Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields Facilities & Premises Recruitment

Background

Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields (CSTM) is a respected London charity dedicated to supporting people experiencing homelessness and social exclusion. Operating from its central London headquarters, the organisation provides a range of essential services while managing a busy and complex operational environment.

As the organisation evolved, so too did the demands placed upon its property and workplace infrastructure. What had originally been a combined IT and Facilities function had become increasingly complex as the building matured and operational requirements expanded. Recognising that specialist expertise was now required, CSTM partnered exclusively with Maxwell Stephens to recruit both a Facilities & Premises Manager and a Facilities & Premises Officer, creating a dedicated facilities function capable of supporting the organisation's long-term ambitions.

The Challenge

Following several organisational changes, CSTM recognised that combining IT and Facilities responsibilities within a single role was no longer sustainable. The growing complexity of building management, statutory compliance and ongoing capital improvements required dedicated facilities leadership.

Splitting a hybrid IT-and-facilities post is a common turning point for a growing charity, and it is rarely as simple as hiring a facilities manager. In that situation the new appointee typically inherits a building whose maintenance and compliance records have been kept alongside another job, so the first task is usually to establish the true condition and obligations before improving anything.

The newly created Facilities & Premises Manager would be responsible for establishing best practice across all aspects of property management while working closely with senior leadership to deliver operational improvements. Key responsibilities included:

• Developing and implementing planned preventative maintenance programmes.
• Managing building fabric, maintenance contractors and service providers.
• Leading health, safety and statutory compliance across the organisation.
• Delivering small capital works and refurbishment projects.
• Managing facilities budgets and procurement activities.
• Coordinating IT infrastructure and telecommunications projects alongside specialist contractors.
• Supporting business continuity planning and operational resilience.
• Building stronger collaborative relationships with St Martin-in-the-Fields Church and key external stakeholders.

Alongside this appointment, the Facilities & Premises Officer role was introduced to provide day-to-day operational support and ensure consistent service delivery across the estate.

Our Approach

Maxwell Stephens worked closely with CSTM's leadership team to understand not only the technical requirements of the appointments but also the organisation's culture, values and long-term strategic objectives. Our executive search focused on professionals who combined:

• Facilities Management expertise within complex occupied buildings.
• Strong contractor and supplier management experience.
• Health & Safety and statutory compliance knowledge.
• Project management and refurbishment experience.
• Budget management and commercial awareness.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills.
• A collaborative, hands-on leadership style suited to the charitable sector.

Every shortlisted candidate underwent a comprehensive assessment evaluating technical competence, leadership capability and cultural fit, to ensure they could work well within a mission-led organisation.

The Outcome

Maxwell Stephens recruited an experienced Facilities & Premises Manager together with a Facilities & Premises Officer, establishing a dedicated facilities function capable of supporting both current operations and future organisational growth.

The Facilities & Premises Manager quickly embedded within the organisation, using existing building condition surveys and compliance audits to prioritise improvements, strengthen governance and introduce more structured facilities management processes. The results included:

• Stronger facilities leadership. The creation of a dedicated facilities management structure provided clear ownership of building operations, maintenance and compliance.
• Improved building maintenance. Planned maintenance programmes and proactive contractor management reduced reactive issues while improving the overall condition of the property.
• Enhanced compliance. Health & Safety procedures, statutory obligations and compliance processes were strengthened, providing greater operational resilience and reducing organisational risk.
• Project delivery. The appointed manager supported ongoing IT infrastructure improvements, coordinated telecommunications upgrades and delivered a range of facilities improvement projects.
• Better stakeholder collaboration. Closer working relationships were established with St Martin-in-the-Fields Church, contractors and service providers, creating greater operational efficiency and supporting the charity's wider strategic objectives.

By creating a dedicated Facilities function, Connection at St Martin-in-the-Fields significantly strengthened the management of its estate while freeing other departments to focus on their core responsibilities. The appointments delivered improved governance, enhanced compliance, better maintenance planning and stronger operational support, ensuring the organisation's buildings continue to support the delivery of its charitable services.

Why These Appointments Worked

Recruiting the manager and officer roles together, as a pair, meant the function was designed as a whole rather than assembled around one hire. It also allowed the search to weight the manager role towards governance and project delivery and the officer role towards day-to-day service, instead of asking one person to cover both.

The assignment demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' expertise in recruiting Facilities Management professionals for charities, not-for-profit organisations and mission-led institutions, where operational standards and cultural alignment are equally important.

If your organisation has outgrown a combined or part-time facilities arrangement and needs a dedicated function, Maxwell Stephens can help you scope the roles and reach candidates suited to the charitable sector. Get in touch with our team.