South Bank Colleges Head of Estates Appointment

Background

South Bank Colleges appointed Maxwell Stephens to recruit an experienced Head of Estates to lead the strategic and operational management of its estate.

The role carried significant responsibility across three sites totalling approximately 52,000 square metres, combining day-to-day facilities management with statutory compliance, major capital projects, contract management, estate rationalisation and longer-term development planning.

The appointment was particularly important at a time of change and investment, with the estates function supporting campus transitions, major development activity and closer alignment with London South Bank University.

The Challenge

South Bank Colleges required a senior estates professional capable of managing both the immediate operational demands of a complex education estate and its longer-term strategic development. The successful candidate needed to bring together facilities management, property strategy, compliance, project delivery, procurement and team leadership while working closely with senior college stakeholders, contractors and external organisations.

That combination is rarer than it sounds. Estates leaders who are strong on compliance and maintenance are not always comfortable in a construction project meeting, and project-minded candidates can neglect the PPM and statutory work that keeps an education estate open. Key areas of responsibility included:

• Estate-wide facilities management. Overseeing facilities management across three sites and ensuring buildings, assets and services were maintained effectively.
• Planned preventive maintenance. Developing and implementing a robust Planned Preventive Maintenance (PPM) regime across the estate to improve reliability and support statutory compliance.
• Statutory compliance. Reviewing the college's compliance position in detail, identifying areas requiring action and establishing a structured programme of remedial works.
• Contract & supplier management. Reviewing and renegotiating key maintenance contracts, particularly across mechanical & electrical services and water hygiene.
• Major projects & development. Supporting significant campus development and relocation activity, including involvement in large-scale construction projects.
• Team leadership & development. Restructuring responsibilities within the estates team, developing existing employees and creating greater ownership of statutory and operational duties.
• Strategic estate planning. Contributing to future development plans and ensuring proposed estates solutions were practical, sustainable and commercially effective.

Our Approach

Maxwell Stephens focused the search on senior estates and facilities management professionals with experience operating within large, complex and compliance-driven estates. The role required far more than traditional facilities management expertise: candidates needed to demonstrate the ability to manage an existing estate while simultaneously influencing major capital projects and organisational change. Particular emphasis was placed on experience in:

• multi-site estates management
• statutory compliance and risk management
• hard and soft FM services
• PPM strategy
• M&E contract management
• major capital and refurbishment projects
• supplier negotiation and procurement
• team restructuring and development
• senior stakeholder engagement
• education or similarly complex public-sector environments

Following a targeted search and detailed assessment process, Maxwell Stephens placed an experienced Head of Estates.

The Outcome

The appointment strengthened both the operational management and strategic direction of the estate. In post, the Head of Estates delivered:

• Comprehensive estates management. Responsibility for facilities management across three sites covering approximately 52,000 square metres, with a more structured PPM regime introduced to improve maintenance planning and strengthen compliance across the estate.
• A stronger estates team. Facilities responsibilities were reviewed to make better use of the existing skills within the team. Through greater engagement, clearer accountability and targeted training, employees were encouraged to take greater ownership of statutory and operational responsibilities, supporting improved morale and strengthening internal capability.
• Improved maintenance contracts. Maintenance arrangements were reviewed and negotiated, with particular attention to mechanical & electrical services and water hygiene, resulting in improved contract arrangements, cost savings and stronger service quality.
• Better long-term maintenance planning. Strategic input into future college developments, helping ensure proposed solutions considered long-term maintenance requirements, sustainability and whole-life cost.
• Major development support. Close working with Department for Education subcontractors and project managers on proposals for a shared unit within a new building, and regular discussions with senior stakeholders, including the College Principal, council planning representatives and the Principal Contractor, regarding development works at the Nine Elms Skills Centre in Vauxhall.
• Campus transition & project management. Management of the transition from the Vauxhall campus to the Clapham campus, coordinating subsequent building works and maintaining strategic involvement in a wider £500 million development project.
• Stronger compliance management. A comprehensive review of statutory compliance across the estate, with the findings used to establish a structured remedial-action programme supported by a formal risk register to prioritise and manage outstanding issues.
• Strategic support for organisational alignment. Support for proposals relating to closer alignment with London South Bank University, helping consider how shared estates responsibilities could be coordinated effectively. This work required careful consideration of operational responsibilities, governance and the longer-term structure of the estate.
• Broader estates oversight. A remit extending across the wider estates framework, including commercial activities, hard and soft FM services, security, maintenance, site logistics and contractor management, so that the estates function contributed to both operational performance and the organisation's wider strategic objectives.

Why This Placement Worked

The appointment gave South Bank Colleges a senior estates leader capable of balancing operational delivery, statutory compliance, commercial management, major projects and long-term estate strategy. The role was particularly significant because it combined responsibility for existing facilities with major organisational and property change, and the search was scoped around that whole remit rather than the maintenance side alone.

The placement shows what Maxwell Stephens can do in identifying senior estates professionals who can lead complex education environments through periods of investment, transformation and growth. If you are looking for an experienced Head of Estates to lead a complex education or public-sector property portfolio, we can help you define the brief and reach the candidates who cover it. Get in touch with our team.