Main Purpose of the Job

To lead the operational delivery, compliance assurance and continuous improvement of fire safety systems, physical security infrastructure and incident management arrangements across the NBI Partnership estate. The post-holder is the named operational lead for fire and security systems, with professional autonomy to make day-to-day decisions affecting life safety, asset protection and operational continuity across a complex bioscience research campus.

The role ensures that fire, security and life safety systems are available, fully operational, properly maintained, and demonstrably compliant with all applicable regulations, codes of practice and industry standards. The post-holder is accountable for translating strategic policy direction into effective operational practice, and for ensuring that the Partnership can evidence compliance to insurers, auditors and statutory bodies.

Working in partnership with the Head of HSEQ and the HSEQ Fire Compliance Officer, the post-holder supports the effective operation and ongoing compliance of fire and life safety systems. The post-holder is responsible for collating and maintaining the data and evidence required to demonstrate operational system compliance. Technical guidance provided by HSEQ is interpreted and embedded into operational processes to ensure that systems remain effective, compliant and properly documented.

The role is operational in focus but strategic in impact: failure of any one element of the fire, security or incident management arrangement could lead to serious injury, significant property loss, disruption to research operations, regulatory enforcement action and material reputational damage to the Partnership and its member Institutes. Key areas of accountability:
• Operational delivery and performance of fire and security systems across the estate.
• CCTV and access control monitoring, system management, reporting and evidence retention.
• Ensuring that suitable control measures are in place regarding data management, access authorisation and information governance for security systems.
• Coordination of emergency response, resilience testing and post-incident learning.
• Operational support for Business Continuity Planning and exercise delivery.
• Management of a defined operational budget and the Security Service Partner contract (circa £350,000 per annum).
• Contract management of specialist fire and security systems maintenance contracts and guarding services.

The NBI Partnership (NBIP) provides facilities management services to research institutes located at the Norwich Research Park, including the John Innes Centre (JIC), Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Earlham Institute (EI) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL). The Partnership manages an estate of approximately 66 buildings comprising laboratory environments, controlled environment facilities, high-containment biological work areas, plant growth facilities, data centres, district-scale energy infrastructure and public-facing buildings.

The estate operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and supports activities ranging from Class 1 and Class 2 contained-use work to internationally significant long-term research programmes. Effective fire and security management is fundamental to safeguarding people, protecting research assets, maintaining biological containment and ensuring operational continuity.

The role operates at the interface between operational facilities management and the technical, regulatory and assurance frameworks owned by HSEQ. The post-holder is expected to exercise sound professional judgement, work with significant autonomy within established governance frameworks, and provide credible operational leadership in dealings with senior internal stakeholders, contractors and statutory agencies.

The role includes regular liaison with neighbouring organisations including the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (NNUH), and engagement with statutory agencies including Fire & Rescue, Police, the Health and Safety Executive and Local Authority representatives. The post-holder will represent the Partnership at relevant cross-estate security and resilience forums.

Key Relationships

Reports to: Support Services Manager

Internal: Head of HSEQ and HSEQ Fire Compliance Officer (close working relationship), Head of Facilities, Deputy Head of FM, Facilities Operations Manager, FM Compliance Manager, FM Business Partner, Critical Services Supervisor, Maintenance Operations team, Laboratory and Operational Managers across all four Institutes, Helpdesk and Business Systems team

External: Security Service Partner (circa £350k contract), Fire systems maintenance contractors, Security systems maintenance contractors (CCTV, access control, intruder detection), Insurers, loss adjusters and external auditors, University of East Anglia, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Fire & Rescue Service, Police, Local Authority and Health and Safety Executive representatives

Main Activities & Responsibilities

Operational delivery of fire and security systems
• Lead the operational delivery and performance assurance of fire detection and alarm systems, emergency lighting, voice alarm and associated life safety infrastructure across the estate.
• Lead the operational delivery and performance of CCTV, access control, intruder detection, perimeter security and associated electronic security systems.
• Monitor system performance and contractor delivery against agreed KPIs, SLAs and statutory requirements; escalate non-conformance through appropriate governance routes.
• Ensure that defects, compliance risks and service failures are appropriately prioritised, tracked through to resolution, and reported transparently.
• Maintain oversight of access permissions and security clearances aligned to operational, research, biosecurity and visitor management needs.
• Provide subject matter expertise on system design, specification and lifecycle management to support capital and minor works projects affecting fire or security infrastructure.

