Business Leader - Walloon

Company Overview

Throughout our worldwide network of experts, clients and communities, we are renowned for our leadership in fire protection engineering - a legacy of responsibility we have proudly upheld since 1939. Today, our expertise extends broadly across closely related security and risk-based fields - from accessibility consulting and risk analysis to process safety, forensic investigations, security risk consulting, emergency management, digital innovation and more.

Our engineers and consultants collaborate to solve complex safety and security challenges, ensuring our clients can protect what matters most. For over 80 years, we have helped mitigate risks that threaten lives, property and reputations. Through technology, expertise and industry-leading research, we remain dedicated to our purpose of making our world safe, secure and resilient.

At Jensen Hughes, we believe that creating and sustaining a culture of trust, integrity and professional growth starts with putting our people first. Our employees are our greatest strength, and we value the unique perspectives and talents they bring to our organization. 

Our wide range of Global Employee Networks connect people from across the organization, supporting career development and providing forums for individuals to share experiences on topics they're passionate about. Together, we are cultivating a connected culture where everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and succeed together.

Job Overview

We are seeking a driven, commercially minded fire engineering professional to establish and lead our presence in the Walloon region of Belgium. This is a unique opportunity for an experienced individual to open and run our new office in Liège, representing Jensen Hughes across French speaking Belgium.

As a global leader in fire safety, we operate offices across Europe including Belgium, Finland, Italy, Denmark, and the UK and Ireland. Your role will be pivotal in expanding our footprint in the Walloon market, nurturing key client relationships, and delivering strategic, technically robust safety solutions.

This role is ideal for a senior fire engineering professional with strong business development capabilities, a deep understanding of fire safety principles, and the confidence to represent our organisation at a regional and national level.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A strong technical foundation in fire safety engineering
• Experience growing client accounts and opening new markets
• The ability to build, lead, and structure a new regional office
• Strong communication skills in French, and the ability to represent our brand confidently
• A proactive, autonomous work style suited to entrepreneurial leadership

Responsibilities

• Lead the establishment and operational setup of the new Liège office, including local presence, networking, and commercial activity
• Leading the delivery of fire and life safety consulting projects across the Walloon region and wider Belgium
• Providing best in class technical solutions to architect and engineering design teams, contractors, and clients• Interpret, apply, and advise on fire safety regulations, ensuring the highest level of technical compliance in all project deliverables
• Drive business development initiatives across the Walloon region, identifying opportunities and developing long term client relationships
• Translate client needs into bespoke consultancy and engineering solutions
• Lead proposal preparation, bids, and client presentations to grow our portfolio
• Collaborate with national and European technical teams to deliver high quality fire safety strategies and reports
• Monitor regional market trends and regulatory developments to support strategic decision making
• Support the recruitment, mentoring, and development of junior engineers as the office grows
• Represent Jensen Hughes as a thought leader in fire engineering, participating in strategic industry conversations and local events
• Align business development goals with project delivery through strong internal collaboration

Requirements and Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fire Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

Experience

• Proven experience in fire safety engineering or technical consulting, ideally within the Walloon market
• A strong track record of developing client relationships and winning new work
• Experience working on fire protection engineering, fire strategy development, performance based design, or risk informed engineering
• Experience leading or contributing to business development, market expansion, or office setup is an advantage

Skills

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Strong organisational and analytical abilities with a results oriented mindset
• Confidence in preparing technical proposals and delivering compelling sales presentations

Industry Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Belgian fire safety regulations and standards, ideally including Walloon regional requirements

Languages

• Fluency in French is essential
• Good command of English is required
• Knowledge of Dutch is an advantage

Personal Attributes

• Self-starter with entrepreneurial spirit and strong strategic thinking
• Comfortable working autonomously while coordinating with a wider European team
• Confident representing the company and building a regional presence

Mobility

• Willingness to travel across the Walloon region, wider Belgium, and occasional European travel
• This role is intended to be based in Liège with flexibility for hybrid working as the office is established

Jensen Hughes is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or protected veteran status.

At Jensen Hughes, we embrace innovation and understand that people are increasingly using artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT and other generative platforms to learn, prepare and communicate.  We have provided some guidelines regarding the responsible use of AI in the recruitment process.  Please click here to review.

The security of your personal data is important to us. Jensen Hughes has implemented reasonable physical, technical, and administrative security standards to protect personal data from loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. We protect your personal data against unauthorized access, use, or disclosure, using security technologies and procedures, such as encryption and limited access. Only authorized individuals may access your personal data for the purpose for which it was collected, and these individuals receive training about the importance of protecting personal data.  Jensen Hughes is committed to compliance with all relevant data privacy laws in all areas where we do business, including, but not limited to, the GDPR and the CCPA.  Additionally, our service providers are contractually bound to maintain the confidentiality of personal data and may not use the information for any unauthorized purpose.

*Policy on use of 3rd party recruiting agency for direct placements

Jensen Hughes will occasionally augment a recruiting search through agencies for certain positions when business conditions warrant. Jensen Hughes will not accept resumes, inquiries or proposals from recruiting agencies as an acceptable method to consider a candidate. 3rd party recruiting agencies must sign a standard Jensen Hughes agreement after being evaluated and accepted by a Human Resources or Talent Acquisition manager, or member of the talent acquisition team. Hiring managers and employees of Jensen Hughes are not authorized to accept resumes, engage in fee-based searches through recruiting firms or sign a search agreement. Please note this policy does not apply to “staffing firms” or firms that are involved with hiring temporary staff. Any recruiting agency interested in being considered may contact our recruiting team at jensenhughesrecruiting.com.