Regional Fire & Life Safety Manager

SOCOTEC•Dallas, TX

About The Position

The Regional Fire & Life Safety Manager will launch and grow SOCOTEC Life Safety’s fire protection engineering division in the region. This leadership role combines technical fire protection engineering expertise, business development, financial and operational management, and team leadership. The manager will establish the regional operation, develop scalable processes, build a high-performing team, acquire clients, and deliver quality fire protection solutions across diverse industries. The role includes full P&L ownership for the Service Line in the local area and requires alignment with regional and national strategies.

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.
At least 3 years of experience 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 SOCOTEC Life Safety, aligned with regional and national strategies.
Identify and secure new client opportunities, drive market penetration and revenue growth, and pursue appropriate private- and public-sector decision-makers.
Build and maintain senior relationships with clients, owners, developers, contractors, engineers, and other local industry 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 develop long-term partnerships to anticipate and address their needs.
Represent SOCOTEC through industry involvement, thought leadership, and participation in local professional organizations.
Oversee fire protection engineering projects from inception to completion, ensuring budgets, timelines, quality standards, and applicable requirements are met.
Provide technical expertise and leadership during project design, analysis, and implementation.
Guide the team on fire suppression, life safety, fire alarm systems, and building code compliance.
Monitor developments in fire protection technologies, codes, and regulations, and ensure projects comply with applicable local, state, and federal codes and safety regulations.
Manage the Service Line’s local-area P&L, including budgeting, forecasting, utilization, margins, and cash flow.
Establish and optimize operational processes, quality management systems, and safety protocols for the Service Line.
Implement KPIs and performance metrics to support accountability, continuous improvement, utilization, and billable-hour targets.
Manage project execution, resource allocation, billing, and collections, and support contract tracking, budget monitoring, and collection efforts.
Recruit, develop, and mentor technical, commercial, and operational staff, including engineers, designers, and administrative support.
Set and communicate goals and priorities, define and monitor staff objectives and key results, and align them with regional and business targets.
Attract and retain talent, develop future leaders, and support succession planning.
Foster a hands-on, high-accountability culture of collaboration, continuous improvement, safety, and professional excellence.