Fire Engineering Manager

Henderson Companies•Nashville, TN

11d

About The Position

A Fire Engineering Manager in Henderson’s Community/Health sector serves as both a technical discipline leader and people manager. The role leads and develops engineers and designers, manages performance and resources, and connects staff, projects, and technical resources to achieve technical excellence, operational efficiency, and sector and organization-wide goals. The manager promotes Henderson’s design practices and continuous improvement. In a limited capacity, the role also designs complex building systems, prepares design documents, performs engineering calculations, and solves complex engineering problems in coordination with project teams and other disciplines. The manager oversees project and design work from concept through completion, supports client coordination and project delivery, and ensures designs and related deliverables meet scope, schedule, cost, and quality requirements. The position may include Engineer of Record (EOR) responsibilities, including additional oversight and accountability for signing and sealing projects.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required.
Minimum 12 years of relevant progressive experience required.
Expert knowledge and proficiency in engineering design, the A&E industry, and applicable codes, design guides, and standards across a broad range of practices, projects, and/or program types.
Working knowledge of earned value, contracts, and construction processes and methods.
Working knowledge of Revit and Bluebeam Revu.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office and engineering design software applicable to the discipline or focus.
Demonstrated ability to build trust-based relationships, foster collaboration, and support continuous improvement.
High emotional intelligence; ability to lead with empathy and clarity, navigate performance conversations constructively, and support team members through challenges and change.
Interest and ability in developing others through regular feedback, career guidance, and skills-based mentoring.
High technical aptitude, ability to learn and use various systems and processes, and comfort training others on them.
Effective verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with designers at all levels.
Effective critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Team-oriented approach and ability to work collaboratively, contribute to group projects, and lead less experienced designers.
Ability to adapt to changing work environments, priorities, and organizational needs.
Ability to prioritize, execute, and/or direct multiple tasks in a dynamic environment.
Ability to give and receive constructive feedback and adjust to coaching.
Self-starter who is proactive and willing to teach, manage, and help others as needed.
Trustworthiness and ability to handle sensitive information.
Demonstrated proficiency in the core competencies described in the job description.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in a relevant engineering field, such as mechanical, electrical, fire protection, or architectural engineering; preferred, while a high school diploma or GED is required.
Professional Engineering license preferred.
Additional certifications relevant to the technical field, such as BEMP, CPD, CDP, NICET, or RCDD, preferred.
Experience performing as an Engineer of Record (EOR) preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and mentor discipline-aligned engineers and designers within the assigned sector, fostering collaboration and high performance.
Serve as a hiring manager and career coach; participate in interviews and provide performance feedback, skills guidance, and career development support.
Participate in project scheduling meetings, match staff assignments to project scopes, and monitor progress toward project objectives.
Provide hands-on coaching and individualized feedback and goal-setting meetings.
Assist sector leaders in establishing and implementing practice- or sector-level goals, policies, objectives, and standards.
Champion directives from technical and other leaders and facilitate upward feedback.
Collaborate across functions to manage project staffing resources and discipline budgets.
Improve project and design quality through quality reviews and regular check-ins; provide final reviews for projects under the manager’s purview when appropriate.
Understand, teach, and apply Henderson design guidelines, standards, policies, and procedures, serving as a technical resource to the team.
Manage or delegate and oversee project coordination, including email and scope/schedule coordination, design-team coordination, client meetings, project quality, client questions, and project delivery.
Foster a client-centric approach individually and across the team.
Share information, updates, ideas, and suggestions for technical and process improvements with peers and leaders.
Direct and oversee preparation of design documents, system layouts, detailed drawings, schematics, and specifications, from simple to highly complex.
Lead project and design efforts from concept through completion.
Review shop drawings for conformance with plans and specifications.
Research system or equipment feasibility and evaluate and recommend products for their applications.
Develop solutions to complex engineering problems and design challenges, directly or in an advisory capacity.
Ensure drawings, specifications, reports, and analyses meet scope, schedule, cost, and quality requirements.
Communicate with clients to develop and coordinate requirements and scope of work, maintaining proactive communication throughout projects.
Anticipate and answer questions from clients and architects; direct fact-finding or assist others in answering questions.
Visit job sites to verify existing conditions and observe construction progress.
Resolve conflicts involving owners, architects, and contractors as needed.
Identify and address gaps in industry or discipline knowledge; stay current on emerging technologies, industry trends, codes, and standards.
Meet the professional expectations associated with a PE license and/or EOR enablement, including sound engineering decisions, high-quality work, and accountability; may serve as an EOR with additional project oversight and signing-and-sealing responsibilities.