Estates SHEF & SFA Manager

Location: Defence Academy, SN6 8LA

Salary: Up to £45,000 depending on experience and qualifications

Schedule: Perm/FT/37 hours

Ready to impact a better future? As our Estates Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF) and Service Families Accommodation (SFA) Manager within the Defence team, you’ll play a pivotal role in creating safer environments, enhancing our positive culture, and ensuring we meet critical regulatory and contractual commitments. Your work will directly support the Defence Academy’s mission to educate and develop those who lead and protect our future. You’ll shape and lead SHEF and fire management strategies across the Estates department, guide colleagues with confidence and care, and help deliver services that make a meaningful impact on the Defence Academy community. This is a role with purpose — where your expertise contributes to safer workplaces, stronger processes, and better outcomes for all.

What you’ll do as an Estates SHEF and SFA Manager

• Set direction and implement Safety, Health, Environment and Fire (SHEF) management across the Estates department.
• Monitor, evaluate and review existing, new and upcoming SHEF and fire legislation, ensuring compliant systems and processes.
• Work proactively with managers and colleagues to drive continuous improvement and maintain a positive safety culture.
• Oversee contractor control processes, site inspection regimes, and quality sampling of sub‑contractor works.
• Act as Serco’s on‑site Fire Responsible Person and technical fire expert, managing fire risk assessments, compliance programmes and emergency systems.
• Support the delivery and oversight of Service Families Accommodation‑related responsibilities within Estates.

Does this sound like you? You’ll be a great fit for this role if you have:

• A NEBOSH Level 3 Occupational Health and Safety qualification and membership of IOSH (or are working towards it).
• Experience in fire safety management, including producing fire strategies, risk assessments and fire evacuation plans.
• Strong knowledge of relevant standards and legislation, such as BS9999:2017, BS5839:2025 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
• Demonstrable experience influencing culture change, coaching others and managing operational SHEF processes.
• The ability to build trusted relationships with a wide range of colleagues, stakeholders and partners.

This role requires BPSS clearance, which involves identity verification, employment history, and criminal record checks to meet government security standards. An Occupational Health Questionnaire will also be required to ensure we can offer appropriate support for your wellbeing and performance.

Discover all you need to keep growing

We’re one of the top 1% of international employers, so you can have confidence you’ll be part of a highly supportive culture with leaders you can count on to help you achieve your goals. From mentoring and training to our focus on internal progression, we’re proud to offer clear development opportunities – and the support and tools to help you seize them.

What we offer

• Holidays: Competitive holiday package
• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme
• Training and development: Over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships (including L3 Team Leader and L5 Operations Manager apprenticeships), mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression
• Health and wellbeing: Employee Assistance Programme, Bupa Anytime HealthLine, wellbeing app, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres, and 24/7 access to a virtual GP service
• Discounts: Discounts across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel
• Charity: Paid volunteering day, tax-free charitable giving through Payroll Giving Scheme, donate your pennies from your monthly pay to the Serco People Fund Charity
• Employee networks: Our networks support inclusion and connection by providing spaces for collaboration, learning, and belonging. They represent and empower all our colleagues including LGBTQIA+ employees, women, parents and carers, people with disabilities, veterans, and people from all cultural backgrounds.

Let’s impact a better future, together. Apply today.

To discover more about our careers in Defence, meet our team, and to find out more about what we offer, please follow this Link.

Please click on the apply button to complete your application. Occasionally we receive a large volume of applications for our roles and when that happens, we sometimes bring the closing date forward, so please apply promptly to avoid disappointment.

At Serco, we see people first and foremost for their performance and potential. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation that supports the needs of all. As such we will make reasonable adjustments at interview through to employment for our candidates and strongly encourage applications from a diverse candidate pool. We are open to discussions around flexibility and flexible working. As a proud Disability Confident Leader and holder of the Gold Inclusive Employer Standard, disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job will be given the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities at an interview.