Position: Fire Alarm Sales & Project Manager
Company: Columbia Fire, LLC
Location: Seattle, WA — in-person, with customer sites across the Puget Sound region
Reports To: General Manager (transitioning to Sales Manager as the division grows)
Employment Type: Full-time, salaried, exempt
Bargaining Unit Status: Non-union
Incentive Eligibility: Eligible under the Columbia Fire Standard Sales Incentive Plan
Travel: Daily local travel across the Puget Sound region
About Columbia Fire
Columbia Fire has been protecting lives and property in the Seattle market since 2005. We design, install, inspect, and service fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, suppression systems, and portable fire extinguishers across Western Washington.
Columbia Fire is a wholly owned subsidiary of Columbia Safety Services, LLC, which also operates Valley Fire Control, LLC in Oregon and Eastern Washington and FFF Protection in Idaho. We are building a formidable fire protection platform rooted in trust, execution, and long-term relationships.
Our core values guide how we operate: Customer First, Grit, Effective Communication, Own the Outcome, Take Pride in the Work, and Do the Right Thing.
Why This Role Exists
We have the alarm capability, the manufacturer relationships, and a service and inspection base that surfaces work constantly. What we do not have is one person whose full-time job is to go find the work, price it, and then own it all the way to a clean handoff to the field.
Today that responsibility is spread across people already carrying full workloads, which means opportunities get worked when there is time rather than when they are hot. This seat exists to change that, and to build the alarm division into something substantially larger than it is now.
The Opportunity
This is a combined sales and project management seat, and both halves are real. We are being explicit about that up front because the wrong candidate will read past it.
The first half is going and getting the work.
You will build relationships with electrical contractors and earn a place on their bid lists. You will walk buildings with property managers and owners looking for tenant improvement, retrofit, and code-driven upgrade opportunities. You will turn deficiencies our inspectors find into quoted work. You will price what you find and present it yourself.
The second half is owning what you sell.
Once a job is awarded, you manage it: coordinating third-party design, driving submittals through permitting and AHJ approval, releasing materials, handing off a complete scope and budget to the field, writing change orders, and staying with the customer through closeout. The field foreman runs the day-to-day execution in the building. You own the commercial and administrative path of the job.
You sell it, you price it, you shepherd it, and the foreman builds it. If you want to sell and walk away, this is not your seat.
Edwards is our primary fire alarm platform, and every Columbia Safety Services office is an Edwards Strategic Partner. We also install and service non-proprietary systems including Potter, Fire-Lite, and Silent Knight when a project or customer calls for it.
You will be expected to learn and sell the Edwards product line. We pay for the manufacturer training to get you there.
Business Development
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Build and maintain relationships with electrical contractors, general contractors, property managers, and building owners
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Get on and stay on electrical contractor bid lists across the Puget Sound region
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Walk buildings and jobsites to identify tenant improvement, retrofit, deficiency correction, and system upgrade opportunities
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Convert inspection and service findings into quoted and awarded work
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Represent Columbia Fire at industry, trade, and customer events
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Maintain accurate pipeline and activity records in our CRM (HubSpot)
Estimating & Proposals
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Review plans, specifications, and field conditions to develop scope
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Perform takeoffs and price labor, material, third-party design, subcontractors, and rentals
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Prepare and present clear, professional proposals
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Negotiate and close work at margins that hold up through execution
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Coordinate with our dedicated fire alarm estimator on larger or more complex bid packages
Project Management
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Coordinate third-party design and produce complete submittal packages
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Manage permitting and AHJ approval from application through final inspection
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Release materials and coordinate procurement against budget
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Conduct internal kickoff and hand off a complete scope, schedule, and budget to the field foreman
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Write, price, and negotiate change orders as scope evolves
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Monitor job cost against budget and forecast cost-to-complete
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Support billing, collections, closeout documentation, O&M turnover, and warranty items
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Keep the customer informed from award through closeout
The field foreman directs daily crew activity and installation execution. You are accountable for the commercial outcome of the job.
