Facilities Appointments for JLL

Background

JLL is a global property and facilities services business. Within its property management arm, it asked Maxwell Stephens to help fill facilities and property appointments, and this page covers a Senior Facilities Manager post supporting a General Manager who leads a facilities team across a large central London property portfolio.

The Challenge

A Senior Facilities Manager in this setting does two jobs at once. Directly, the post holder is responsible for services to occupiers in one or more managed properties: day-to-day operation, out-of-hours and emergency cover, reactive maintenance, contractor performance and disaster planning, including fire evacuation drills and permits to work.

The second job is people and client leadership. The role line-manages the facilities managers in the portfolio, acts as lead representative for a key client and takes direction from client facilities leads. It also works with surveyors, client relationship directors and financial services colleagues, so influencing across a matrix was as important as technical knowledge.

Financial and legal grip was non-negotiable. The post holder prepares service charge budgets, reports variances quarterly, reconciles accounts and follows consultation requirements for qualifying works. Knowledge of fire safety legislation, water hygiene, asbestos monitoring and the principal terms of occupiers' leases was expected, with IRPM and NEBOSH qualifications desirable. Readiness for sale, with due diligence enquiries answered from a facilities viewpoint, added a further dimension.

Because the post sits inside a managing agent structure, it also supports the central investor facilities management team on major initiatives, data collection and people matters, and manages the transition of properties and contracts from previous owners, including staff transfers under TUPE where they arise. Customer experience initiatives are delivered with service partners across the portfolio. Candidates therefore needed to show they could settle a new property into management without any dip in service.

Our Approach

• We agreed the brief with JLL, including the portfolio, the client relationship and the size of team to be led.
• We searched for facilities managers from managing agents and investor-owned portfolios who already combined line management with service charge accountability.
• We tested candidates on service charge budgeting, statutory consultation, compliance ownership and handling of difficult occupier and contractor situations.
• We put forward a shortlist with full CVs and interview notes, and managed the offer through to acceptance.

The Outcome

Maxwell Stephens made the appointment.

If you are recruiting for property or facilities management leadership, talk to Maxwell Stephens about how we would approach the search.