Associate / Associate Director Fire & Life Safety📣 Job Ad

About the Opportunity

WSP in the Middle East is seeking an experienced Associate / Associate Director - Fire & Life Safety to join our team in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This full-time role involves leading and expanding our specialist Fire & Life Safety team, focusing on the delivery of complex strategies and solutions for major infrastructure and building projects. The successful candidate will ensure compliance with both local and international standards throughout the project lifecycle.

Core Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Fire & Life Safety team on multidisciplinary projects.
• Lead design efforts, developing performance-based design solutions in collaboration with senior staff, ensuring compliance with relevant building codes and standards.
• Conduct onsite inspections during project construction to ensure adherence to the fire strategy.
• Coordinate and present projects to approving authorities, demonstrating compliance with established standards.
• Review material submittals and shop drawings, ensuring fire protection requirements are clearly communicated.
• Integrate fire and life safety requirements with other disciplines within multidisciplinary design teams.
• Interpret and analyze CFD modeling results (1D/3D) to assess proposed engineering solutions.
• Develop comprehensive fire strategy reports, documenting performance-based design solutions in line with standards such as the International Fire Engineering Guidelines (IFEG) and the Society of Fire Protection Engineering Guide (SFPE).
• Review designs in BIM (Autodesk Construction Cloud, Revit) for integration of fire safety principles.
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring compliance with Quality Management System (QMS) policies and procedures.

Leadership and Technical Contribution

• Provide commercial and technical leadership for FLS projects, managing client relationships and securing new work through technical excellence.
• Hold a leadership position within the Specialist Services division, supporting the combined implementation of strategic business goals.
• Uphold high standards of quality assurance and lead by example.
• Deliver high-quality, technically accurate design reports aligned with client and regulatory requirements.
• Lead the development of fire and life safety drawings, supported by junior staff.
• Lead technical workgroups, reviewing architectural, FLS, fire protection, and mechanical/electrical drawings for compliance with fire strategy and relevant codes.
• Mentor, support, and manage junior staff, fostering a collaborative and growth-oriented team environment.
• Demonstrate strong leadership and effective collaboration across all organizational levels and with external partners.

Candidate Profile and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Fire Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of 15 years of experience in fire & life safety, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity.
• Extensive knowledge of regional codes (SBC/UAE Fire Code) and international standards (NFPA, IBC, BS/EN).
• Proven track record of delivering large-scale buildings or infrastructure projects in the GCC.
• Professional certification (CFPS, CEng, PE) is considered an advantage.

Essential Skills and Technical Expertise

• Proficiency in interpreting and applying the International Building Code, International Fire Code, Saudi Building Codes, and NFPA standards.
• Strong communication and client-facing skills.
• Ability to communicate design requirements effectively and in a timely manner with multidisciplinary teams.

Work Environment

This role is based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, within a dynamic and collaborative environment at WSP in the Middle East. The position requires a leader who can drive technical excellence and foster team growth while managing complex projects.