Assistant Project Manager / Project Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Job Title: Fire Sprinkler Assistant Project Manager / Project Manager

Location: Clayton, NC

Pay: $28.25–$34.00 per hour + quarterly bonus/profit-sharing opportunity

Job Type: Full-time, On-site

Schedule: Monday–Thursday, 7:00 AM–5:30 PM

About Associated Fire Protection

Associated Fire Protection has provided fire protection solutions since 1973. From our Clayton, NC location, our team designs, fabricates, installs, inspects, and services fire protection systems for commercial and industrial customers throughout North Carolina.

As AFP continues to grow, we are interested in meeting experienced fire sprinkler professionals who are ready to take the next step from technical design into project leadership.

The Opportunity

We are seeking an experienced Fire Sprinkler Assistant Project Manager or Project Manager with a strong technical design foundation.

This is not a purely administrative construction PM position. The ideal candidate understands fire sprinkler design, hydraulic calculations, NFPA requirements, constructability, fabrication, field coordination, and the complete lifecycle of a sprinkler project.

Depending on experience, the successful candidate may join AFP as an Assistant Project Manager or Project Manager I.

The APM position is AFP's developmental bridge between senior design and full project management, while PM I independently owns project execution and financial performance from turnover through closeout.

What You'll Do

• Manage and/or support commercial and industrial fire sprinkler projects.
• Continue providing technical fire sprinkler design expertise.
• Review contracts, specifications, scopes, qualifications, and exclusions.
• Coordinate design, permitting, fabrication, and installation schedules.
• Perform and/or review hydraulic calculations.
• Review drawings for code compliance and constructability.
• Manage RFIs, submittals, ASIs, change orders, and project documentation.
• Coordinate directly with General Contractors, owners, architects, engineers, and AHJs.
• Communicate with field foremen and resolve installation questions.
• Track project milestones and identify potential delays.
• Support or manage project budgets and cost performance.
• Identify and document change-order opportunities.
• Coordinate fabrication releases and material requirements.
• Lead or participate in project meetings.
• Support Designers and developing team members.
• Ensure projects move successfully from turnover through closeout.

At the PM I level, responsibilities expand to include independent project ownership, financial accountability, resource planning, change-order management, customer leadership, quality assurance, and protection of project profitability.

What We're Looking For

• Strong background in fire sprinkler system design.
• Approximately 4+ years of relevant industry experience for APM-level consideration.
• Approximately 5+ years of combined sprinkler design/project-management experience preferred for PM I.
• AutoCAD experience.
• HydraCAD/HydraCALC experience.
• Knowledge of NFPA 13.
• Understanding of hydraulic calculations.
• Ability to read contracts, specifications, and construction documents.
• Strong project organization and scheduling skills.
• Professional customer communication.
• Ability to identify and solve problems independently.
• Strong accountability, leadership, and teamwork.

Preferred Qualifications

• NICET Level II or higher.
• Progress toward NICET Level III.
• NFPA 14 and NFPA 20 experience.
• Fire pump and standpipe experience.
• Seismic bracing knowledge.
• Commercial and industrial project-management experience.
• Experience managing change orders, budgets, schedules, and customer relationships.
• Experience mentoring or providing technical direction to other designers.

AFP's formal APM and PM I specifications require NICET Level II, with continued Level III development expected at these levels.

Compensation

Compensation will depend on experience and position level:

Assistant Project Manager: $28.25–$29.75/hour

Project Manager I: $30.00–$34.00/hour

Additional quarterly discretionary bonus/profit-sharing opportunities are available based on company profitability.

Why AFP?

• Four-day Monday–Thursday workweek
• Standard three-day weekends
• 100% employer-paid employee base medical premium when enrolled
• Dental and vision insurance
• 401(k) and Roth with company match
• Paid holidays
• PTO eligibility based on hiring level/offer
• Life and disability options
• Quarterly discretionary bonus/profit-sharing opportunity
• Weekly pay
• Limited travel
• Structured professional-development program
• Continued NICET development
• Annual performance reviews
• Clear path for continued advancement
• Stable company serving the industry since 1973

AFP's official 2026 benefits package confirms the employer-paid base medical premium and retirement match, along with dental, vision, life, disability and other benefit options.

Build Your Career With AFP

AFP is looking for people who value Integrity, Courteousness, Accountability, and Commitment to Excellence.

Technical experience matters, but so do attitude, effort, communication, and the desire to build a long-term career. If you're an experienced sprinkler professional who has outgrown your current position or is ready for more project responsibility, we want to hear from you.