Business Development Manager

Who We Are:

Symons Fire Protection, Inc. is a premier, full-service fire-life safety contractor based in San Diego, CA. For over 30 years, we have specialized in the design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of residential and commercial fire sprinkler and fire alarm/low voltage systems across Southern California. We pride ourselves on operational excellence, high-quality craftsmanship, and unwavering safety standards. We believe that our people are our greatest asset, and as our team continues to grow, we are looking for talented professionals who share our commitment to building strong customer relationships and delivering exceptional results.

How We'll Take Care of You:

• 401(k) + Company Matching
• Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and AD&D Insurance, including FREE Employee Only premium for SIMNSA and Kaiser Permanente Bronze Base medical plans
• Vacation, Holidays, Birthday Holiday, and Sick Pay
• Discretionary Bonus Program
• A management team that actively cares about your professional development
• Company Celebrations (i.e., summer picnic, holiday events)
• Employee Referral Program
• FREE Employee Assistance Plan (EAP)
• FREE Onsite Gym
• FREE premium coffee and snack

Job Summary

We are seeking a strategic, relationship-driven Business Development Manager to grow and protect key customer relationships across the production homebuilding and multifamily construction markets.

In this role, you will be responsible for expanding existing accounts, developing new business, identifying projects early in the development cycle, and building a qualified sales pipeline across San Diego and Orange County. You will work closely with Estimating, Operations, Project Management, Design, and Field Leadership to turn opportunities into profitable, executable projects and long-term customer relationships.

The ideal candidate combines strong relationship-building skills with construction industry knowledge, business development experience, and the organizational discipline necessary to manage a strategic sales pipeline from initial opportunity through award and successful project handoff.
Core Responsibilities
Strategic Account Development

• Build and maintain long-term relationships with purchasing leaders, construction executives, project managers, estimators, division leadership, and other key decision makers.
• Develop strategic account plans for priority customers, including current work, upcoming opportunities, relationship gaps, competitive position, risks, and next steps.
• Expand existing accounts by identifying additional divisions, communities, projects, scopes, and decision makers where Symons can provide value.
• Maintain consistent customer engagement through office visits, jobsite meetings, industry events, networking, and planned account reviews.
• Support customer retention through responsive communication, proactive problem solving, and consistent follow-through.

New Business Development

• Identify and pursue builders, developers, and general contractors where Symons has limited or no existing business.
• Build and maintain a structured target account list, prioritizing opportunities based on strategic fit, project volume, geography, relationship potential, and operational capacity.
• Generate qualified meetings and introductions through referrals, industry associations, networking, outbound outreach, and market research.
• Develop relationships beyond the initial point of contact and establish access to multiple decision makers within target organizations.
• Convert new relationships into qualified opportunities, bid invitations, negotiated work, and long-term customer accounts.

Pipeline Management & Market Intelligence

• Identify upcoming production communities, master-planned developments, multifamily projects, and other residential construction opportunities across San Diego and Orange County.
• Track project stage, anticipated bid timing, award timing, estimated start date, potential contract value, probability, and next action.
• Maintain an accurate and current sales pipeline using internal reporting systems and CRM/Buildertrend.
• Monitor market activity, customer development plans, competitor activity, and other factors that may impact sales strategy.
• Provide leadership with clear and reliable visibility into future opportunities, account activity, and potential revenue.

Estimating & Bid Coordination

• Partner closely with Estimating to qualify opportunities and coordinate bid strategy, scope, deadlines, customer expectations, and pricing considerations.
• Help prioritize opportunities based on customer importance, project fit, probability of award, and available company capacity.
• Provide Estimating with relevant customer, relationship, competitive, and market intelligence to strengthen the bid process.
• Follow up consistently after bids are submitted and maintain clear status visibility until an opportunity is awarded, lost, delayed, or otherwise closed.
• Identify opportunities early enough in the development cycle to position Symons before formal bid invitations are issued.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Communicate projected awards and anticipated start dates early enough to support manpower, scheduling, and capacity planning.
• Partner with Operations, Design, Project Management, Field Leadership, and other departments to ensure sales commitments can be successfully executed.
• Escalate significant customer risks, schedule changes, contract concerns, or execution issues that could impact the customer relationship or future opportunities.
• Remain engaged after award to support a smooth handoff, customer satisfaction, issue resolution, and future account growth.
• Participate in company sales, pipeline, forecasting, Bid & Build, and other planning meetings as required.

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, Construction Management, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• Experience: At least 3 years of sales or business development experience within the construction, trades, or related industry.
• Construction Knowledge: Working knowledge of construction documents, scopes, estimating, bid processes, schedules, contracts, and project delivery is required.
• Industry Experience: Fire sprinkler or fire protection experience is preferred.
• Technology: Proficiency with CRM systems and Microsoft Office, including intermediate Excel skills such as VLOOKUP and pivot tables.
• Travel: Valid driver's license and ability to travel throughout San Diego and Orange County for customer meetings, project visits, and industry events.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong relationship-building and executive-level communication skills.
• Proven ability to develop new business while expanding established customer accounts.
• Professional presentation, negotiation, and customer service skills.
• Strong organization, follow-through, and time-management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities and maintain disciplined pipeline activity.
• Strong business judgment and ability to identify and prioritize high-value opportunities.
• Collaborative approach with the ability to work effectively across Sales, Estimating, Operations, and Project Management.

Performance Measures

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Awards/sold revenue and gross margin.
• Revenue growth within existing strategic accounts.
• New qualified accounts and customer relationships developed.
• Qualified pipeline value and weighted pipeline.
• Bid hit rate and forecast accuracy.
• Meaningful customer meetings and new decision-making relationships established.
• Opportunities identified before formal bid invitation.
• CRM/Buildertrend activity and pipeline accuracy.
• Customer retention and strategic account growth.

Work Environment & Physical Requirements

• This position requires regular computer and desk work, telephone and in-person communication, and the ability to read plans, reports, correspondence, and other business documents.
• Regular travel throughout San Diego and Orange County is required for customer meetings, jobsite visits, industry events, and other business activities.
• The employee may be required to sit, stand, walk, reach, bend, and handle normal office materials while performing the duties of the position.

Other

• No Third-Party Agency Solicitation.
• Location Requirement: This position is open only to local candidates currently residing in the Southern California area. Remote candidates or applicants requiring relocation assistance will not be considered.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position
Equal Opportunity Employer

Symons Fire Protection, Inc. is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants and employees. We do not discriminate on the basis of legally protected characteristics.

M/F/Disability/Protected Veteran Status