Client Overview
Church House, the administrative headquarters of the Church of England, occupies one of London’s most distinctive and historic buildings. As a prestigious listed property, Church House combines heritage architecture with modern workplace requirements, demanding exceptional facilities management to preserve the building’s character while supporting operational excellence.
To support its long-term estate strategy and ambitious sustainability objectives, Church House required an experienced Maintenance Manager to oversee the integrity of the building’s fabric and infrastructure, lead the maintenance team, and help drive its commitment to becoming carbon neutral by 2030.
The Challenge
This was a highly specialised appointment requiring a Maintenance Manager capable of balancing the demands of a historic estate with modern facilities management practices.
The successful candidate needed to provide leadership across all maintenance operations while ensuring the building remained safe, compliant, efficient, and fit for purpose.
Key responsibilities included:
- Managing the maintenance of the building’s plant, systems, and fabric
- Leading and developing an in-house maintenance team
- Coordinating specialist contractors and service providers
- Overseeing CCTV, fire, intruder alarm and lift maintenance contracts
- Supporting capital works and refurbishment programmes
- Managing maintenance budgets and procurement activities
- Ensuring statutory compliance and health & safety standards
- Driving sustainability initiatives and environmental improvements
- Supporting Church House’s carbon neutrality objectives
The role required a strong technical background, proven leadership capability, and the ability to work effectively within the unique constraints of a listed building environment.
Our Approach
Understanding the Estate
We worked closely with Church House’s leadership team to gain a detailed understanding of the building, the operational challenges involved, and the long-term strategic goals of the organisation.
Particular emphasis was placed on identifying candidates with experience in:
- Building services and plant management
- Historic or heritage property environments
- Sustainability and carbon reduction programmes
- Contractor and supplier management
- Team leadership and staff development
- Capital projects and lifecycle maintenance planning
Targeted Search Process
Drawing upon our extensive facilities management network, we conducted a focused search for maintenance professionals with a proven track record of managing complex estates and leading high-performing teams.
We prioritised candidates who demonstrated:
- Extensive maintenance management experience
- Strong technical knowledge of building systems
- Health & safety leadership capability
- Experience managing maintenance budgets and contracts
- Familiarity with CAFM systems and planned maintenance programmes
- A proactive approach to operational improvement and sustainability
Candidate Assessment
Each candidate underwent a rigorous evaluation process, including detailed competency-based interviews and technical assessments.
Particular attention was given to:
- Leadership and team management skills
- Contractor management experience
- Compliance and risk management knowledge
- Sustainability expertise
- Communication and stakeholder engagement capability
- Experience operating within heritage or listed building environments
The Outcome
We successfully appointed an experienced Maintenance Manager who brought more than a decade of facilities and maintenance management expertise.
The successful candidate demonstrated a strong background in plant and building maintenance, alongside a genuine passion for sustainability and continuous improvement.
They quickly integrated into the organisation and assumed responsibility for both day-to-day operations and longer-term strategic initiatives.
Results Delivered
Sustainability Leadership
The new Maintenance Manager has played a key role in supporting Church House’s environmental objectives, implementing initiatives designed to improve energy efficiency and reduce the building’s carbon footprint.
Team Development
By providing clear leadership and ongoing development opportunities, they have strengthened the in-house maintenance team, ensuring high standards of service delivery and compliance.
Operational Efficiency
Through improved maintenance planning, contractor management, and procurement processes, the candidate has enhanced operational performance while maintaining effective budget control.
Compliance and Risk Management
Robust maintenance programmes and proactive compliance management have ensured that Church House continues to meet all relevant statutory and health & safety obligations.
The Impact
The appointment has provided Church House with a Maintenance Manager capable of preserving the integrity of a historic estate while supporting the organisation’s future ambitions.
The successful candidate has delivered:
- Improved maintenance planning and operational control
- Enhanced sustainability performance
- Stronger team leadership and development
- Effective contractor and supplier management
- Robust compliance and risk management
- Continued support for long-term estate objectives
This successful placement highlights Maxwell Stephens’ expertise in recruiting facilities and maintenance professionals for complex, high-profile and heritage environments, delivering candidates who combine technical excellence with strong leadership and strategic vision.