Regional Practice Lead – Fire Protection

Director of Fire Protection Engineering

Florida | Remote Initially | Direct Hire | Tampa | Miami | Orlando
Salary from $160,000-$175,000 + bonus

A growing engineering and risk consulting firm is seeking a senior fire protection engineering leader to launch and build its Florida practice.

This role is specifically for someone with a strong background in fire protection consulting. The ideal candidate will bring technical credibility in fire protection engineering and life safety, along with the business development and leadership experience needed to establish a new regional presence. P.E. is highly desired or being scheduled to test for it. 

You will initially work remotely while building relationships with clients, developing new fire protection consulting opportunities, and expanding the company’s presence across key Florida markets such as Orlando, Tampa, Miami, and other major metropolitan areas.

As the practice grows, you will help determine the best location for a permanent Florida office, build out the local operation, and hire and develop a team of fire protection engineers and technical professionals.

This is a highly visible opportunity for someone who wants to build a fire protection consulting practice from the ground up while having the resources and support of an established engineering organization behind them.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and grow a fire protection engineering consulting practice throughout Florida.
• Build relationships with clients across commercial, institutional, industrial, public-sector, and other complex project environments.
• Identify and pursue new fire protection and life safety consulting opportunities.
• Expand existing client relationships and develop new accounts.
• Provide technical leadership on fire protection engineering and life safety projects.
• Consult with clients on fire protection systems, code compliance, life safety, risk reduction, and related engineering challenges.
• Lead proposal development, scopes of work, fee development, and client presentations.
• Attend industry conferences, client meetings, networking events, and business development functions.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of fire protection codes, building codes, risk standards, and construction technologies.
• Support and review technical work produced by fire protection engineering staff.
• Help establish the Florida office as business volume grows.
• Recruit, hire, mentor, and develop fire protection engineers and technical staff.
• Establish processes, performance expectations, and operating standards for the growing regional practice.
• Partner with other engineering and consulting disciplines on multidisciplinary projects.

Required Background

• 5+ years of Fire Protection Consulting
• Strong technical background in fire protection engineering, fire and life safety, code consulting, or closely related services.
• Experience working directly with clients in a consulting environment.
• Demonstrated ability to develop business, grow accounts, or support technical sales.
• Leadership or management experience strongly preferred.
• Experience mentoring, supervising, or developing engineering professionals.
• Four-year degree in Engineering, Architecture, or a related technical field preferred.
• Professional Engineer licensure preferred, or willingness to obtain.
• Fire protection-related NICET certification is a plus.
• Certified Fire Protection Specialist certification is a plus.
• Strong understanding of applicable fire protection, building, and life safety codes.
• Must reside in Florida and be within reasonable commuting distance of a major airport.

Why This Opportunity Stands Out

This is not a traditional engineering management role where you inherit an established local office and simply maintain it.

You will have the opportunity to build the Florida fire protection consulting practice yourself, develop the client base, help select the future office location, and eventually build the team around you.

For the right fire protection consultant, it offers a rare combination of technical leadership, business development, autonomy, and the ability to put your fingerprints on an entire regional practice.

FootBridge is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive environment where everyone is valued and respected. We make employment decisions based on qualifications and business needs, without discrimination on any basis, and we welcome candidates from diverse backgrounds to apply.