Head of Workspace for International Rescue Committee UK

Background

Maxwell Stephens recently filled the role of Head of Workspace for the International Rescue Committee UK (IRC-UK). The IRC was established in 1933 at Albert Einstein's request and provides lifesaving care and support to refugees and displaced communities. From its European headquarters in London, IRC-UK supports the organisation's global activities, diversifies its donor base and advocates for vulnerable populations.

The London office is the base for that work, and the Head of Workspace is the person accountable for keeping it safe, efficient and properly supported — a broad operational remit for a single appointment.

The Challenge

The Head of Workspace role was central to managing IRC-UK's London offices and related services and ensuring a safe and efficient working environment. Unusually for a workspace role, the position also carried oversight of supply chain functions and IT. The successful candidate would need to manage a significant office relocation project, maintain a budget of over £500,000, and build relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.

Three things made this a demanding brief:

• Breadth across three disciplines. Facilities management, supply chain and IT are usually led by different people. Candidates with a genuine track record in all three, rather than depth in one and a passing familiarity with the others, are rare at any level.
• A relocation on top of business as usual. An office move is a project in its own right, with its own timeline, budget and stakeholder pressures. The appointee would have to deliver it while keeping the existing office running to the same standard.
• Financial accountability. In an organisation funded by donors, operational spending is scrutinised closely. The role needed someone who could control costs across rent, utilities, maintenance and IT without compromising the working environment.

The Search

Maxwell Stephens focused the search on candidates who could evidence all three strands of the role, not just the facilities element. We identified a highly experienced candidate with a proven track record in facilities management, supply chain operations and IT leadership. Their experience of managing office relocations, budget oversight and building collaborative working relationships matched IRC-UK's needs closely.

The Outcome

On appointment, the Head of Workspace took charge of several key areas:

• Office relocation. Managed all aspects of IRC-UK's relocation to a new London office, a significant project that formed a major part of the initial workload.
• Workspace management. Ensured a professional and effective working environment, overseeing services including cleaning, reception, and workspace safety and security.
• Budget management. Controlled the operational costs budget, providing cost-effective cover for office rent, utilities, maintenance, IT equipment and other essential services.
• Supply chain. Managed and developed the supplier portfolio, leading procurement to ensure the effective supply of services and integrating supply chain operations.
• IT services. Provided strategic and operational leadership for IT services, with a focus on continuous improvement and the strategic management of IT resources.
• Policy and procedure development. Ensured comprehensive and widely understood policies and procedures for supply chain, administration and IT, and maintained the Workspace pages on RescueNet.

Why This Placement Worked

Roles that combine workspace, supply chain and IT are often filled by promoting the strongest candidate from one of those functions and hoping the rest follows. It rarely does. This search treated all three as core requirements and tested for each, and it weighted relocation experience heavily because the move was the first thing the appointee would have to deliver.

If you are recruiting a head of workspace, facilities or operations role with a similarly broad remit, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach candidates who genuinely cover it. Get in touch with our team.