Fire Alarm Program Manager

Patriot Fire Protection; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) with company match

Career development

Job summary

Patriot Fire Protection, Inc. is seeking a Fire Alarm Program Manager to own projects from award through closeout, coordinating submittals, permitting, scheduling, and testing.

You will be the primary customer contact, manage expectations, and drive change orders as needed to keep projects on track. Reporting to the Head of Special Projects Division, this role thrives on juggling multiple projects, solving problems proactively, and ensuring designers stay focused on technical design work.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in project coordination/PM within fire alarm or related fields.
• Strong track record owning customer relationships throughout project lifecycles.
• Familiarity with NFPA 72 and permitting/AHJ processes.

Responsibilities

• Own portfolio of fire alarm projects from award to closeout.
• Coordinate submittals and permitting with AHJs.
• Schedule installation, programming, and testing with field teams.
• Serve as primary day-to-day contact for customers and manage expectations.
• Identify scope changes and negotiate change orders with customers.
• Drive closeout activities and coordinate invoicing milestones.

Skills

Project coordination

Customer relationships

Scheduling

Budget management

Communication

Education

NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems

Tools

Procore

Viewpoint/Spectrum

Job description

About Us:

Since 1990, Patriot Fire Protection, Inc. has been an industry leader in fire prevention systems including design, fabrication, installation, maintenance, inspection and rapid response. With offices in Tacoma, Spokane, and Vancouver Washington, our mission is to provide the highest quality systems and services while protecting the lives and property of our customers. Learn more at www.patriotfire.com.

Why You’ll Love This Role:

Our fire alarm service team is one of the fastest-growing parts of our business, and as our project volume grows, so does the need for someone to own the customer experience from start to finish. As Fire Alarm Program Manager, you'll be the single point of contact who carries alarm projects through their full lifecycle, from the moment a job is awarded through permitting, scheduling, execution, and closeout, enabling our designers to stay focused on what they do best: designing great systems. This is an individual contributor role reporting to the Head of Special Projects Division, ideal for someone who thrives on juggling multiple projects, loves solving problems before customers even notice them, and takes pride in being the person people can count on to keep a project moving.

What You’ll Do:

• Project Ownership and Lifecycle Management: Serve as the single point of accountability for an assigned portfolio of fire alarm projects, owning schedule, budget, and deliverables from award through closeout.
• Submittals and Permitting: Coordinate preparation and timely submission of submittals with the design team, and manage the permitting process with Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJs) to keep projects on schedule.
• Scheduling and Resource Coordination: Coordinate scheduling of installation, programming, and testing with field, install, and subcontractor teams; sequence work across projects to meet customer deadlines and avoid conflicts.
• Customer Communication: Act as the primary day-to-day point of contact for customers throughout the life of the project, providing proactive status updates, managing expectations, and building trust and long-term relationships.
• Change Order and Scope Management: Identify scope changes as they arise, and prepare, present, and negotiate change orders directly with customers, keeping designers focused solely on technical design work.
• Closeout and Billing: Drive project closeout activities (as-builts, O&M manuals, final inspections and sign-offs) and coordinate with accounting on invoicing milestones and collections.
• Issue Resolution and Escalation: Resolve field issues, customer concerns, and scheduling conflicts as they come up, escalating appropriately to the Head of Special Projects Division when needed.
• Design Team Liaison: Shield designers from day-to-day customer interruptions by triaging incoming questions and requests, routing only genuinely design-specific items to the design team.
• Code and Compliance Awareness: Maintain a solid working knowledge of NFPA 72 and other applicable code requirements sufficient to manage schedules, permitting, and customer conversations with credibility.

What We’re Looking For:

• Experience: 3+ years of experience in project coordination or project management within fire alarm, fire protection, low-voltage, or related construction fields.
• Customer-Facing Experience: Demonstrated success owning customer relationships and communications throughout a project lifecycle, including comfort leading difficult conversations.
• Certifications: NICET certification in Fire Alarm Systems is a plus but not required; strong project coordination experience will be weighted equally.
• Code Knowledge: Working familiarity with NFPA 72 and general permitting/AHJ processes; prior experience is a plus.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with Microsoft Suite and Google Suite; experience with project management or construction software (e.g., Procore, Viewpoint/Spectrum) is a plus.
• Organization: Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects, deadlines, and priorities without losing sight of the details.
• Problem-Solving: Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to effectively interact with customers, AHJs, designers, field teams, and senior management.
• Availability: Monday-Friday, 7:00am-3:30pm
• Compliance: Drug screening and background checks will only be conducted after a conditional job offer is made. We evaluate criminal history based on its relevance to the job duties.

Perks of Joining Our Team:

• Competitive Benefits: Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k) with company match.
• Professional Development: Ongoing training and career advancement opportunities.
• Collaborative Environment: Work with a supportive and enthusiastic team dedicated to excellence.
• Impactful Work: Be the customer's trusted point of contact on projects that directly protect lives and property.

Patriot Fire Protection, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.