Fire management and compliance
• Develop and maintain the operational deployment of building-specific Fire Management Plans, ensuring alignment with NBIP fire safety policies and technical standards owned by HSEQ.
• Share revisions and proposed amendments with the HSEQ Fire Compliance Officer for compliance validation before formal issue.
• Ensure that statutory inspections, testing and servicing regimes are delivered to schedule, properly documented and evidenced for audit and insurance purposes.
• Work with stakeholders to arrange and coordinate fire drills; formally evaluate outcomes and use findings to drive continuous improvement in evacuation arrangements.
• Conduct operational building walk-rounds and report findings to the HSEQ Fire Compliance Officer.
• Track and coordinate resolution of actions arising from fire risk assessments issued by HSEQ, working closely with Maintenance Operations and the FM Compliance Manager.
• Act as operational liaison with Fire & Rescue Services, Police and Local Authority representatives on matters of fire safety and emergency planning.

Security management and contract oversight
• Manage the operational delivery of the Security Service Partner contract (circa £350,000 per annum), holding the contractor to account against agreed performance standards.
• Monitor guarding performance, vetting and training compliance, patrol coverage, response times and contractual KPIs.
• Lead structured service reviews; document contractor performance and intervene where standards are not being achieved.
Lead operational investigations into security incidents and liaise with Police and internal stakeholders where required.
• Maintain collaborative security engagement with neighbouring institutions (NNUH, UEA) and statutory agencies, including representing the Partnership at cross-estate security forums.
• Support strategic security reviews led by the Head of Facilities and Head of HSEQ, providing operational data, performance evidence and subject matter input.

Incident and business continuity management
• Coordinate the operational response to alarms, security incidents and estate emergencies, acting as a senior operational point of contact during out-of-hours escalations within agreed on-call arrangements.
• Work with stakeholders to develop, review and test Business Continuity Plans (BCP) for facilities-critical scenarios affecting the estate.
• Work with stakeholders to arrange and evaluate desktop and scenario-based emergency exercises, ensuring lessons identified are captured and acted upon.
• Support post-incident reviews and corrective action implementation; maintain a register of lessons learned and recurring themes.
• Contribute to organisational resilience planning, including review of dependencies, single points of failure and recovery time objectives.

Policy development and governance
• Provide operational input into fire safety, security, incident management and resilience policies developed by HSEQ and the FM function, and owned by the Institutes.
• Provide subject matter expertise into governance and compliance reporting, including periodic reporting to senior management and the Audit and Risk Committees of the member Institutes where required.
• Translate policy requirements into operational procedures, work instructions and competency standards.
• Maintain accurate compliance documentation and audit trails for internal and external review.
• Support the maintenance of risk registers relating to fire, security and operational resilience.

Budget and resource management
• Manage an operational systems and compliance budget of circa £75,000, ensuring expenditure is prioritised against risk and demonstrably delivers value for money.
• Monitor expenditure, forecast accurately, and operate within Partnership financial control frameworks.
• Provide input into lifecycle planning, asset replacement strategies and system upgrade proposals.
• Support the development of business cases for investment in fire, security and incident management infrastructure.

Contract management
• Act as Contract Manager for:
i) The Security Service Partner contract (circa £350,000 per annum).
ii) Fire systems maintenance contracts.
iii) Security systems maintenance contracts (CCTV, access control, intruder detection).
• Develop service specifications, performance standards and tender documentation in conjunction with procurement colleagues.
• Review contractor Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS) and ensure compliance with permit-to-work systems.
• Monitor KPIs and SLAs, hold formal contract review meetings and support procurement processes for re-tender or renewal.
• Ensure contractor competence, insurance, accreditation and right-to-work checks are current and properly documented.

