Interim Facilities Officer Recruitment for Mind

Background

Mind is a leading mental health charity. It approached Maxwell Stephens to find an Interim Facilities Officer on a fixed-term contract to cover its two offices in Stratford, East London.

The Challenge

The Facilities Officer supports the Facilities Manager across both premises, so the job is broad. Health and safety is a large part of it: running the programme of fire, safety, building and opening checks, evacuation drills, fire alarm and emergency lighting tests and monthly ladder checks, and helping the Health and Safety Committee by circulating papers and following up actions.

The practical side is just as varied. The post supports decorative and building works, office moves and security, deals with contractors and service engineers, handles post, couriers and deliveries, orders stationery through an e-portal, monitors a helpdesk against KPIs, replenishes supplies and provides indirect supervision of office services assistants. It also covers reception and switchboard when needed, and some travel and an overnight stay in Wales were involved in building works.

Several parts demanded the right temperament. The officer deals with callers who may be angry or distressed, acts as a keyholder on an emergency list, and opens the offices early on a rota. Candidates needed a track record in facilities, or to be working towards an IWFM qualification, as well as practical DIY skills, manual handling ability and strong Microsoft Office skills.

Because the contract was fixed term, there was little time to learn on the job. The officer needed to become familiar with the layout of the buildings, the monitoring and resetting of plant and fire alarms, and the helpdesk and purchase ordering systems, for which training would be given, and then be dependable from the first week. Willingness to cover additional hours when required was part of the specification.

Our Approach

• We took the brief from the charity, including the early-opening rota and the split between the two Stratford sites.
• We searched for facilities officers and coordinators who could join an interim post quickly, with a mix of hands-on and administrative experience.
• We screened for health and safety checking experience, practical ability and a calm, sensitive approach to callers and visitors.
• We shortlisted with full CVs and interview notes, and managed the appointment to a swift start.

The Outcome

Maxwell Stephens made the appointment.

If you need fixed-term facilities cover that does not compromise on quality, talk to Maxwell Stephens about how we would approach the search.