Background & Client Overview
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 such a distinguished property requires a careful balance between heritage stewardship, modern Facilities Management, health and safety, customer service and operational efficiency.
The successful candidate therefore needed 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 that the successful candidate needed to combine extensive Facilities Management experience with excellent leadership, strong customer-service capability and a sound understanding of property and health and safety requirements.
Key requirements included:
Strategic Facilities Leadership
Providing clear strategic direction for the Facilities function and ensuring services supported the Royal Society’s wider organisational objectives.
Historic Building Management
Overseeing the operation and maintenance of a Grade I listed property while respecting the particular requirements associated with a prestigious heritage environment.
Facilities Service Delivery
Ensuring day-to-day Facilities services were delivered efficiently, reliably and to the standards expected by Fellows, employees, visitors and other building users.
Health & Safety Management
Maintaining robust health and safety arrangements across the premises and ensuring appropriate procedures, controls and responsibilities were in place.
Team Leadership
Providing effective leadership to the Facilities team, establishing clear standards and creating an environment focused on collaboration, accountability and service excellence.
Customer Care
Delivering a consistently high standard of service to a diverse range of stakeholders, including Fellows, Officers, employees and visitors.
Property Expertise
Applying professional property knowledge to support the effective management, maintenance and long-term stewardship of the building.
Stakeholder Management
Building trusted relationships across the Royal Society and ensuring Facilities requirements were understood and managed professionally.
Our Recruitment Approach
Maxwell Stephens worked closely with the Royal Society to understand the technical responsibilities, leadership requirements and organisational expectations associated with 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.
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.
Outcome & Impact
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.
Stronger Facilities Leadership
The new Head of Facilities provided experienced strategic leadership across the Facilities function, strengthening oversight of the Royal Society’s premises and operational services.
Effective Management of a Prestigious Estate
The candidate’s property and Facilities expertise supported the careful management of Carlton House Terrace, balancing operational requirements with the standards expected of a Grade I listed building.
Enhanced Health & Safety
Strong health and safety knowledge helped ensure appropriate procedures and controls remained embedded within the operation of the premises.
Improved Service Delivery
A structured and customer-focused approach strengthened the delivery of Facilities services for Fellows, employees, visitors and other stakeholders.
Stronger Team Collaboration
The Head of Facilities fostered a collaborative working environment, helping create clearer accountability and a shared focus on maintaining high service standards.
Strategic Facilities Improvement
The candidate introduced initiatives designed to strengthen the performance and effectiveness of the Facilities function while ensuring activities remained aligned with the Royal Society’s wider objectives.
Outcome
The successful appointment provided the Royal Society with a Head of Facilities capable of combining strategic leadership, heritage property management, health and safety, team development and exceptional customer service.
The assignment demonstrates Maxwell Stephens’ ability to recruit senior Facilities professionals for prestigious and operationally complex estates, where technical expertise must be combined with careful stewardship, leadership and an understanding of the organisation’s reputation and purpose.
Looking for an experienced Head of Facilities to lead a prestigious, complex or heritage property? Contact Maxwell Stephens to discuss your recruitment requirements.