Background
University College London (UCL) is one of the world's foremost universities, internationally recognised for excellence in education, research and innovation. Its Estates division is responsible for one of the largest and most complex university estates in the UK, comprising more than 200 buildings with an asset value exceeding £2 billion, over four million square feet of academic space and approximately 4,000 student bedrooms.
Supporting a global institution of this scale requires exceptional operational leadership. Alongside managing an extensive and diverse estate, UCL is delivering a long-term capital investment programme valued at more than £1 billion, making its Estates function one of the most strategically important within the higher education sector.
Maxwell Stephens was appointed to recruit a Head of Facility Services, a senior leadership position responsible for the delivery of soft Facilities Management services across the University's entire estate.
The Challenge
The Head of Facility Services role represented one of the most significant operational Facilities Management appointments within the higher education sector.
Reporting into the senior Estates leadership team, the successful candidate would be responsible for leading the strategic delivery of a comprehensive range of soft FM services across UCL's diverse portfolio, ensuring consistently high standards of customer service, operational performance and statutory compliance.
The role included responsibility for:
- Leading a workforce of more than 300 Facilities Management professionals.
- Managing the delivery of soft FM services across a large multi-site estate.
- Developing service strategies to improve operational performance and customer satisfaction.
- Managing substantial operational budgets and driving value for money.
- Leading organisational change and service transformation programmes.
- Ensuring full compliance with statutory, regulatory and health & safety requirements.
- Working closely with senior stakeholders across academic, professional services and Estates teams.
- Supporting the delivery of UCL's long-term Estates Strategy.
Given the scale and visibility of the appointment, UCL required an exceptional leader capable of combining strategic thinking with strong operational delivery. Experience managing large, complex estates and leading significant teams was essential, alongside a proven ability to drive continuous improvement across customer-focused Facilities Management services.
Our Approach
Maxwell Stephens undertook a targeted executive search, drawing upon our extensive network of senior Facilities Management professionals across higher education, healthcare, commercial real estate and other complex operational environments.
Our recruitment process focused on identifying individuals with proven experience in:
- Leading large-scale soft Facilities Management operations.
- Managing substantial multi-million-pound operational budgets.
- Delivering service excellence across complex, multi-site estates.
- Leading large, diverse operational teams.
- Driving organisational change and continuous improvement.
- Building effective relationships with senior stakeholders.
- Maintaining high standards of governance, compliance and operational resilience.
Working closely with UCL throughout the assignment, we developed a comprehensive understanding of the University's strategic objectives, organisational culture and leadership expectations, enabling us to identify candidates who offered both the technical expertise and leadership capability required for long-term success.
Each shortlisted candidate underwent a rigorous competency-based assessment to evaluate their operational experience, strategic leadership, commercial awareness and ability to lead large-scale Facilities Management functions.
The Outcome
Our search culminated in the successful appointment of an outstanding Head of Facility Services who brought extensive experience leading Facilities Management operations across large, complex organisations.
The successful candidate demonstrated a proven ability to manage significant operational budgets, lead large multidisciplinary teams and deliver consistently high levels of customer service while driving continuous operational improvement.
Since joining UCL, they have played an important role in:
- Strengthening the delivery of soft Facilities Management services across the University's estate.
- Leading large operational teams through periods of organisational change.
- Driving service improvements and operational efficiencies.
- Enhancing customer satisfaction across academic and professional services departments.
- Maintaining robust compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
- Supporting the continued delivery of UCL's ambitious Estates Strategy and long-term investment programme.
This appointment further demonstrates Maxwell Stephens' expertise in recruiting senior Facilities Management leaders for some of the UK's largest and most complex estates, combining specialist market knowledge with a tailored executive search approach to secure exceptional leadership talent.