Training and awareness
• Support HSEQ in maintaining adequate fire marshal coverage across the Institutes and Partnership.
• Arrange and coordinate desktop and scenario-based exercises for security and BCP resilience.
• Promote a positive culture of vigilance, safety and compliance through engagement, communication and visible operational presence.
• Provide briefings to senior stakeholders on operational performance, emerging risks and improvement initiatives.

As agreed with line manager, any other duties commensurate with the nature of the role

Education & Qualifications

Requirement

Importance

Degree or equivalent professional qualification in Facilities Management, Fire Safety, Security Management, Building Services or related discipline, or substantial equivalent vocational experience

Essential

Recognised fire safety qualification (e.g., NEBOSH Fire Certificate or equivalent)

Essential

SIA accreditation, or willingness and ability to obtain within an agreed timeframe

Essential

Evidence of continuing professional development

Essential

Membership of a relevant professional body (IFE, IFSM, IWFM, Security Institute or equivalent)

Desirable

Business Continuity or Emergency Planning qualification (e.g., BCI Certificate, CRMP or equivalent)

Desirable

Contract management qualification (e.g., NEC, IACCM)

Desirable

Higher-level fire safety qualification (NEBOSH Diploma in Fire Safety, or membership of the Institute of Fire Engineers)

Desirable

Specialist Knowledge & Skills

Requirement

Importance

Sound working knowledge of fire safety legislation, applicable British and European standards, and industry codes of practice

Essential

Strong contract management and contractor performance skills

Essential

Sound working knowledge of physical security principles, electronic security systems and security industry standards

Essential

Working knowledge of data protection and information governance requirements relating to CCTV and access control data

Essential

Competence in standard Microsoft Office applications and CAFM, ticketing or compliance management systems

Essential

Familiarity with Building Information Modelling (BIM) and digital asset management approaches.

Desirable

Experience using SFG20 or equivalent maintenance frameworks

Desirable

Awareness of national counter-terrorism and protective security guidance (e.g., NPSA / ProtectUK)

Desirable

Knowledge of GMO (Contained Use) Regulations, CDM 2015 and other regulatory frameworks relevant to research estates

Desirable

Relevant Experience

Requirement

Importance

Significant operational experience managing fire safety systems within a complex multi-building estate.

Essential

Experience managing security systems including CCTV, access control and intruder detection.

Essential

Experience managing large or critical service contracts, including security guarding contracts

Essential

Experience managing defined operational budgets and demonstrating value for money

Essential

Experience supporting or contributing to Business Continuity Planning and resilience exercises

Essential

Experience coordinating fire drills, evacuation exercises and emergency response arrangements

Essential

Experience undertaking compliance inspections, workplace audits and documented walk-rounds

Essential

Experience liaising effectively with Fire & Rescue, Police and Local Authority representatives

Essential

Experience delivering or coordinating training and awareness activity

Essential

Experience operating within a formal governance, audit and compliance environment

Essential

Experience within laboratory, research, higher education or healthcare environments

Desirable

Experience leading or facilitating resilience or scenario-based exercises at organisational level

Desirable

Experience contributing to security strategy or operating model development

Desirable

Experience of working with Alarm Receiving Centres (ARC) and remote monitoring solutions

Desirable

Experience working in a multi-tenant or shared-estate environment

Desirable

Interpersonal & Communication Skills

Requirement

Importance

Professional credibility and presence appropriate to senior internal and external stakeholder engagement

Essential

Strong analytical skills, including the ability to interpret system data, performance reports and compliance evidence

Essential

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to brief senior stakeholders clearly and credibly

Essential

Sound judgement under operational pressure, including during live incidents

Essential

Strong organisational skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple sites and stakeholders

Essential

Calm, methodical and decisive under operational pressure

Essential

Collaborative, with a strong service ethos and a track record of working effectively across organisational and disciplinary boundaries

Essential

Committed to continuous improvement, evidence-based practice and learning from incidents

Essential

Personally invested in safety, integrity and ethical conduct

Essential

Additional Requirements

Requirement

Importance

Willingness to work outside standard hours as required. The role will require occasional out-of-hours and weekend working, including participation in an on-call escalation rota for serious or complex security and fire incidents.

