Background & Client Overview
SailGP is an international sailing competition featuring high-performance F50 foiling catamarans, with teams competing across a global calendar of events.
As part of a significant organisational transition, SailGP made the decision to establish its headquarters in London, creating the need for specialist Facilities and project-management expertise to support the development and mobilisation of its new UK operation.
Maxwell Stephens was appointed to recruit an experienced Interim Facilities Project Manager on an initial six-month contract. The successful candidate would play a critical role in taking the new property from project stage through to live operation, ensuring the workplace, infrastructure and Facilities services were ready to support the organisation.
This required a professional capable of combining Facilities Management, project delivery, fit-out coordination, operational mobilisation and complex stakeholder management within a fast-moving international environment.
The Challenge
This was not a conventional Facilities Management appointment.
SailGP required an experienced project professional who could take responsibility for the implementation of a new property and coordinate the numerous workstreams involved in bringing a large-scale facility into operational use.
The successful candidate needed to understand both the technical demands of a workplace project and the operational requirements that would follow once the building became occupied.
Key responsibilities included:
Facilities Project Management
Managing the implementation of the new London property and maintaining control across the different stages of the programme.
Operational Mobilisation
Ensuring the new facility could transition successfully from project delivery into day-to-day operation.
Fit-Out Coordination
Overseeing elements of the workplace fit-out, including design coordination, logistics and practical implementation.
Facilities Service Development
Establishing the Facilities Management services required to support the new workplace once operational.
Programme Management
Coordinating multiple activities and dependencies while maintaining focus on key deadlines and project objectives.
Stakeholder Engagement
Managing relationships between internal stakeholders and external parties, ensuring requirements remained aligned throughout the programme.
Progress Reporting
Providing clear updates on project progress, risks, priorities and emerging issues to relevant stakeholders.
Problem-Solving
Identifying and resolving issues as they arose to prevent unnecessary delays or disruption to the wider programme.
Transition to Live Operations
Ensuring the building, services and operational processes were sufficiently developed for a smooth transition into occupation.
Our Recruitment Approach
The specialist and time-sensitive nature of the appointment required a highly tailored headhunting campaign.
SailGP needed someone with direct experience of complex property and Facilities projects who could become effective quickly within an interim assignment.
Maxwell Stephens therefore focused on candidates with experience spanning:
- Facilities project management
- large-scale workplace transitions
- property mobilisation
- office and facility fit-outs
- design and logistics coordination
- Facilities service implementation
- stakeholder management
- contractor and supplier coordination
- complex project programmes
- operational handover and occupation
Our search combined a detailed review of our existing specialist candidate network with targeted advertising and proactive market outreach.
57 Candidates Approached
Following detailed market research, Maxwell Stephens directly approached 57 suitable candidates whose experience showed potential alignment with the assignment.
Comprehensive Screening
Candidates were carefully assessed against SailGP's technical, project and stakeholder requirements, with particular emphasis on their ability to manage the transition of a complex facility into operational use.
Three Candidates Shortlisted
Following the screening and interview process, Maxwell Stephens presented a highly focused shortlist of three candidates.
All three were selected for interview by SailGP, demonstrating the strength and relevance of the shortlist.
Successful Appointment
The recruitment process concluded with SailGP successfully appointing its preferred candidate as Interim Facilities Project Manager.
Outcome & Impact
The targeted search provided SailGP with the specialist project expertise required to support the establishment of its London headquarters.
A Highly Focused Search
By approaching 57 relevant professionals and narrowing the market to three carefully selected candidates, Maxwell Stephens delivered a concise shortlist without compromising the depth of the search.
100% Shortlist-to-Interview Conversion
All three shortlisted candidates were interviewed by SailGP, demonstrating strong alignment between the individuals presented and the client's requirements.
Specialist Project Expertise
The successful candidate brought the combination of Facilities and project-management experience required to oversee the transition from fit-out and implementation into live workplace operations.
Support for a Critical Business Transition
The appointment gave SailGP dedicated Facilities project leadership during an important period of organisational change and relocation.
From Fit-Out to Operational Readiness
The role provided continuity across the full workplace journey, from design and fit-out logistics through to the development and mobilisation of Facilities Management services.
Outcome
The successful placement provided SailGP with an Interim Facilities Project Manager capable of managing the complex transition of a new London property into a fully operational workplace.
From 57 candidates approached, Maxwell Stephens identified three highly suitable professionals, all three were interviewed, and the process resulted in a successful appointment.
The assignment demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' ability to recruit specialist interim Facilities and Workplace project professionals for complex relocation, fit-out and mobilisation programmes where speed, technical expertise and stakeholder management are critical.
Planning an office relocation, fit-out or Facilities mobilisation project? Contact Maxwell Stephens to discuss your interim and permanent Facilities recruitment requirements.