Technical Director/Lead Engineer - Fire

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 highly experienced and commercially astute Technical Director / Lead Fire Engineer  to establish and lead our presence across Belgium, with a primary focus on the Walloon region. This is a unique opportunity to play a strategic leadership role, driving growth from our Brussels base while supporting projects and clients across the wider Belgian market.

As a global leader in fire safety, we operate across Europe including Belgium, Finland, Italy, Denmark, and the UK and Ireland. In this role, you will be instrumental in strengthening our footprint in Belgium, leading technical excellence, developing key client relationships, and delivering high-quality, innovative fire safety solutions.

This position is ideally suited to a senior fire engineering professional with strong leadership and business development capabilities, deep technical expertise, and the ability to operate confidently at both regional and national levels.

The ideal candidate will bring:

• A strong technical foundation in fire safety engineering
• Proven experience in business development and market growth
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and develop regional operations
• Fluency in French, English, and Dutch, with the ability to operate across all Belgian regions
• A proactive, autonomous, and strategic leadership style

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and growth of our Belgian fire engineering operations, with a focus on Wallonia and national coverage
• Act as Technical Director / Lead Engineer on complex fire and life safety projects across Belgium
• Deliver high-quality fire engineering consultancy to architects, design teams, contractors, and clients
• Interpret, apply, and advise on Belgian fire safety regulations, ensuring technical excellence and compliance
• Drive business development activities, identifying opportunities and building long-term client relationships across Wallonia and the wider Belgian market
• Lead proposals, bids, and client presentations to expand our portfolio
• Translate client needs into tailored engineering and consultancy solutions
• Collaborate with European technical teams to deliver integrated, high-quality fire safety strategies
• Monitor regulatory changes and market trends to inform business strategy
• Recruit, mentor, and develop engineering talent as the Belgian team grows
• Represent the company as a technical authority in industry forums, events, and client engagements
• Align commercial objectives with project delivery through strong internal leadership

Requirements and Qualifications

Education:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fire Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline

Experience

• Significant experience in fire safety engineering or technical consulting
• Strong track record of winning work and developing client relationships
• Expertise in fire strategy, performance-based design, fire protection engineering, or risk-informed approaches
• Experience in leadership roles, business development, or market expansion
• Experience in the Belgian market (particularly Wallonia) is highly desirable

Skills

• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
• Strong leadership and organisational capabilities
• Commercially aware with a results-driven mindset
• Ability to develop and present high-quality technical proposals

Industry Knowledge

• Strong understanding of Belgian fire safety regulations and standards, including regional variations

Languages

• Fluency in French, English is essential and Dutch preferred.

Personal Attributes

• Strategic thinker with an entrepreneurial mindset
• Confident leader capable of building and scaling a regional presence
• Comfortable working autonomously while collaborating across international teams

Mobility

• Willingness to travel across Belgium and occasionally within Europe

Location

• Belgium, with flexibility for hybrid working and travel across the Walloon region and wider Belgium

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.