Essential

Attention to detail

Essential

Promotes equality and values diversity

Essential

Ability to maintain confidentiality and security of information where appropriate

Essential

Able to present a positive image of self and the Partnership

Essential

Willingness to embrace the values of the Partnership, ensuring it is a great place to work

Essential

NBI Partnership

The NBI Partnership provides non-scientific services to the John Innes Centre (JIC), Quadram Institute Bioscience (QIB), Earlham Institute (EI) and The Sainsbury Laboratory (TSL). All of these organisations carry out scientific research funded by the UK Government, European Union, Charitable and Industrial Sponsors. The Partnership employs around 140 staff to cater for the needs of approximately 1100 Research Staff, Students and Visiting Scientists who are all located in close proximity on the Norwich Research Park.

The John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute Bioscience, the Earlham Institute and The Sainsbury Laboratory are registered charities (No’s 223852, 1058499, 1136213 and 106550) and are Equal Opportunity Employers.

For more information about working at NBI Partnership, please click here.

Department

Facilities

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Fire and Security Manager (Facilities Operations)

The NBI Partnership is seeking an experienced and motivated Fire and Security Manager (Facilities Operations) to lead the operational delivery of fire safety, physical security and incident management across one of Europe's leading bioscience research campuses.

Supporting the internationally recognised research institutes at the Norwich Research Park, this is a unique opportunity to play a key role in protecting people, scientific facilities and nationally important research. Working across a diverse estate of laboratories, controlled environment facilities, data centres and critical infrastructure, you will provide operational leadership for fire and security systems, emergency preparedness and organisational resilience.

Background:

The Norwich Bioscience Institutes are a cluster of internationally renowned research organisations, working to tackle major challenges of the 21st Century – the sustainability of our environment, our food supplies and healthy ageing. 

The NBI Partnership provides high quality, non-scientific support services for the diverse community of staff, students and visiting workers at the Institutes (the Earlham Institute, John Innes Centre, The Sainsbury Laboratory and Quadram Institute Bioscience) and for the NBI Partnership.

Based on the Norwich Research Park amongst 230 hectares of parkland, you will be joining a committed, professional and welcoming team.  In addition, you will enjoy a competitive salary and annual leave, our defined contribution pension scheme, excellent recreational facilities and a range of other employee benefits.

The role:

The postholder will be responsible for the operational management of fire detection and life safety systems, CCTV, access control, guarding services and emergency response arrangements, while ensuring compliance with statutory legislation and industry best practice.

The role includes management of a specialist security services contract (circa £350,000), operational budgets, contractor performance and close liaison with Fire & Rescue Services, Police, Local Authorities and neighbouring organisations including the University of East Anglia and Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.

The ideal candidate:

The successful candidate will have significant experience managing fire safety and security systems within a complex operational environment, together with strong contract management, stakeholder engagement and incident management skills.

A recognised qualification in fire safety, facilities management, security management or a related discipline is essential, together with experience of delivering compliance, managing contractors and leading operational improvements. Experience within research, healthcare, higher education or similarly regulated environments would be advantageous.

This is an excellent opportunity to join a forward-looking Facilities team undergoing an exciting transformation programme. You'll have the chance to influence how fire safety, security and resilience are delivered across a world-class scientific campus while developing your professional expertise through a wide range of challenging projects, training and career development opportunities.

Additional information:

Salary on appointment will be within the range £47,450 to £52,560 per annum depending on qualifications and experience. This is a full-time post on an indefinite basis.

Please note, this post does not meet UKVI requirements to provide visa sponsorship.

The NBI Partnership is an equal opportunities and disability confident employer. We are committed to attracting, recruiting and retaining the best talent, and welcome all applications.

The closing date for applications will be 29 September 2026.

We reserve the right to close the advert prior to the closing date stated should we receive a high volume of applications. It is therefore advisable that you submit your application as early as possible to avoid disappointment.