Director

Grichan Whitestone Partnership; Greater London; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Grichan Whitestone Partnership seeks a commercially astute Director of Fire Safety Solutions to own the business in London and the South East, accountable for strategy, P&L and stakeholder relationships across social housing and public sector clients.

You will lead cross-functional teams, drive growth and operational excellence, maintain safety and governance standards, and represent the company at industry forums.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading a sizeable business unit, region or division with full P&L responsibility.
• Track record of delivering business growth, operational improvement and strong financial performance.
• Extensive experience working with social housing, local authorities, public sector frameworks or related markets.
• Strong commercial acumen coupled with excellent stakeholder and client relationship management skills.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary operational and commercial teams.
• The ability to develop strategy whilst remaining close enough to operations to ensure exceptional execution.

Responsibilities

• Setting and delivering the strategic growth plan for the business.
• Full P&L ownership, including revenue, margin, EBITDA and cash performance.
• Leading and developing commercial, operational and contract management teams.
• Driving operational excellence across multiple contracts and frameworks.
• Building long-term relationships with housing associations, local authorities, public sector organisations and key stakeholders.
• Identifying and securing new business opportunities and market sectors.
• Ensuring all programmes are delivered safely, compliantly and profitably.
• Championing a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer excellence.
• Acting as the senior representative of the business at key client and industry forums.

Skills

P&L ownership

Strategic growth

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Building client relationships

Job description

Director - Fire Safety Solutions (London & South East)

Shape the Future of Building Safety

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an exceptional commercial and operational leader to take ownership of a high-growth Fire Safety business operating across London and the South East.

This is a pivotal leadership role with full responsibility for business performance, strategic growth, operational delivery and client relationships. Reporting directly to the Managing Director, you will lead a well-established operation delivering critical fire safety and compliance solutions across social housing, public sector and wider built environment markets.

We are looking for a highly credible leader who can inspire teams, build strategic client partnerships, drive commercial performance and create sustainable growth, whilst maintaining the highest standards of safety, governance and customer service.

This role offers genuine autonomy, significant influence and the opportunity to shape the future direction of a growing business within one of the UK's most important compliance sectors.

The Role

As Director of Fire Safety Solutions, you will be accountable for:

• Setting and delivering the strategic growth plan for the business.
• Full P&L ownership, including revenue, margin, EBITDA and cash performance.
• Leading and developing commercial, operational and contract management teams.
• Driving operational excellence across multiple contracts and frameworks.
• Building long-term relationships with housing associations, local authorities, public sector organisations and key stakeholders.
• Identifying and securing new business opportunities and market sectors.
• Ensuring all programmes are delivered safely, compliantly and profitably.
• Championing a culture of accountability, continuous improvement and customer excellence.
• Acting as the senior representative of the business at key client and industry forums.

What We're Looking For

We are seeking a commercially astute and ambitious leader who has operated at a senior level within fire safety, compliance or building services environments.

The successful candidate will possess:

• Proven experience leading a sizeable business unit, region or division with full P&L responsibility.
• A demonstrable track record of delivering business growth, operational improvement and strong financial performance.
• Extensive experience working with social housing, local authorities, public sector frameworks or related markets.
• Strong commercial acumen coupled with excellent stakeholder and client relationship management skills.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary operational and commercial teams.
• The ability to develop strategy whilst remaining close enough to operations to ensure exceptional execution.

Candidates must have significant senior leadership experience in one or more of the following sectors:

• Fire Doors and Compartmentation
• Fire Safety Products and Services
• Building Safety Compliance
• Gas Compliance and Maintenance
• Electrical Compliance and Testing
• Multi-disciplinary Property Compliance Services

You will have a strong understanding of regulatory compliance, commercial contract delivery and the challenges associated with managing large-scale compliance programmes within occupied environments.

Personal Attributes

We're looking for a leader who is:

• Strategic, commercial and highly driven.
• Comfortable operating at executive and board level.
• Able to influence, inspire and develop high-performing teams.
• Resilient, accountable and results-focused.
• Passionate about customer service, safety and operational excellence.
• Motivated by growth and excited by the opportunity to build a market-leading business.

Why Join?

This is a rare opportunity to take ownership of an established and successful operation with significant growth potential. You'll inherit strong foundations, talented people and an excellent client base, whilst having the freedom and support to drive the next phase of expansion.

For an ambitious leader seeking a career-defining opportunity, this role offers the platform to make a genuine impact, build something exceptional and become a recognised leader within the fire safety and compliance sector.