Client Overview
Derwent London is the largest real estate investment trust (REIT) focused on the central London commercial property market. With a distinctive, design-led ethos, Derwent London is known for working with top-tier architects, designers, and engineers to enhance and extract value from its properties through refurbishment, regeneration, and redevelopment. The company’s commitment to high-quality design has earned it numerous awards, but the true testament to its success lies in the functionality and appeal of its buildings, which consistently attract high-caliber occupiers.
The Challenge
Derwent London required an FM Project Manager to join their property management team. This role was critical to ensuring the successful delivery of a variety of projects across their central London property portfolio. The ideal candidate needed to be versatile, capable of both leading projects and providing support where necessary, all while aligning with the company’s asset strategies and net-zero ambitions.
Key responsibilities for this role included managing the program and delivery of projects, overseeing consultant and contractor relationships, and ensuring that new developments and refurbishments were efficiently mobilised. The FM Project Manager would also need to review and comment on development designs, ensuring that operational considerations were integrated from the early stages, and that buildings were handed over seamlessly to operations teams.
Given the complexity and scope of the role, the ideal candidate needed extensive project management experience, a strong background in facilities management, and a deep understanding of relevant health and safety legislation. They also needed to be familiar with operational systems, service charge operations, and building management systems such as HVAC, lighting, fire and life safety, security, and energy management systems.
Our Approach
We took on the challenge of finding the perfect FM Project Manager for Derwent London with a methodical and targeted recruitment strategy. Leveraging our deep industry knowledge and extensive network, we identified candidates who not only met the technical requirements of the role but also aligned with Derwent London’s unique culture and commitment to design excellence.
Our team focused on candidates with a proven track record in managing multiple projects within a commercial property setting, particularly those with experience in the central London market. We prioritised individuals with strong contract negotiation skills, a deep understanding of The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and the ability to manage complex consultant and contractor relationships.
We also placed a strong emphasis on finding a candidate who could support Derwent London’s net-zero carbon objectives, ensuring that environmental considerations were integrated into every project.
The Outcome
Through our rigorous recruitment process, we successfully placed an outstanding FM Project Manager with Derwent London. The selected candidate brought extensive experience in project management and facilities management, coupled with a deep understanding of the operational and strategic requirements of managing high-profile commercial properties.
The new FM Project Manager quickly integrated into Derwent London’s property management team, taking responsibility for multiple projects across the portfolio. Their ability to manage projects from inception to completion, maintain excellent relationships with clients and stakeholders, and ensure that projects were delivered on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards, has made them a key asset to the team.
Furthermore, their proactive approach to incorporating net-zero carbon objectives into every project has aligned perfectly with Derwent London’s sustainability goals, ensuring that the company continues to lead the way in environmentally responsible property management.