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CASE STUDY:

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House (PRH) is an American multinational publishing company formed in 2013 from the merger of Random House and the iconic Penguin Group. Penguin Random House employ over 10,000 people globally and publishes over 15,000 titles annually under its 250 divisions and imprints. These titles include fiction and nonfiction for adults and children in both print and digital.

As part of a competitive tender process involving numerous recruitment agencies, PRH made the decision to work exclusively with Maxwell Stephens to recruit a Group Facilities Director.

The team at Maxwell Stephens really listened. I was keen to find a leadership team with whom I was morally aligned, and a Product that I could really get behind. We negotiated quickly, and fairly.

I would trust Maxwell Stephens implicitly if I were required to extend my own team. A hearty recommendation from me.

Reporting to the Group Operations Director, the Group Facilities Director is responsible and accountable for providing strategic and dynamic leadership for the Group Facilities department across all areas of the Penguin Random House UK & Ireland portfolio. The Facilities Director is responsible for ensuring effective standards and controls are in place for the design, development, implementation, maintenance, use, acquisition and management of facilities services and assets to support the core business.

This expansive senior role covered a range of key responsibilities which included but were not limited to:

– Responsible for facilities operational expenditure of all PRH sites with a budget of circa £25 million per annum, as well as responsibility of a Capital Project spend of approx £1 million per annum and group services budget spend of over £2 million.

– Estate Management of UK & Ireland wide property portfolio.

– Ensuring HSE best practice across the PRH Group, complying with all current regulations.

– People management of the facilities team including performance management and appraisals, work organisation, delegation, training and reward recommendations.

– Proactive management and benchmarking of various third party contracts and providers of outsourced critical services.

– Project management of all Group Facilities and property related projects.

The Position

The Candidate

For this role, proven experience of delivering high quality work in a similar role for a minimum of 3 years was a necessity. The ideal candidate needed to have robust team management experience, good technical knowledge and a track record of having improved services and reduced sot through managing third party contracts. In addition the post holder needed to show evidence of managing building projects and have demonstrable experience of tendering contracts with good procurement and contract negotiation skills.

In regards to qualifications, a BIFM Level 6 or equivalent was an essential requirement, as was NEBOSH or equivalent Health and Safety qualification. With strong communication skills, the ideal candidate would have the ability to influence decisions at all levels and command respect from all areas of the business. They would be able to assert their expertise and achieve objectives diplomatically, as well as combining a strategic outlook with a hands-on attitude.