Background
The William Pears Group asked Maxwell Stephens to recruit an Assistant Facilities Manager. The post reports to the Facilities Manager and supports the upkeep of three properties in London and one in Oxted, Surrey, as well as the day-to-day needs of the people working in them.
Working mainly from one London office, the post holder travels between sites and acts as deputy when the Facilities Manager is away.
The group wanted a dependable second in command for facilities, someone who could be trusted to keep the buildings compliant and welcoming without constant direction.
The Challenge
This role sits between supervisor and doer. It involves daily checks of lifts, kitchens, fire systems, CCTV and external areas, management of the cleaning contract and utility readings, and oversight of contractors on planned and reactive work, including checking permits and paperwork before works begin. It also includes supporting service charge budgets, managing temporary reception cover and handling off-site document storage.
Good minor maintenance ability was essential, along with experience in a demanding facilities environment and the interpersonal skill to deal with colleagues, visitors and suppliers. The person must also be willing to act as fire warden, first aider and on-call responder. Candidates who combine that practical side with deputy-level judgement are not easy to find.
The post also asks for occasional weekend work and attendance at more than one office, which narrows the pool further. Employers in this position often receive many applications from people who have the administrative side but not the practical confidence to handle small repairs and contractor oversight.
Our Approach
- We agreed with the client where practical maintenance skill mattered most and where it could be traded for stronger deputy and contractor management experience.
- We targeted facilities coordinators and assistant managers working across several offices, as well as people from facilities providers.
- We screened for the essentials, namely minor maintenance competence, calm handling of pressure, strong written and verbal communication and a working knowledge of Word, Excel and Outlook.
- We kept the process tight, advised on timing and managed the candidate through offer and acceptance.
The Outcome
Maxwell Stephens made the appointment.
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