Fire Safety Technical Lead
Job Purpose Fire Safety Technical Lead
To provide strategic and operational technical leadership on fire safety, fire engineering, and associated building safety risks across the Councils housing portfolio.
The postholder supports the Council, as Accountable Person and Principal Accountable Person for its Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs), by providing specialist technical advice, assurance, and oversight in relation to fire safety compliance, design standards, refurbishment activities, fire protection systems, contractor performance, and incident investigation.
The role provides independent technical assurance in relation to fire and building safety risks, supports the development of safe systems of work, contributes to incident management, and ensures technical compliance with relevant fire safety, building safety, and health and safety legislation.
The role does not ordinarily hold primary operational responsibility for building-level risk management, which remains with the Building Safety Management function.
Whilst the role primarily provides technical leadership, assurance, and professional oversight, the postholder may undertake limited technical involvement in strategically significant Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs) where required to maintain operational competence, support organisational resilience, or provide specialist technical leadership.
Key Accountabilities Fire Safety Technical Lead
The postholder is accountable for:
- Providing strategic technical leadership and independent professional challenge across fire safety, design compliance, contractor assurance, and building safety risk management.
- Providing assurance to the Head of Fire & Building Safety on emerging technical risks, systemic compliance issues, and organisational fire safety performance.
- Providing professional fire safety leadership, technical assurance, and expert advice across the housing portfolio.
- Ensuring fire safety design, construction, refurbishment, and maintenance activities comply with statutory requirements, recognised guidance, and relevant technical standards.
- Providing independent technical assurance, through risk-based sampling, that Fire Risk Assessment (FRA) actions, fire safety works, and other life safety control measures across the Council?s non-HRB housing portfolio are completed, verified, and compliant, with systemic non-compliance formally escalated where required.
- Leading fire incident investigations, technical reviews, and lessons learned activities.
- Ensuring fire-related incidents, Mandatory Occurrence Reporting events, and relevant statutory notifications are identified, escalated, and managed appropriately.
- The effective leadership, performance, and development of direct reports.
- Escalating significant fire safety, contractor, compliance, or systemic risks to senior management.
Technical Fire Safety Assurance Fire Safety Technical Lead
- Review drawings, specifications, fire strategies, design submissions, and technical proposals to ensure compliance with relevant legislation, approved guidance, and standards including Approved Document B, BS 9991, BS 5839, and BS 5266.
- Identify design defects, fire safety non-compliance, compartmentation failures, and technical risks associated with refurbishment, repairs, or existing buildings, providing formal technical recommendations.
- Review findings from intrusive investigations, compartmentation surveys, fire stopping inspections, structural fire safety reviews, and Fire Risk Appraisals of External Walls (FRAEWs).
- Provide technical advice to project teams, Housing, Asset Management, Repairs, Capital Works, Direct Labour Organisation (DLO), Voids, and contractors on corrective actions and risk mitigation.
Knowledge of Fire Protection Systems including Fire detection and alarm systems, Emergency lighting and signage, Sprinkler systems and AOVs, Asbestos etc.
Compliance, Monitoring & Audit - Statutory compliance cycles (fire doors, alarms, lighting, FRA renewals).
Project & Contractor Oversight - Managing fire safety works and programmes, Contractor compliance with fire safety specifications and standards, Budgeting and prioritising works based on risk, Quality assurance and post-works verification.
IT skills including the ability to utilise the full range of Microsoft software, including Excel, and PowerPoint.
Evidence of commitment to continuing personal development including a keen interest in developing a stronger understanding of fire safety principles within buildings.
Knowledge of all aspects of the building construction and maintenance industries including the design process, contractual matters and legislation.
Relevant Experience
Experience of complying with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Experience of complying The Fire Safety Act 2021.
Experience of complying with The Building Safety Act 2022.
Experience of working with Fire and Rescue Services.
Experience implementing resident engagement strategies under the Building Safety Act and responding to complaints or concerns about fire safety.
Experience of supporting the development of Building Safety Cases and digital Golden Thread information.
Ability to demonstrate leadership in emergency situations and manage responses using sound technical knowledge.
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Qualifications
Fire Safety Level 4
CIOB Diploma in Building Safety Management or an recognised equivalent, or working towards.
Holds membership of professional bodies such as Institution of Fire Engineers (IFE), Institute of Fire Safety managers (IFSM) or IOSH.
CDM 2015 training/qualification.
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