Background
Established in 2003, Ofcom is the UK's communications regulator, responsible for overseeing the broadcasting, telecommunications, wireless spectrum and postal sectors. As one of the country's most influential public bodies, Ofcom plays a vital role in ensuring that communications markets work effectively for consumers, businesses and society.
With a diverse national estate supporting approximately 1,000 employees across seven UK locations, maintaining safe, efficient and high-performing workplaces is critical to the organisation's success.
To strengthen its Property and Facilities function, Ofcom appointed Maxwell Stephens exclusively to recruit a Facilities Manager, entrusting us as the sole recruitment partner for this strategically important appointment.
The Challenge
Reporting directly to the Head of Property & Facilities Management, the Facilities Manager would become a key member of the senior management team, taking responsibility for the operational delivery of Facilities Management services across Ofcom's nationwide estate.
This was a broad leadership position requiring the successful candidate to balance operational excellence, strategic planning, contractor management and stakeholder engagement across a complex multi-site property portfolio.
Key responsibilities included:
- Leading the delivery of Facilities Management services across seven UK offices.
- Managing property occupancy and workplace operations.
- Overseeing planned and reactive building maintenance.
- Managing hard and soft Facilities Management contracts.
- Leading workplace and office improvement projects.
- Delivering space management initiatives.
- Managing sustainability and environmental programmes.
- Financial planning, budgeting and procurement.
- Risk management and statutory compliance.
- Health & Safety leadership across the estate.
- Supporting business continuity and operational resilience.
The role also involved direct leadership of the Reception & Concierge Manager and the Post & Reprographics Manager, together with matrix responsibility for an integrated in-house and outsourced Facilities Management team of approximately 45 colleagues.
The successful candidate therefore needed to combine strategic leadership with strong operational expertise while maintaining consistently high service standards across a geographically dispersed portfolio.
Our Approach
As Ofcom's exclusive recruitment partner, Maxwell Stephens undertook a comprehensive executive search focused on experienced Facilities Management leaders operating within complex corporate and public sector estates.
Given the breadth and visibility of the role, we targeted candidates with experience managing multi-site property portfolios, large operational teams and outsourced Facilities Management contracts.
Our search prioritised professionals with:
- Extensive multi-site Facilities Management experience.
- Leadership within complex corporate or public sector estates.
- Contractor and outsourced service management expertise.
- Strong technical understanding of hard and soft FM services.
- Building maintenance and Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) knowledge.
- Project management and workplace transformation experience.
- Financial management and service charge budgeting expertise.
- Health & Safety leadership within occupied commercial buildings.
- Strong stakeholder engagement and people management capability.
We also placed significant emphasis on professional qualifications, seeking candidates with recognised Facilities Management, Health & Safety and Project Management credentials, alongside proven experience delivering operational excellence within highly regulated environments.
Throughout the recruitment process, every candidate was carefully assessed for leadership style, communication skills and their ability to influence senior stakeholders while leading multidisciplinary operational teams.
The Outcome
Following a detailed executive search and assessment process, Maxwell Stephens successfully appointed an exceptional Facilities Manager who closely matched Ofcom's technical, leadership and cultural requirements.
The successful candidate brought extensive experience managing complex property portfolios together with strong expertise in contractor management, workplace operations, compliance and strategic Facilities Management.
Since joining Ofcom, they have successfully:
- Led Facilities Management operations across the national office portfolio.
- Enhanced contractor performance and service delivery standards.
- Strengthened Health & Safety compliance and operational governance.
- Supported workplace improvement and property projects.
- Managed multidisciplinary operational teams and service providers.
- Delivered effective financial control across Facilities budgets.
- Continued improving workplace services for colleagues across the organisation.
Their collaborative leadership style, technical expertise and strategic outlook have made them a valuable member of Ofcom's senior Property & Facilities Management team.
Delivering Leadership for Complex Public Sector Estates
Recruiting senior Facilities Management professionals for national organisations requires more than technical expertise—it demands a deep understanding of leadership, governance, operational resilience and stakeholder management.
Through our specialist Facilities Management recruitment expertise and executive search capability, Maxwell Stephens successfully delivered a high-calibre Facilities Manager capable of supporting one of the UK's most important public sector organisations.
Candidate Testimonial
"I just wanted to say a huge thank you to the team at Maxwell Stephens. They were always available whenever I needed advice or reassurance, particularly before interviews. Their approach was both professional and personal throughout the entire process, and I never once felt like just another candidate. I would have no hesitation recommending Maxwell Stephens to anyone looking for their next opportunity or seeking to recruit outstanding Facilities Management professionals."