Head of Fire Engineering

Head Of Fire Engineering

We are looking for a highly skilled and ambitious Fire Engineer to establish and lead our in-house Fire Engineering Department and join our rapidly growing, dynamic multi-disciplinary consultancy. This pivotal role will bring fire safety expertise into the business, while ensuring rigorous fire safety standards across our projects.

The successful candidate will develop fire strategies, provide technical guidance, ensure compliance with regulations, and integrate fire safety principles across multi-disciplinary teams. Client care, industry leadership, and technical excellence are essential to this role. The Fire Engineer will be expected to lead, recruit, and develop a fire engineering function within the company while contributing to business growth, strategic planning, and project delivery.

Key objectives

• Develop and implement fire strategies and technical reviews for new and existing projects.
• Lead fire engineering assessments to ensure regulatory compliance and risk mitigation.
• Establish an internal fire engineering function
• Provide industry-leading expertise to multi-disciplinary teams across UK offices Principal responsibilities and accountabilities

Principal Responsibilities and accountabilities

• Fire Strategy Development: Author and review fire safety strategies, balancing passive and active provisions for compliance and safety.
• Regulatory Compliance & Approvals: Ensure fire designs adhere to UK Building Regulations (Part B), BS 9999, and other fire safety codes. Engage with regulatory authorities for approvals.
• Means of Escape & Compartmentation Analysis: Assess escape provisions, fire-resistant compartmentation layouts, and risk mitigation strategies.
• Fire Safety System Design & Technical Reviews: Conduct technical assessments of detection, alarm, suppression, and smoke control systems, including CFD modelling and fire risk evaluations.
• Project Delivery & Coordination: Collaborate with architects, MEP engineers, and contractors to integrate fire safety into design and construction processes.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Represent the business in meetings, workshops, and client discussions to resolve fire safety challenges.
• Team Development & Leadership: Lead and mentor fire engineering team members, establishing a high-performing internal function.
• Business Development & Client Care: Contribute to the growth of the fire engineering discipline by networking, developing client relationships, and supporting new business opportunities.
• Technical Excellence & Innovation: Promote advancements in fire engineering knowledge, write technical articles, speak at industry events, and lead continuous improvement initiatives.
• Financial Management & Reporting: Oversee fire engineering budgets, fee monitoring, and cost analyses for project delivery.

Qualifications and training

• Degree in Fire Engineering, Fire Safety Engineering, or equivalent (Accredited by the Institution of Fire Engineers).
• Recognized professional membership with The Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE) or similar body.
• Eligible to pass security clearance and airside pass applications.
• Full UK Driving License. Technical skills and experience

Technical Skills and Experience

• Extensive fire safety design experience within a design consultancy or engineering firm.
• Expertise in fire strategy development, risk assessment, and compartmentation analysis.
• Proficiency in fire safety system design, including smoke control calculations, sprinkler coverage, and evacuation modelling (CFD simulations).
• Strong knowledge of fire regulations and standards (Building Regulations, BS 9999, BS 5839, BS 5306, BS EN 12845, ASTM, ISO, etc.).
• Ability to engage professionally with all levels of stakeholders, including clients, architects, code officials, and contractors.
• Strong communication and leadership skills, with experience mentoring and developing fire engineering teams.
• Financial awareness, including fee tracking, project budgeting, and cost monitoring.
• Multidisciplinary experience, demonstrating an ability to integrate fire safety within broader engineering solutions.
• Ability to travel within the UK, depending on project requirements.