Background
We recently undertook the task of recruiting a Facilities Manager for Event Concept. This newly created role was crucial for ensuring the seamless operation and upkeep of Event Concept's headquarters in South Bermondsey, an industrial estate comprising three warehouses, three office spaces, and a yard totaling around 45,000 sq ft. The Facilities Manager would report directly to the Director of Operations, focusing on maintaining health and safety standards, legal compliance, and efficient supplier and contract management.
The Challenge
The primary challenge was to identify a candidate who could:
• Maintain the facility to high standards, ensuring a quality experience for staff and visitors.
• Serve as the first point of contact for resolving facility issues.
• Develop and implement a planned maintenance schedule.
• Ensure compliance with Building Regulations, Health and Safety, and Environmental Legislation.
• Coordinate building inductions and liaise with the landlord on lease-related issues.
• Conduct maintenance with minimal business disruption.
• Implement robust security and emergency procedures.
• Seek competitive tenders for necessary works, supplies, and services.
• Monitor and report supplier performance against SLAs.
• Review and ensure compliance of risk assessments and method statements.
• Lead environmental and sustainability initiatives.
• Prepare, monitor, and reconcile the facilities budget.
• Provide out-of-hours assistance for facility emergencies and maintenance.
The ideal candidate needed at least 2-3 years of facilities management experience, strong negotiation skills to demonstrate cost savings, H&S experience and training (NEBOSH), basic knowledge of building systems, and flexibility to work out-of-hours when necessary.
To meet Event Concept's specific needs, we:
• Utilised our extensive network and industry knowledge to identify potential candidates with the required experience and qualifications.
• Conducted in-depth interviews to assess candidates’ technical competencies, problem-solving abilities, and cultural fit with Event Concept.
• Verified professional qualifications and past achievements, especially in negotiating contracts and managing health and safety compliance.
• Presented a shortlist of highly qualified candidates to Event Concept for consideration.
The Results
We successfully placed a highly skilled Facilities Manager who brought extensive experience and expertise to the role. The selected candidate demonstrated:
• Strong facilities management skills and a proactive approach to resolving issues.
• Proven ability to negotiate contracts effectively, achieving cost savings.
• Comprehensive understanding of health and safety regulations and training (NEBOSH certified).
• Basic knowledge of building systems and the capability to manage out-of-hours situations.