Background
INTO University Partnerships is an international education organisation dedicated to expanding access to higher education through partnerships with leading universities around the world.
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, the organisation is focused on helping international students transition successfully into undergraduate and postgraduate study.
A high-quality student experience depends on safe, well-managed and reliable academic and residential environments. To strengthen its UK facilities management capability, INTO appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit for three FM positions across London, Brighton, Exeter and Newcastle. The assignments covered permanent senior leadership, site-based operational management and urgent interim support, and so needed a recruitment strategy that could address very different operational needs to the same standard.
The Recruitment Challenge
INTO required three facilities management professionals capable of operating within complex academic and residential environments, where operational performance had to be balanced with student welfare, safeguarding, compliance and customer service. The three appointments were:
Senior Facilities Manager — London & Brighton
A strategic leadership position responsible for facilities and site operations across INTO's London and Brighton properties. The successful candidate needed extensive experience across estates and facilities management, together with the ability to provide strategic direction, manage significant budgets and build effective relationships with senior stakeholders. Key requirements included:
- strategic estates and facilities leadership
- multi-site operational management
- budget and financial control
- project and change management
- senior stakeholder engagement
- safeguarding awareness
- health and safety compliance
- team leadership and development
- a strong focus on the student experience
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. The role combined academic facilities management with residential operations and catering services within a 24/7 student environment. The successful candidate needed to manage:
- academic and residential facilities
- maintenance and workplace services
- catering operations
- health and safety compliance
- contractors and service providers
- facilities employees
- operational issues affecting students
- service standards across a continuously occupied environment
The position required someone capable of maintaining strong operational discipline while ensuring students experienced a safe, supportive and professionally managed environment.
Interim Facilities Manager — Newcastle
INTO also required an Interim Facilities Manager to provide immediate operational leadership across its academic building and residential properties at Newcastle University. The interim nature of the appointment meant the successful candidate needed to integrate rapidly and take ownership of the estate with minimal transition time. Responsibilities included:
- building maintenance
- housekeeping
- security
- IT-related operational coordination
- compliance
- residential facilities management
- student welfare support
- collaboration with the Student Services team
The ability to assess priorities quickly and maintain continuity of service was essential.
Our Recruitment Approach
Maxwell Stephens developed a tailored recruitment strategy for each appointment while maintaining a consistent focus on operational capability, safeguarding, compliance and student experience.
- Understanding each environment. We worked closely with INTO to understand the differences between the three positions: the strategic demands of the London and Brighton portfolio, the 24/7 residential environment in Exeter and the immediate operational requirements in Newcastle. This allowed us to develop distinct candidate profiles rather than treating the appointments as standard facilities vacancies.
- Targeted candidate search. Using our specialist facilities and estates network, we identified professionals with experience in education and student environments, residential facilities management, complex multi-site estates, senior FM leadership, health and safety, safeguarding, catering and support services, project management and interim operational leadership.
- Detailed assessment. Candidates were assessed on both technical expertise and the interpersonal qualities required within an international education environment, with particular emphasis on leadership capability, stakeholder communication, operational problem-solving, compliance knowledge, student and customer-service orientation, budgetary awareness, adaptability and cultural fit. For the Newcastle interim role, availability and the ability to make an immediate impact were additional priorities.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens filled all three facilities management positions, providing INTO with complementary expertise across strategic, permanent and interim appointments.
Senior Facilities Manager: strategic leadership for London & Brighton
The appointed Senior Facilities Manager brought proven leadership capability, operational experience and a clear strategic perspective. Their appointment strengthened facilities management across the London and Brighton properties and gave INTO senior-level oversight of both current operations and longer-term estate priorities, aligned with INTO's wider objective of providing high-quality educational environments.
Facilities Manager, Exeter: academic and residential operations
The successful Exeter candidate brought strong facilities and catering-management expertise and took responsibility for both the academic building and residential accommodation. Their leadership helped maintain high standards across the facilities team and supported a safe, reliable and positive environment for students. Their ability to manage a 24/7 operation was particularly important in maintaining continuity across academic and residential services.
Interim Facilities Manager, Newcastle: immediate operational stability
For Newcastle, Maxwell Stephens identified an experienced interim professional capable of stepping into the role quickly and providing immediate operational support. The candidate took a proactive approach to maintenance, compliance and student welfare, maintaining effective service delivery throughout the interim assignment, and worked collaboratively with Student Services so that facilities management stayed connected to the wider student experience.
Across all three appointments, INTO gained professionals who understood the additional compliance and safeguarding responsibilities that come with education and student environments.
Why This Placement Worked
Effective FM within higher education is not simply about buildings; it is about creating safe, supportive and well-managed environments in which students can succeed. Each of the three appointments was assessed against that standard as well as against the technical brief.
The campaign demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' ability to support organisations with multi-role and multi-location recruitment requirements, from strategic leadership appointments through to urgent interim cover. By understanding the operational differences between academic, residential and multi-site environments, we identified candidates with the right combination of facilities expertise, compliance knowledge, leadership capability and commitment to student experience.
If you are looking to recruit facilities management professionals across an education estate or multiple locations, Maxwell Stephens can help with permanent, interim and senior FM appointments. Get in touch with our team.