Background
Mainstay, a leading UK property management company with operations across the country, appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit an experienced Facilities Account Manager to support its growing portfolio.
The role was strategically important. It called for a professional who could oversee a broad range of facilities management services while leading teams, managing contractors, maintaining compliance and driving commercial performance. Mainstay needed someone who combined hard and soft FM expertise with people management, financial control and customer relationship skills, and who could sustain the service standards expected across its property portfolio.
The Challenge
Account manager roles in property management sit at the point where operational delivery, commercial accountability and client relationships meet. Candidates who are strong on one or two of those fronts are common; candidates who are credible on all three are not. The successful candidate needed to demonstrate:
- Broad FM expertise. Experience across both hard and soft facilities management services, including maintenance, security, cleaning and grounds management.
- Leadership and team management. The ability to lead, develop and motivate teams while managing performance, training and ongoing development.
- Commercial awareness. Experience in financial reporting, budget control and improving business performance across a property portfolio.
- Health and safety knowledge. A sound understanding of compliance requirements, supported by relevant qualifications and professional development.
- Contractor and supplier management. The ability to manage external contractors effectively, maintain service standards and ensure compliance.
- Customer focus. A proven ability to build client relationships and respond proactively to operational issues.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens ran a focused recruitment process designed to identify candidates who could meet both the technical and commercial requirements of the position. We looked for professionals with multi-site or multi-property experience, proven leadership capability and the confidence to take ownership of operational performance, rather than candidates whose experience was confined to a single building or a single service line.
The successful candidate brought a background across both hard and soft FM services, held a NEBOSH General Certificate, was a member of BIFM, and had extensive experience managing property portfolios and supporting business growth. Their understanding of business systems and their ability to introduce new operational procedures made them particularly well suited to a portfolio that was still expanding.
The Role in Practice
Once in post, the Facilities Account Manager took responsibility for:
- Team leadership. Leading and managing the facilities management team, overseeing performance, training and development to maintain service standards.
- Operational management. Planning, implementing and controlling site operations to deliver a consistent, high-quality facilities management service.
- Financial and business performance. Managing financial reporting and budget control while identifying opportunities to improve efficiency and strengthen overall business performance.
- Hard and soft FM services. Overseeing mechanical and electrical maintenance planning alongside security, cleaning, grounds maintenance and other core services.
- Contractor management. Managing supplier and contractor relationships so that agreed standards were maintained and services delivered effectively.
- Customer relationship management. Maintaining working relationships with clients, responding quickly to issues and keeping customer satisfaction high.
- Quality assurance. Conducting audits and inspections to monitor service quality, identify areas for improvement and maintain consistent standards.
- Health and safety compliance. Ensuring facilities management activities were carried out in line with relevant health and safety requirements, maintaining a safe environment for occupants and visitors.
The Outcome
The appointment delivered clear improvements across operational performance, team management, commercial control and client service:
- Team performance. Stronger leadership, clearer accountability and a greater focus on development improved performance and morale across the facilities management function.
- Operational efficiency. More structured management of site operations, maintenance and service delivery created a more consistent approach across the portfolio.
- Financial control. Improved financial reporting and budget oversight gave greater visibility of expenditure and supported better commercial decision-making.
- Contractor performance. Closer management of suppliers and contractors strengthened service quality, accountability and compliance.
- Customer satisfaction. Proactive communication and responsive service delivery strengthened client relationships and built confidence in the facilities management service.
- Health and safety. A rigorous approach to health and safety helped ensure appropriate standards were maintained across the managed properties.
Why This Placement Worked
The search was defined from the outset as a hybrid appointment: operational expertise, commercial management, team leadership and customer focus carried equal weight, and candidates were assessed against all four. That is what allowed Mainstay to appoint someone who could strengthen day-to-day service delivery while also improving financial control, supplier performance and client satisfaction.
If you are recruiting a Facilities Account Manager to improve performance across a property portfolio, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach candidates with genuine multi-site, hard and soft FM experience. Get in touch with our team.