Who You Are
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Relational — you build trust with contractors and customers and they call you back
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Willing to go get work — you are comfortable walking in cold and asking for a spot on the bid list
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Technically credible — you can talk systems with an electrician without bluffing
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Organized — you carry a pipeline and a project list at the same time without dropping either
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Follow-through oriented — the work after the handshake matters as much to you as the handshake
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Commercially disciplined — you protect margin and you do not buy work to hit a number
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Aligned with our values: Customer First, Grit, Effective Communication, Own the Outcome, Take Pride in the Work, and Do the Right Thing
Who Struggles Here
An honest filter, because this seat punishes the wrong fit:
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If you resent administrative work after the sale, the project management half will grind on you
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If you need a book of house accounts handed to you, we do not have one to give
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If you have never had to develop your own opportunities, this will be a hard adjustment
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If permitting and submittal coordination sounds beneath you, skip this one
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If you sell on price because it is easier, we are not a fit
Minimum Qualifications
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5+ years in fire alarm systems across sales, estimating, project management, or commercial installation and service
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Demonstrated ability to develop new business, not only manage existing accounts
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Ability to read and interpret construction drawings and specifications
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Working knowledge of NFPA 72 and applicable local codes
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Familiarity with permitting processes and AHJ coordination
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Strong written and verbal communication, including proposal writing and in-person presentation
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Proficiency with Microsoft Office; CRM experience
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Residence in the Greater Seattle area, or willingness to relocate before your start date
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Valid driver’s license and clean driving record
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Fluent in spoken and written English
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Ability to pass a background check and pre-employment drug screen
Preferred Qualifications
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NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems (Level II or higher)
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Washington 06 Limited Energy or 01 Electrical license
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Seattle FA1 certification
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Existing relationships with Puget Sound electrical contractors and general contractors
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Experience with Edwards, Potter, Fire-Lite, or Silent Knight platforms
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Experience coordinating third-party design and managing permit approval
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Dedicated estimating software experience
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Experience selling inspection and service agreements
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Cross-familiarity with sprinkler, suppression, or special hazards scopes
Compensation
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Base salary: $85,000 – $95,000 annually, depending on experience
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Incentive compensation: eligible under the Columbia Fire Standard Sales Incentive Plan
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Based on project gross margin and contract value using a tiered structure
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Incremental incentive rates generally range from approximately 2% to 9%
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Higher-margin projects earn higher incentive percentages
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Gross margin is capped at 70% for incentive calculation purposes
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Negative-margin projects may result in deductions within the same period
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Paid three times per year, with a portion held until year-end true-up
- Estimated total compensation: $100,000 – $180,000+ annually, depending on performance
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Classification: full-time, salaried, exempt from overtime under applicable state and federal law
Earnings above base are performance-driven and are not guaranteed. Placement within the base range reflects experience, technical depth, and demonstrated business development capability.
Why This Role Works
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You own a market, not a territory someone else already worked
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Uncapped incentive tied to margin, not just volume
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A dedicated estimator behind you on larger bids
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A service and inspection base that generates real opportunity flow
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Clear path toward alarm division leadership as the business grows
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Backed by a growing multi-state fire protection group with long-term focus
Benefits
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Medical, dental, and vision insurance through Regence BlueShield, Delta Dental of Washington, and VSP — available to employees scheduled 30 or more hours per week, effective the first of the month following or coinciding with your hire date
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The company pays approximately 90% of the employee premium on the HSA-qualified medical plan, plus a substantial share of dependent premiums
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Health Savings Account with a $600 annual company contribution
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401(k) with Safe Harbor employer match up to 3.5%
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Paid time off starting at 10 days annually and increasing with length of service
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Eight paid holidays
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Company-paid basic life and AD&D insurance
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Employee Assistance Program, telehealth access, and optional pet insurance
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Paid training, certifications, and continuing education
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Company laptop, tablet, and technology package
Schedule & Work Environment
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Full-time, Monday through Friday, based out of our Seattle office
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Daily local travel to customer sites, jobsites, and contractor offices across the Puget Sound region
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Occasional early morning or evening customer and industry commitments
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Work performed in offices, occupied commercial buildings, and active construction sites
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Must be able to walk jobsites, climb ladders and stairs, and navigate active construction environments while wearing required PPE
Apply
If you can build relationships, price work honestly, and carry a job through to a clean finish, we want to talk.
Columbia Fire, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law.
Employment with Columbia Fire, LLC is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause or notice, consistent with applicable law.
