Physical Training Instructor

Physical Training Instructor

Location: Defence Academy, Shrivenham (Swindon) SN6 8LA
Salary: £24,433.27 plus excellent benefits
Schedule: Full time 37 hours per week Monday – Thursday 8am-4.30pm Fridays 8am-3.30pm.

Ready to impact a better future?

As a Physical Training Instructor in our Defence Academy team, you’ll help deliver high‑quality sports and fitness programmes that support the wellbeing, development and readiness of everyone training at the JSCSC (Joint Services Command and Staff College). Your work will have a clear purpose – ensuring safe, modern, inclusive fitness experiences that positively impact lives and build a healthier future for the whole community.

You’ll play a key role in coordinating facilities, guiding users, and helping colleagues reach their fitness goals. It’s meaningful work, where your expertise contributes directly to better physical health, improved morale, and a stronger, more resilient environment for learning and growth.

What you’ll do as a Physical Training Instructor

You’ll be entrusted to:

• Coordinate and oversee sports pitches across JSCSC, ensuring they are safe and ready for use.


• Support sports activities – including coaching, refereeing, programming and general management as needed.


• Inspect fitness equipment daily for safety and ensure all items are properly maintained and serviced.


• Prepare fitness schedules for individuals and deliver well‑being and fitness programmes for military students, dependants and Serco colleagues.


• Manage sports equipment, including issuing kit, advising on procurement needs and maintaining accurate records.


• Provide Health and Safety Inductions for all fitness suite users.


• Liaise with sports teams and grounds personnel to ensure pitches meet governing body standards and fixture requirements.

Does this sound like you?

You’ll be a great fit for this role if you have:

• Level 2 REPS qualification (with Spinning Instructor desirable).


• Strong knowledge of sports and fitness coaching and training activities.


• High levels of physical fitness and the ability to work well both independently and as part of a team.


• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with confidence delivering information to varied audiences.


• Competence using MS Office (including Word, Excel, Outlook and Email) and the ability to prepare reports or usage data.

Vetting and checks:

This role requires Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance, which involves verifying your identity, employment history, nationality, and criminal record to meet government security standards. In addition, depending on the nature of the role, you may need to obtain formal Security Clearance (such as CTC or SC), which includes more detailed background checks on employment, criminal record, and financial history to ensure suitability for working in secure environments. Please note that UK residency requirements may apply for certain levels of clearance. You will also complete an Occupational Health Questionnaire so we can identify and provide any support you may need to undertake the role effectively.

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:

• Salary: Competitive salaries with annual reviews


• Pension: Up to 6% contributory pension scheme


• Holidays: 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays


• Training and development: We offer a wide range of learning opportunities with over 1,100 internal courses available, funding for qualifications and apprenticeships, mentoring opportunities, and a focus on internal progression


• Wellbeing: 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme, BUPA Anytime Healthline, wellbeing app, simply health cash plans to claim back money towards healthcare costs, 30% off at Serco-managed leisure centres


• Discounts: Save across around 1,000 retailers, from food and clothing to days out, entertainment and travel


• Employee networks: Dedicated networks where colleagues can come together to find support, share challenges, discuss ideas, network and be part of a community


• Charity: Support a charity or organisation with a paid volunteering day each year. You can also choose to donate to your favourite charity tax-free, through our Payroll Giving Scheme

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. We’re also a signatory of the UK Governments Women in Defence Charter, to find out more please click here.

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. 

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