Head of Facilities Recruitment for the Royal Society

Background

The Royal Society, one of the world's most prestigious scientific institutions, appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit an experienced Head of Facilities to oversee the management and operation of its historic premises at Carlton House Terrace, London.

The Royal Society's Grade I listed building provides an important working and meeting environment for Fellows, Officers, employees, visitors and members of the public. Managing a property of this kind requires a careful balance between heritage stewardship, modern facilities management, health and safety, customer service and operational efficiency.

The successful candidate therefore had to be an accomplished senior facilities professional capable of providing strategic leadership while maintaining the exceptionally high standards expected within a nationally significant institution.

The Challenge

The Head of Facilities role carried substantial responsibility for the effective management of the Royal Society's premises and facilities services. The complexity and heritage status of Carlton House Terrace meant the appointee needed to combine extensive facilities management experience with strong leadership, customer-service capability and a sound understanding of property and health and safety requirements.

Listed buildings add a layer that conventional facilities experience does not always cover: maintenance choices are constrained by consent requirements, fabric repairs call for specialist contractors, and the building itself is part of the institution's public face. The key requirements reflected that:

• Strategic facilities leadership. Clear strategic direction for the facilities function, with services supporting the Royal Society's wider organisational objectives.
• Historic building management. Oversight of the operation and maintenance of a Grade I listed property, respecting the particular requirements of a prestigious heritage environment.
• Facilities service delivery. Day-to-day services delivered efficiently, reliably and to the standards expected by Fellows, employees, visitors and other building users.
• Health and safety management. Robust health and safety arrangements across the premises, with appropriate procedures, controls and responsibilities in place.
• Team leadership. Effective leadership of the facilities team, with clear standards and an environment focused on collaboration, accountability and service quality.
• Customer care. A consistently high standard of service to a diverse range of stakeholders, including Fellows, Officers, employees and visitors.
• Property expertise. Professional property knowledge applied to the effective management, maintenance and long-term stewardship of the building.
• Stakeholder management. Trusted relationships across the Royal Society, with facilities requirements understood and managed professionally.

Our Approach

Maxwell Stephens worked closely with the Royal Society to understand the technical responsibilities, leadership requirements and organisational expectations attached to the appointment.

Given the significance of the property and the seniority of the position, we developed a targeted search strategy focused on experienced facilities and property leaders with a strong record of managing complex and high-profile environments. Our assessment focused on candidates with experience in:

• senior facilities management leadership
• complex and prestigious properties
• heritage or sensitive building environments
• team leadership and development
• health and safety management
• property management
• customer-focused service delivery
• strategic planning
• operational improvement
• senior stakeholder engagement

Professional qualifications were also important. The preferred candidate needed appropriate credentials within a property-related discipline together with strong health and safety knowledge. At head-of-function level, a recognised property qualification alongside a NEBOSH certificate tells a client that the person can speak with authority on both the fabric of the building and the safety of the people in it.

Following an extensive search and rigorous assessment process, Maxwell Stephens presented the Royal Society with a carefully selected shortlist of highly qualified professionals. One candidate emerged as particularly well aligned with the brief.

The Outcome

The successful candidate brought extensive senior-level facilities management experience together with professional property qualifications, a NEBOSH health and safety qualification and excellent customer-care skills. In post, the new Head of Facilities delivered:

• Stronger facilities leadership. Experienced strategic leadership across the facilities function, strengthening oversight of the Royal Society's premises and operational services.
• Effective management of a prestigious estate. Property and facilities expertise that supported the careful management of Carlton House Terrace, balancing operational requirements with the standards expected of a Grade I listed building.
• Better health and safety. Strong health and safety knowledge that kept appropriate procedures and controls embedded in the operation of the premises.
• Improved service delivery. A structured, customer-focused approach that strengthened facilities services for Fellows, employees, visitors and other stakeholders.
• Stronger team collaboration. A collaborative working environment with clearer accountability and a shared focus on maintaining high service standards.
• Strategic facilities improvement. Initiatives designed to strengthen the performance and effectiveness of the facilities function while keeping activity aligned with the Royal Society's wider objectives.

Why This Placement Worked

The appointment gave the Royal Society a Head of Facilities able to combine strategic leadership, heritage property management, health and safety, team development and a high standard of customer service.

The assignment illustrates what recruiting for prestigious and operationally complex estates involves: technical expertise has to be combined with careful stewardship, leadership and an understanding of the organisation's reputation and purpose. Testing candidates on the heritage dimension specifically, rather than assuming that general facilities seniority covers it, is what separated the eventual appointee from an otherwise strong field.

If you are looking for an experienced Head of Facilities to lead a prestigious, complex or heritage property, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach the right people. Get in touch with our team.