Business Development Manager – Fire Suppression Solutions

Johnson Controls; Toronto; On-site; CAD 99,000 - 149,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Johnson Controls in Toronto, Canada is seeking a Business Development Manager for Fire Suppression Solutions to drive growth across the Americas. The role focuses on identifying opportunities, building relationships with end users, developers, and engineering firms, and influencing project specifications from design through installation.

The successful candidate will bring a track record in strategic sales, deep knowledge of fire protection systems, and the ability to navigate multi-stakeholder

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Fire Protection, or related field; equivalent experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute business development strategies to grow fire suppression solutions across targeted markets in the Americas.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue new opportunities with end users, facility operators, developers, owners’ representatives, EPC firms, A&E firms, contractors, and FPEs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with decision-makers, consultants, and influencers across the fire protection and life safety ecosystem.
• Engage early in project design and planning phases to influence system specifications and position fire suppression solutions (e.g., clean agent, water mist, pre-action, and specialty systems).
• Drive specification adoption and ensure alignment with codes, standards, and performance requirements (NFPA and Canadian standards such as ULC and AHJ requirements).
• Develop and manage a robust pipeline across new construction, system upgrades, retrofits, and modernization projects.
• Create and execute strategic account plans aligned with revenue growth targets and market expansion goals.
• Collaborate with internal sales, engineering, operations, service, and product teams to deliver integrated fire protection solutions and improve win rates.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, customer capital investments, and competitive dynamics to identify growth opportunities and refine strategy.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, opportunity, and account data in Salesforce; deliver regular forecasting and performance updates.

Skills

Strong communication

Relationship management

Project sales

Strategic account planning

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Fire Protection, or related field

Tools

Salesforce CRM

Job description

About Johnson Controls

Johnson Controls, a global leader in thermal management, mission-critical building systems, energy efficiency, and decarbonization, helps customers use energy more productively, reduce carbon emissions, and operate with the precision and resilience required in rapidly expanding industries such as data centers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, advanced manufacturing, and higher education.

For more than 140 years, Johnson Controls has delivered performance where it really matters. Backed by advanced technology, lifecycle services and an industry-leading field organization, we elevate customer performance, turn goals into real-world results and help move society forward.

What You Will Do

The Business Development Manager – Fire Suppression Solutions will lead strategic growth initiatives across key vertical markets throughout the Americas. This role is responsible for identifying and developing new business opportunities, building strong relationships across the fire protection ecosystem, and positioning fire suppression solutions early in the project lifecycle.

This position focuses on driving growth with end users, developers, building owners, engineering firms, contractors, and Fire Protection Engineers (FPEs). The successful candidate will bring a strong business development mindset, the ability to navigate complex, specification-driven sales environments, and the skills to influence key stakeholders from system design through installation and lifecycle support.

How You Will Do It

• Develop and execute business development strategies to grow fire suppression solutions across targeted markets in the Americas.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue new opportunities with end users, facility operators, developers, owners’ representatives, EPC firms, A&E firms, contractors, and FPEs.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with decision-makers, consultants, and influencers across the fire protection and life safety ecosystem.
• Engage early in project design and planning phases to influence system specifications and position fire suppression solutions (e.g., clean agent, water mist, pre-action, and specialty systems).
• Drive specification adoption and ensure alignment with codes, standards, and performance requirements (NFPA and Canadian standards such as ULC and AHJ requirements).
• Develop and manage a robust pipeline across new construction, system upgrades, retrofits, and modernization projects.
• Create and execute strategic account plans aligned with revenue growth targets and market expansion goals.
• Collaborate with internal sales, engineering, operations, service, and product teams to deliver integrated fire protection solutions and improve win rates.
• Monitor industry trends, regulatory changes, customer capital investments, and competitive dynamics to identify growth opportunities and refine strategy.
• Maintain accurate pipeline, opportunity, and account data in Salesforce; deliver regular forecasting and performance updates.

What We Look For

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Fire Protection, or a related field; equivalent experience will be considered.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in business development, strategic accounts, or complex/project-based sales.
• Demonstrated success in the fire suppression, fire protection, life safety, or similar engineered systems industry.
• Strong knowledge of fire suppression systems and applications (e.g., clean agent, CO₂, foam, water-based systems, special hazards).
• Familiarity with NFPA codes and Canadian standards (ULC, local AHJ requirements).
• Proven ability to develop new business, influence specifications, and manage long-cycle, multi-stakeholder opportunities.
• Strong understanding of account planning, solution selling, and lifecycle value positioning.
• Ability to engage technical, operational, and executive stakeholders across diverse customer organizations.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, presentation, and relationship management skills.
• Bilingual proficiency in English and French is a strong asset.
• Ability to travel approximately 50% across Canada and occasionally within the Americas.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with or selling through fire protection contractors, consulting engineers, and FPE networks.
• Proficiency in Salesforce CRM with strong pipeline management discipline.
• Strong analytical, strategic planning, and problem-solving capabilities.
• Ability to operate effectively within a matrixed organization and collaborate across cross-functional teams.
• Experience in industrial, commercial, energy, manufacturing, or mission-critical environments.
• Professional working proficiency in both English and French (written and spoken) preferred for customer engagement across Canada.

SALARY RANGE: $99,300 - $149,000 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and abilities of the applicant, internal equity, and alignment with market data.) This role also offers a competitive Sales Incentive Plan that will take into account volume and margin on a project, quarterly, and annual basis. This position includes a competitive benefits package. The posted salary range reflects the target compensation for this role. However, we recognize that exceptional candidates may bring unique skills and experiences that exceed the typical profile. If you believe your background warrants consideration beyond the stated range, we encourage you to apply. To support an efficient and fair hiring process, we may use technology assisted tools, including artificial intelligence (AI), to help identify and evaluate candidates. All hiring decisions are ultimately made by human reviewers. For details, please visit the About Us tab on the Johnson Controls Careers site at https://jobs.johnsoncontrols.com/about-us

Les filiales canadiennes de Johnson Controls s’engagent à fournir des accommodements raisonnables aux candidats, aux postulants et aux employés en situation de handicap, conformément à la législation applicable en matière de droits humains et, en Ontario, conformément à la Loi sur l’accessibilité pour les personnes handicapées de l’Ontario (“AODA”). Lorsqu’une demande est faite, des accommodements seront fournis tout au long des étapes du processus de recrutement et de sélection. Pour faire une demande d’accommodement, veuillez nous contacter. Une copie des politiques AODA applicables de Johnson Controls est disponible sur notre site web à l’adresse www.johnsoncontrols.com à titre de référence et peut être mise à disposition dans des formats accessibles sur demande.