Background
Pembroke House, a long-established charitable organisation based in Walworth, South-East London, appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit an experienced Facilities Manager for an initial three-month temporary assignment.
Founded in 1885, Pembroke House has a strong history of supporting the local community and addressing issues of poverty and inequality. Its varied estate includes community facilities, residential properties and leased spaces, each with different operational, maintenance and stakeholder requirements.
The organisation needed a Facilities Manager who could step into the role quickly, provide immediate operational support and ensure its properties remained safe, compliant, well maintained and capable of supporting Pembroke House's community-focused work.
The Challenge
The assignment combined the urgency of an interim appointment with the complexity of managing a diverse property portfolio. Pembroke House required someone capable of quickly understanding the estate, identifying priorities and taking ownership of both day-to-day Facilities Management and several ongoing property projects. The main demands were:
- A diverse estate. The portfolio included different types of buildings and spaces, each presenting its own maintenance, operational and stakeholder requirements. The successful candidate needed to adapt their approach accordingly while maintaining consistent standards across the estate.
- Immediate interim support. With an initial assignment of only three months, there was limited time for an extended transition. Pembroke House needed an experienced Facilities professional who could rapidly assess the estate, establish priorities and begin delivering from the outset.
- Reactive maintenance and repairs. Urgent building and maintenance issues needed to be identified, prioritised and resolved efficiently to minimise disruption to employees, tenants and community activities.
- Tenant and stakeholder management. The role required regular communication with tenants, contractors, colleagues and other stakeholders, making strong interpersonal and relationship-management skills essential.
- Contractor coordination. External contractors needed to be instructed and managed effectively, ensuring maintenance and project works were delivered safely and to the required standard.
- Health and safety compliance. The Facilities Manager was responsible for helping maintain appropriate health and safety standards across the estate and ensuring operational activity remained compliant.
- Capital projects. Alongside day-to-day Facilities responsibilities, the successful candidate needed to support and coordinate smaller capital works and property-improvement projects.
Interim appointments of this kind are unforgiving. A permanent hire has months to learn an estate; a three-month interim has days, and any time spent finding their feet comes directly out of the time available to deliver. The search had to find someone who had done this before.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens conducted a focused search for experienced interim and temporary Facilities Management professionals capable of taking immediate responsibility for a varied property portfolio. Given the short-term nature of the assignment, availability and adaptability were critical. Our assessment focused on candidates with experience in:
- Multi-site Facilities Management.
- Community, residential or mixed-use properties.
- Reactive and planned maintenance.
- Contractor management.
- Health and safety compliance.
- Small capital projects.
- Tenant and stakeholder relationships.
- Working independently and prioritising urgent issues.
- Entering organisations and contributing immediately.
Cultural fit was also particularly important. Pembroke House required someone who understood that effective Facilities Management was ultimately in service of the organisation's wider charitable and community objectives.
Following a targeted search and assessment process, Maxwell Stephens placed an experienced Temporary Facilities Manager.
The Outcome
The successful candidate quickly integrated into Pembroke House and provided immediate operational leadership throughout the three-month assignment. Over the course of the contract they delivered:
- Urgent maintenance issues addressed. Priority maintenance issues across the estate were identified and resolved, helping ensure buildings remained functional and disruption was minimised.
- Capital project coordination. Small-scale capital projects were coordinated with oversight of contractors, operational requirements and project delivery.
- The All Saints Hall conversion. A significant part of the assignment involved overseeing the conversion of All Saints Hall into office accommodation. The Facilities Manager helped coordinate the work and supported the practical delivery of the new space.
- Stronger tenant relationships. Proactive communication with tenants improved coordination around maintenance, property works and wider Facilities requirements.
- Improved contractor management. External contractors were managed effectively, helping ensure works progressed appropriately and operational issues were addressed in a timely manner.
- Health and safety oversight. Close attention to health and safety responsibilities throughout the estate supported a safe environment for employees, tenants, visitors and community users.
- Immediate operational stability. Most importantly, the appointment gave Pembroke House experienced Facilities Management support precisely when it was needed, enabling the organisation to maintain continuity while continuing to focus on its wider community mission.
The placement provided Pembroke House with a Facilities Manager capable of stepping into a short-term assignment, understanding a complex estate quickly and delivering meaningful operational support from the outset. Across the three-month contract, the candidate addressed urgent repairs, coordinated capital works, supported the conversion of All Saints Hall and maintained productive relationships with tenants and contractors.
Why This Placement Worked
Interim Facilities searches are won on two things: a candidate pool of people who are genuinely available and genuinely used to walking into an unfamiliar estate, and an honest brief about what must be delivered in the time. Both were in place here, and the assessment weighted evidence of previous interim work alongside the technical FM experience the estate required.
The assignment demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' ability to respond quickly to temporary and interim Facilities Management requirements, identifying professionals who can provide immediate stability while delivering practical improvements within a limited timeframe. If you are looking for an Interim or Temporary Facilities Manager who can step in quickly and take control of a complex estate, get in touch with our team.