Informa Facilities Manager Recruitment

Background

Informa, a global knowledge and information services organisation, appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit an experienced Facilities Manager for its central London offices at Maple House and KNect House.

Operating across publishing, events, training, market intelligence and specialist information services, Informa needed a facilities management professional capable of maintaining a safe, efficient and high-quality workplace for employees, visitors and internal stakeholders.

The appointment mattered to the day-to-day performance of both locations. The successful candidate needed to combine operational facilities management expertise, team leadership, health and safety knowledge, supplier management and strong stakeholder communication.

The Challenge

Informa required a Facilities Manager who could take ownership of a broad range of workplace and building services across two busy London offices, maintaining consistently high service standards while managing employees, suppliers, compliance responsibilities and competing operational priorities. The key requirements were:

• Facilities operations. Overseeing maintenance, security, cleaning, waste management and associated workplace services so that both offices remained safe, efficient and well maintained.
• Team leadership. Managing service coordinators and front-of-house employees, providing clear direction and maintaining consistently high standards of internal customer service.
• Health & safety management. Taking responsibility for health and safety matters, including the development and implementation of policies, procedures and appropriate working practices.
• Statutory compliance. Ensuring facilities management activity complied with relevant statutory requirements, company standards and recognised best practice.
• Supplier & contract management. Negotiating and managing facilities contracts and suppliers, monitoring performance and ensuring services delivered appropriate quality and value.
• Audit & business continuity. Participating in internal audits and contributing to business continuity planning to strengthen operational resilience.
• Stakeholder management. Acting as a key facilities contact for internal stakeholders and making sure workplace issues were communicated and resolved effectively.
• Project & priority management. Managing multiple operational demands and facilities projects while keeping critical activities on schedule.

Running two occupied corporate offices is a different proposition from running one. The manager is rarely in the building where the problem is, so the role depends on well-briefed coordinators, reliable suppliers and clear reporting lines as much as on personal presence.

Our Recruitment Approach

Maxwell Stephens conducted a targeted search for facilities management professionals with proven experience managing high-quality corporate office environments. Using our specialist FM network, we identified candidates with relevant experience across workplace operations, team management, health and safety, supplier relationships and compliance.

Our assessment placed particular emphasis on candidates who could demonstrate:

• previous responsibility for corporate office facilities
• strong people-management experience
• relevant IOSH training or qualifications
• sound knowledge of health and safety requirements
• supplier and contract-management capability
• excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• effective project management and prioritisation
• a professional and customer-focused approach

Technical capability was important, but cultural fit and communication were equally significant. Informa needed someone capable of building strong relationships with employees, senior stakeholders, service partners and front-of-house teams while taking clear ownership of facilities performance.

The Outcome

Following a rigorous search and selection process, Maxwell Stephens placed an experienced Facilities Manager with Informa. The successful candidate brought extensive facilities management experience, strong leadership capability and a detailed understanding of health and safety requirements, and their appointment strengthened the management of both Maple House and KNect House across several areas:

• Facilities operations. Effective oversight of maintenance, security, cleaning, waste and other essential workplace services, helping maintain consistently high standards across both offices.
• Team leadership. Clear management of service coordinators and front-of-house employees, strengthening coordination and supporting a professional, responsive service for employees and visitors.
• Health & safety. Knowledge and experience that supported the effective management of health and safety responsibilities, keeping appropriate policies, procedures and controls in place.
• Compliance. Greater oversight of statutory requirements and internal standards, maintaining a structured and proactive approach to facilities compliance.
• Supplier management. Effective negotiation and management of service providers, strengthening contractor accountability and keeping suppliers to operational expectations.
• Operational resilience. Participation in internal audits and business continuity planning, supporting Informa's ability to prepare for disruption and maintain essential workplace services.
• Stakeholder communication. An effective point of contact for workplace-related matters, improving communication between the facilities function and internal stakeholders.
• Project delivery. Strong prioritisation and project-management skills, allowing facilities initiatives to be coordinated alongside the demands of day-to-day operations.

The placement gave Informa a Facilities Manager capable of balancing service delivery, compliance, supplier performance, people leadership and stakeholder expectations across two important London locations.

Why This Placement Worked

The assignment shows Maxwell Stephens' ability to identify facilities management professionals who can operate within demanding corporate environments and deliver both operational reliability and a high-quality workplace experience. The brief was assessed as a leadership role with a technical foundation, rather than a technical role with a team attached, and the shortlist reflected that.

If you are looking for an experienced Facilities Manager to strengthen your corporate workplace operations, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach candidates who have run multi-site London offices. Get in touch with our team.