Hire a Head of Engineering and Building Services by first deciding whether you need a technical authority, a people leader or a commercial operator, because one person rarely excels at all three. Define scope and authority in writing, then test judgement under pressure, not just qualifications.
This guide helps employers hire a Head of Engineering and Building Services with confidence. It starts with the most important decision: whether the role is mainly a technical authority, a people leader or a commercial operator, and how that choice shapes the whole process.
It then covers scope and authority, honest disclosure of the estate, scenario-based tests of technical judgement, leadership assessment, working across the business, managing a scarce candidate pool and planning the first year. A checklist closes the guide.
What the guide covers
- Choosing between technical, people and commercial emphasis
- Writing scope and authority clearly
- Testing judgement instead of recall
- Assessing leadership as rigorously as engineering
- Running a process that suits scarce candidates
- Planning the first year before the offer
Related guides
Free Maxwell Stephens guides on the same subject:
- Engineering Manager Job Description Template
- The First 90 Days: Onboarding a New FM Leader
- Technical FM Recruitment
Who this resource is for
FM, estates and workplace leaders, and the HR and finance directors who sign off a senior engineering hire.
Talk to Maxwell Stephens
Maxwell Stephens is a specialist Facilities Management recruitment consultancy. If you are planning an FM, estates or workplace appointment, contact us for a confidential conversation, or read our case studies to see how comparable searches were run.