Background
The Press Association is a media organisation. It asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Facilities Manager in its Property department, reporting to the Group Facilities Manager and responsible for coordinating the daily running and maintenance of the building.
The role manages a facilities team and the providers who deliver services to the business and to tenants on site.
The client wanted a manager with the confidence to lead people and challenge suppliers, working closely with business managers and tenants on building matters.
The Challenge
The post spans a broad service range: maintenance, security, post and courier, vending and hospitality, procurement of consumables and office moves. It also asks the manager to keep the budget on track and to contribute to annual budget preparation.
Supplier management is central. The manager monitors performance and compliance of service providers, produces monthly compliance updates and deals directly with primary contacts to resolve shortfalls. The role also promotes health and safety on site, runs inductions for staff and contractors, and seeks service improvements. Tact and diplomacy matter, because the manager works with business heads and tenants at every level. A health and safety qualification such as IOSH or NEBOSH was expected.
The role also demands a manager who can motivate the team and identify development needs, so people skills carry as much weight as technical knowledge. Strong candidates who combine both are usually in post and need a convincing reason to move. The brief also valued a pro-active approach to service improvement, flexibility and enthusiasm for meeting deadlines.
Our Approach
- We discussed with the client how much weight to give leadership of the team compared with supplier and budget management.
- We targeted facilities managers from media, corporate and multi-tenant buildings who had run soft services and contractors.
- We assessed candidates on supplier performance management, financial control, communication in difficult situations and their health and safety credentials.
- We managed the process from shortlist to offer, keeping both sides informed throughout.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens made the appointment.
If you are planning a facilities, estates or workplace appointment, talk to Maxwell Stephens about how we would run the search.
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