Facilities Director & FM Appointments for INTO University Partnerships

About INTO University Partnerships

INTO University Partnerships is an international education organisation that works in partnership with universities to expand access to higher education and help international students move successfully into undergraduate and postgraduate study. Since its launch in 2006, INTO has established 21 partnerships with 19 universities across Europe, North America and Asia, supporting more than 50,000 students from 166 countries, with approximately 1,600 employees worldwide.

In the UK, INTO operates a diverse portfolio of academic buildings, student residences and corporate offices, in locations including London, Brighton, Exeter, Newcastle and Manchester. A good student experience depends on those environments being safe, well managed and reliable, which makes facilities management a student welfare and safeguarding matter as well as an operational one.

Our work with INTO University Partnerships

Maxwell Stephens has recruited across INTO's UK facilities function, from the director leading the estate to site managers and urgent interim cover:

• Facilities Director, UK estate (permanent)
• Senior Facilities Manager, London & Brighton (permanent)
• Facilities Manager, INTO Academic Building and INTO Halls of Residence at the University of Exeter (permanent)
• Interim Facilities Manager, academic building and residential properties at Newcastle University (interim)

Facilities Director, UK estate

To support the continued development of its UK estate, INTO asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Facilities Director to lead a geographically dispersed portfolio of academic buildings, student residences and office accommodation, across locations including Exeter, Newcastle, London and Manchester. The Director would be responsible for the safe, compliant and efficient operation of all facilities, with responsibilities spanning multi-site operations, health, safety and statutory compliance, contractor and supplier management, budget control, sustainability and ESG, asset management and lifecycle planning, operational risk, space utilisation, team development and stakeholder engagement across university partnerships.

Two features make an estate like this harder than a standard multi-site brief. Student residences carry a duty of care and a compliance regime of their own, with residents on site around the clock, while academic buildings run to a term-time calendar that leaves narrow windows for planned works. The partnership model adds another layer, since the estate sits alongside partner universities rather than in isolation.

Working with INTO's senior leadership team, we searched across higher education estates, student accommodation operations and corporate portfolios, because the role spans all three, and assessed candidates on strategic estates management, multi-site leadership, compliance and governance, financial management, sustainability, asset planning, people development and partnership management.

Maxwell Stephens placed a Facilities Director with a record of leading large-scale, multi-site estates and facilities operations, strong health, safety and compliance expertise, experience of sustainability and carbon reduction initiatives, and strong budget and partnership management. Following appointment, the Director took on operational and strategic leadership of INTO's UK estate portfolio.

Three facilities management appointments: London & Brighton, Exeter and Newcastle

INTO also appointed Maxwell Stephens to fill three FM positions covering permanent senior leadership, site-based operational management and urgent interim support. Each needed a different candidate profile, so we worked with INTO to set out how the strategic London and Brighton portfolio, the 24/7 residential environment in Exeter and the immediate need in Newcastle differed, rather than treating them as standard facilities vacancies. The search drew on our network for experience in education and student environments, residential FM, multi-site estates, health and safety, safeguarding, catering and support services, and interim leadership. All three positions were filled.

Senior Facilities Manager, London & Brighton

A permanent strategic role responsible for facilities and site operations across INTO's London and Brighton properties. The brief called for estates and facilities leadership, multi-site management, budget control, project and change management, senior stakeholder engagement, safeguarding awareness, health and safety compliance, team development and a strong focus on the student experience. The appointed Senior Facilities Manager brought proven leadership, operational experience and a clear strategic perspective, giving INTO senior oversight of current operations and longer-term estate priorities across both locations.

Huge thank you to Maxwell Stephens for the support in finding my new exciting job. (First day complete) Highly recommend their services and they are just brilliant.

Grant Williams
Senior Facilities Manager, INTO University Partnerships

Facilities Manager, Exeter

Reporting to the Centre Director, the Exeter Facilities Manager would oversee the day-to-day operation of the INTO Academic Building and INTO Halls of Residence at the University of Exeter, combining academic facilities with residential operations and catering in a 24/7 student environment. The role covered maintenance and workplace services, catering, health and safety, contractors and facilities staff, and operational issues affecting students. The successful candidate brought strong facilities and catering management expertise, took responsibility for both the academic building and the residential accommodation, and maintained continuity across a continuously occupied operation.

Interim Facilities Manager, Newcastle

INTO needed an Interim Facilities Manager to provide immediate operational leadership across its academic building and residential properties at Newcastle University, covering building maintenance, housekeeping, security, IT-related operational coordination, compliance, residential FM and student welfare, working with the Student Services team. Availability and the ability to take ownership with minimal handover were priorities alongside competence. Maxwell Stephens identified an experienced interim who stepped in quickly, took a proactive approach to maintenance, compliance and student welfare, maintained service delivery throughout the assignment and kept facilities connected to the wider student experience through Student Services.

Why it worked

FM in an education setting is not only about buildings. Every appointment, from Facilities Director to interim site cover, was assessed on the compliance, safeguarding and duty-of-care responsibilities that come with students living and studying on site, as well as on the technical brief. Defining a distinct profile for each role, and searching across higher education, student accommodation and corporate portfolios where the role spanned them, is what allowed INTO to fill strategic, permanent and interim needs at the same standard.

If you are recruiting facilities leaders or managers across an education estate or several locations, Maxwell Stephens can help with permanent, interim and senior FM appointments. Get in touch with our team.