Regional Fire & Life Safety Manager

SOCOTEC•Nashville, TX

About The Position

SOCOTEC Life Safety (SLS), SOCOTEC US’s life safety division, is an emerging fire protection engineering firm specializing in fire prevention, life safety systems, and compliance consulting. The Regional Fire & Life Safety Manager will launch and grow the division in the region, establishing office operations, developing a team, acquiring clients, and delivering high-quality fire protection solutions. The role combines technical fire protection engineering expertise with business development, financial and operational management, and team leadership. The manager will define and execute the regional market entry and growth strategy, build senior client and industry relationships, and drive client acquisition and cross-selling of SOCOTEC’s services. They will oversee projects and provide technical leadership, ensure compliance with applicable codes and regulations, and take full P&L ownership for the local Service Line, including budgeting, forecasting, utilization, margins, and cash flow. The role also involves establishing scalable operational, quality, and safety processes, managing project execution and collections, and recruiting and developing a high-performing team.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
Professional Engineer (PE) license in Fire Protection Engineering, or ability to obtain one within a reasonable time frame.
7–10 years of experience in fire protection engineering, including at least 3 years in a leadership or managerial role.
Strong understanding of fire protection systems design, building codes, and safety regulations, including NFPA, IBC, and UBC.
Experience managing or starting up a business unit, particularly in a technical or engineering-based environment.
Proven track record in business development, client relationship management, and project acquisition.
Excellent communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.
Ability to think strategically, solve problems, and thrive in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

Define and execute the regional market entry and growth strategy for SLS, aligned with regional and national strategies.
Develop a market-specific growth plan and drive market penetration and revenue growth by identifying and securing client opportunities.
Build and sustain senior relationships with clients, owners, developers, contractors, engineers, and other local stakeholders.
Drive cross-selling of SOCOTEC’s integrated services in partnership with other regional Business Unit General Managers.
Serve as the primary local contact for major Service Line clients and represent SOCOTEC through industry involvement, thought leadership, and participation in professional organizations.
Oversee fire protection engineering projects from inception to completion, ensuring budgets, timelines, and quality standards are met.
Provide technical expertise and leadership during project design, analysis, and implementation.
Stay current with fire protection technologies, codes, and regulations; guide the team on fire suppression, life safety, fire alarm systems, and building code compliance.
Ensure projects comply with local, state, and federal fire protection codes and safety regulations.
Manage the Service Line’s local P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, utilization, margin optimization, and cash flow.
Establish and optimize operational processes, quality management systems, and safety protocols.
Implement KPIs and performance metrics to support accountability, continuous improvement, utilization, and billable-hour targets.
Manage project execution, resource allocation, billing, and collections; support contract tracking, budget monitoring, and collection efforts.
Recruit, develop, and mentor technical, commercial, and operational staff, and attract and retain talent.
Set clear goals and priorities, align staff objectives with regional and business targets, and monitor key results.
Build future leaders and support succession planning while fostering accountability, collaboration, safety, continuous improvement, and professional excellence.