
• Compliance & Governance
• Strategic Estates Leadership
By combining specialist Facilities Management recruitment expertise with a deep understanding of complex estate environments, we help organisations secure the professionals responsible for delivering transformational projects while protecting operational performance and long-term asset value.