Job Description

This role requires you to lead and govern fire and life safety functions by ensuring regulatory compliance, safeguarding fire and life safety standards, enabling safe development, and driving efficient, transparent, and risk-based processes aligned with Civil Defense and Saudi Building Code requirements as defined by the Qiddiya Operating Model and the MOU between Qiddiya and Civil Defense.

Responsibilities:

• Define strategy and operating model.
• Establish governance frameworks, policies, and internal decision-making protocols.
• Align Qiddiya’s fire and life safety practices with Civil Defence and the Saudi Building Code.
• Promote risk-based, performance-based, and outcome-driven approaches.
• Oversee full lifecycle of fire and life safety approvals (reviews, inspections, licenses, certificates, NOCs, etc.).
• Oversee monthly reporting submissions to Civil Defense.
• Ensure readiness for final inspection across all projects.
• Control Fire and Life Safety resource allocation across all tasks and priorities.
• Resolve high-level stakeholder issues and escalations.
• Represent the organization in strategic forums and committees.
• Lead implementation of digital permitting platforms and automation tools.
• Introduce risk-based screening and fast-track mechanisms.

Core deliverables:

• Updated Fire and Life Safety governance framework that clarifies roles and responsibilities
• Regular reporting and issue escalation with Civil Defence
• Stable and streamlined processes without compromising regulatory standards
• Digitized permitting processes, leveraging technology to improve efficiency, traceability, data quality, and user experience.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Fire Protection Engineering, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.
• Minimum of 8–10 years of progressive experience in fire and life safety engineering, regulatory compliance, or fire code enforcement, including at least 3–5 years in a leadership/managerial capacity.
• In-depth knowledge of Civil Defense requirements, the Saudi Building Code (SBC), and international fire safety standards (e.g., NFPA, IBC).
• Experience leading or contributing to the implementation of digital permitting platforms, automation tools, or process digitization initiatives to improve efficiency, traceability, and data quality.