Background
The Institute for Government (IfG) is the UK's leading independent think tank dedicated to improving the effectiveness of government. Through its research, policy analysis and public events, the Institute plays a significant role in shaping debate on the future of public administration.
Having previously placed a Facilities professional within the organisation, Maxwell Stephens was approached once again, this time to recruit a Building & Facilities Manager on an initial six-month contract, with the intention of securing a permanent appointment.
Our existing relationship with the Institute, combined with our specialist knowledge of facilities management recruitment, allowed us to identify quickly the candidates with the rare combination of technical expertise, stakeholder management skills and heritage building experience the position required.
The Challenge
The successful candidate would take responsibility for the day-to-day operational management of the Institute's Grade II listed headquarters, ensuring the building, its engineering services and facilities infrastructure operated safely, efficiently and to a high professional standard.
This was a highly visible role. It required ownership of planned preventative maintenance programmes, statutory compliance, contractor management and budget control, while preserving the integrity of a historic building. Listed buildings raise the bar for a facilities manager in a specific way: the fabric constrains what can be changed and how, so compliance and maintenance have to be achieved without compromising the building, and the consequences of getting it wrong are lasting.
The position also demanded strong organisational and communication skills. Working closely with the Institute's Events and Communications teams, the Facilities Manager needed to make sure every conference, media event and high-profile speaker engagement ran without a hitch, and that the building presented well to visitors, government officials and industry leaders.
Our Approach
Finding the right individual required far more than technical facilities management expertise. We targeted professionals with proven experience managing complex commercial buildings, ideally within listed or heritage environments, alongside demonstrable knowledge of:
- Planned and reactive building maintenance
- Health & safety and statutory compliance
- Fire safety and security systems
- Contractor and supplier management
- Budget ownership and cost control
- Event support within high-profile corporate environments
- Energy management and operational efficiency
Equally important was the ability to engage confidently with senior stakeholders, balancing operational delivery with a genuinely high standard of customer service. In a building that hosts government officials and the media, the facilities manager is part of the organisation's public face, and that ability weighed as heavily in our assessment as technical credentials.
Drawing on our specialist facilities management network, Maxwell Stephens identified and introduced a shortlist of highly qualified professionals within a short timeframe.
The Outcome
The successful candidate had the technical capability, commercial awareness and stakeholder management experience required to oversee one of London's most prestigious heritage office environments.
The appointment proved highly successful, further strengthening our long-standing relationship with the Institute for Government and demonstrating our ability to deliver specialist facilities management professionals for complex and business-critical appointments.
Candidate testimonial
"The team at Maxwell Stephens were very impressive. After the initial interview with several of the team, they arranged a number of interviews within a week that matched my skills perfectly. I am now settled into my ideal role, and they negotiated an excellent package on my behalf. I would certainly recommend Maxwell Stephens to any Facilities Management professional looking to further their career."
Fiona Ingram, Facilities Manager, Institute for Government
Why This Placement Worked
A contract-to-permanent brief is often treated as a quick interim fill, with the permanent question left for later. Recruiting from the outset for someone who could hold the role permanently, and who had already worked in a heritage, high-profile environment, is what gives a brief like this its best chance of ending in a lasting appointment.
If you are recruiting a facilities manager for a listed or heritage building, or for an organisation where events and senior visitors put the building on show, Maxwell Stephens can help you define the brief and reach the candidates who have done it before. Get in touch with our team.