Friends of the Earth (London) Senior Facilities Manager Recruitment

Client Overview

Friends of the Earth (FoE) is one of the UK's leading environmental campaigning organisations, working to tackle climate change, protect nature and create a fairer, more sustainable future. With thousands of supporters, campaigners and partner organisations, Friends of the Earth has been at the forefront of environmental advocacy for more than 50 years.

As part of a major organisational transformation, Friends of the Earth set out to relocate its London headquarters. The move was more than a change of address: it was an opportunity to create a modern, agile workplace that reflected the organisation's values, made use of new technology and supported new ways of working.

To help deliver this project, Friends of the Earth asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Senior Facilities Manager.

The Challenge

This was a high-profile appointment. It called for an experienced facilities professional capable of leading one of the organisation's most significant workplace projects while keeping day-to-day facilities operations running uninterrupted. Reporting to the Resources & Finance Director, the successful candidate would play a central role in planning, coordinating and delivering the relocation.

The successful individual would be responsible for:

• Co-leading the relocation of Friends of the Earth's London headquarters.
• Supporting the design and delivery of a modern, agile workplace.
• Managing workplace fit-out and refurbishment projects.
• Introducing new workplace technologies and smarter ways of working.
• Leading contractor procurement and project delivery.
• Managing budgets, programmes and project risks.
• Ensuring full Health & Safety and statutory compliance throughout the relocation.
• Developing workplace policies and operational procedures.
• Working closely with senior leadership, project teams and external consultants.
• Communicating project progress to senior stakeholders and executive leadership.
• Embedding sustainability principles throughout the relocation and workplace design.

The organisation needed someone who could combine strategic thinking with hands-on project delivery while remaining aligned with Friends of the Earth's environmental values and collaborative culture.

Relocation roles in the charity and campaigning sector carry an extra test. Budgets are scrutinised closely, staff expect to be consulted, and a workplace that contradicts the organisation's public position on sustainability would be noticed immediately. The facilities lead has to deliver a capital project to time and cost while making decisions that will stand up to that scrutiny, which is a different skill from running a corporate fit-out with a generous contingency.

Our Approach

Maxwell Stephens worked closely with Friends of the Earth to understand its vision for the new headquarters and the leadership qualities needed to deliver a programme of this kind. Recognising that technical expertise alone would not be enough, we focused on candidates who combined major project experience with strong stakeholder management skills and a genuine commitment to sustainability.

The executive search targeted professionals with backgrounds in:

• Workplace transformation.
• Corporate facilities management.
• Office relocation projects.
• Capital works and fit-outs.
• Change management.
• Sustainability and environmental initiatives.
• Health & Safety leadership.
• Corporate real estate.

Every shortlisted candidate went through a rigorous assessment covering project management capability, workplace strategy experience, leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement, budget management, sustainability credentials, and cultural alignment with Friends of the Earth's mission and values.

The Outcome

Following an extensive executive search, Maxwell Stephens appointed an experienced Senior Facilities Manager with a strong track record of delivering complex workplace transformation programmes. The successful candidate quickly became a key member of the relocation project team, providing strategic leadership while maintaining operational continuity throughout the transition. In practice, that meant:

• A successful headquarters relocation. The appointee played a leading role in delivering Friends of the Earth's London office move efficiently and with minimal disruption to business operations.
• A modern workplace. Working alongside senior stakeholders, the Senior Facilities Manager helped create a flexible, collaborative and technology-enabled workplace designed to support agile working and future organisational growth.
• Sustainability at the heart of delivery. Sustainable workplace design, procurement and operational practices ran through the project, reinforcing Friends of the Earth's wider mission.
• Disciplined project leadership. The relocation benefited from clear project governance, effective contractor management and regular communication with stakeholders at every stage.
• Operational continuity. Alongside a major capital project, existing workplace services continued to operate effectively, keeping a safe and productive environment for employees throughout the transition.
• Executive engagement. Regular reporting and strategic advice to the Resources & Finance Director and senior leadership team supported informed decision-making across the project lifecycle.

Why This Placement Worked

The appointment gave Friends of the Earth an experienced facilities leader able to deliver a complex workplace transformation while supporting the organisation's long-term operational and environmental objectives. The completed relocation created a modern, sustainable and collaborative workplace that reflects the organisation's values and gives employees an environment designed for future ways of working.

The lesson is a general one: for a purpose-driven organisation, a relocation lead has to be assessed on values and stakeholder judgement as rigorously as on project delivery. Recruiting for one without the other produces either a well-run project the staff resent, or a well-liked manager who misses the programme.

If you are planning an office relocation or workplace transformation and need a senior facilities or workplace professional to lead it, Maxwell Stephens can help you find the right person. Get in touch with our team.