Background
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit an Engineering and Maintenance Manager to oversee all aspects of building hard services, including HVAC. The purpose of the role was simple to state and demanding to deliver: a safe, well-serviced and cost-effective working environment, with building services kept to a high standard and in compliance with statutory requirements.
In any occupied headquarters building, the hard services manager is invisible when things go well and immediately visible when they do not. Heating, cooling, power and plant are noticed only in their absence, and statutory compliance is only ever tested after the event. The person in this seat carries a great deal of quiet responsibility.
The Challenge
RIBA required a candidate with extensive experience managing mechanical and engineering plant, a thorough understanding of HVAC, and the ability to develop and manage both planned and reactive maintenance schedules. The role also called for strong contract management skills, a solid grasp of health and safety regulations, and the capability to handle budget forecasting and project management.
The specification was precise. The ideal candidate needed:
- A BTEC/BEng in Engineering, a Mechanical Apprenticeship, or equivalent
- Full electrical qualification, including BS 7671 17th Edition and City & Guilds 2391 Electrical Testing and Inspection
- A formal health & safety qualification (minimum IOSH Managing Safely)
- Extensive experience managing building services mechanical & engineering plant and HVAC systems
- Strong knowledge of health & safety and fire regulations
- Experience maintaining best-practice M&E in office environments and mixed-use buildings
- Excellent communication skills and proficiency in Microsoft Office
That combination narrows the field considerably. BS 7671 and City & Guilds 2391 are hands-on electrical qualifications: they signal someone who can test and inspect an installation themselves and read a contractor's certificate critically, rather than someone who has only ever managed electrical work at arm's length. Set alongside a mechanical or engineering qualification, HVAC depth, IOSH Managing Safely and budget responsibility, the brief described a manager who had kept their technical credentials current while moving into contract and financial management. Many engineers let one side go as they progress. Those who have not are in short supply.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens ran a targeted search through its hard services and building engineering network. The qualification requirements were treated as filters rather than preferences, so the electrical and health and safety credentials were confirmed before anyone was put forward.
Beyond the paperwork, candidates were assessed on the things the role would demand day to day: building and running planned preventative maintenance schedules, managing M&E contracts and the contractors behind them, forecasting budgets, delivering projects inside an occupied office building, and communicating clearly with colleagues who have no interest in plant rooms but every interest in a comfortable, safe workplace.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens identified and placed a well-qualified candidate as Engineering and Maintenance Manager at RIBA. The appointee brought substantial facilities management experience, strong knowledge of regulatory requirements and sound organisational skills.
On joining, the new Engineering and Maintenance Manager set about improving operational effectiveness. They developed and implemented maintenance schedules, managed the M&E contracts efficiently, ensured rigorous health and safety compliance, and provided support across various departments. Their leadership has led to improved maintenance services, better compliance with statutory requirements and more efficient budget management.
Why This Placement Worked
The brief was specific about qualifications, and the search respected that. Hard services appointments go wrong when a strong general facilities manager is placed into a role that actually needs an engineer with management skills; the compliance gaps surface later, usually at the worst moment. Starting from the technical requirements and then testing for management capability produced a candidate who could do both.
If you are recruiting an engineering, maintenance or hard services manager with a defined qualification set, Maxwell Stephens can help you reach the candidates who genuinely hold it. Get in touch with our team.
Planning a similar appointment? Explore our Facilities Management recruitment approach.