Senior Fire Engineering & Strategy Leader

CDC Limited; Colchester; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5% enhanced employer pension

Discretionary annual bonus

25 days annual leave + 8 bank holidays

Job summary

Cahill Design Consultants in Colchester is seeking an Associate Director to lead technical fire projects and strategic business decisions. You will sit with Directors, shape hiring, and steer the practice direction, while delivering high-quality work and growing client relationships.

The role blends technical leadership with business development, governance, and mentoring across a growing fire team. Hybrid working is standard, with two days per week in Colchester.

Qualifications

• Significant fire engineering consultancy experience, 12+ years post-graduate.
• Proven track record leading complex fire projects and teams.
• Depth of knowledge across building safety regulations and approaches.
• Experience winning and maintaining client relationships.
• Ability to mentor engineers at different career stages.
• Commercial awareness: project economics, resourcing, bids.
• Chartered Engineer status or close to it.
• Able to work two days per week in Colchester.

Responsibilities

• Direct complex fire engineering projects from strategy through delivery, setting the approach and quality bar for multidisciplinary teams.
• Own significant client relationships and represent CDC in high-stakes settings.
• Mentor fire engineers at all levels and influence their growth.
• Contribute to bids and proposals, identify new work and flag commercial risks.
• Work with Directors on pricing, resourcing, and how we position the firm.
• Lead recruitment and team planning, and shape quality assurance processes.
• Help shape CDC's standards, processes and culture with a real voice.

Skills

Fire engineering leadership

Client relationship management

Mentoring engineers

Commercial awareness

Chartered Engineer

Job description

Cahill Design Consultants in Colchester is seeking an Associate Director to lead technical fire projects and strategic business decisions. You will sit with Directors, shape hiring, and steer the practice direction, while delivering high-quality work and growing client relationships.

The role blends technical leadership with business development, governance, and mentoring across a growing fire team. Hybrid working is standard, with two days per week in Colchester.