Operations Manager

Operations Manager

Our client is a growing commercial fire and life safety organization looking for an experienced Operations Manager to become a key driver of its day-to-day execution. This is an opportunity to step into a highly visible role where your industry knowledge, judgment, and ability to keep multiple priorities moving will directly influence customer service, field productivity, and the continued growth of the operation. The right person will enjoy having broad ownership, working closely with field teams and leadership, and bringing structure and accountability to a fast-moving environment.

This Role Offers:

• A central leadership role with meaningful influence over daily operations and service delivery.
• Broad responsibility across field coordination, customers, vendors, documentation, proposals, permitting, and operational follow-through.
• The opportunity to help strengthen processes and operating discipline as the business continues to grow.

Focus:

• Keep field activity aligned by reshuffling technician assignments as service demands change, addressing urgent calls and competing priorities throughout the day.
• Coordinate material availability with suppliers so crews can arrive prepared for scheduled work, while proactively resolving shortages or delivery issues.
• Guide customers through timing, progress updates, outstanding needs, and next steps while maintaining responsive and professional communication.
• Evaluate field documentation before work is closed, identifying missing details, unresolved deficiencies, and follow-up actions that require attention.
• Build estimates for service work and smaller installations, partnering with leadership on technical scope and commercial decisions when appropriate.
• Move permit packages through local review processes, respond to corrections, and coordinate required inspections with applicable authorities.
• Maintain visibility into unfinished work, deadlines, and administrative obligations, raising concerns before they disrupt service or customer commitments.
• Create practical structure around records, handoffs, and recurring workflows to strengthen accountability as the operation grows.

Skill Set:

• Direct commercial fire alarm or full-service fire and life safety operations experience is required. This position requires someone who can contribute quickly without an extended industry learning curve.
• Hands-on experience across at least four key operational functions, with broader exposure strongly preferred. Relevant areas include dispatch and scheduling, parts and vendor coordination, customer communication, service documentation and closeout, proposals, and permitting or AHJ coordination.
• Strong understanding of how commercial fire alarm service, installation, inspection, or related life safety work moves from customer request through field execution and completion.
• Ability to independently determine priorities, recognize when an issue requires escalation, and maintain momentum when leadership is not physically present.
• Strong sense of urgency combined with reliable follow-through and attention to details that affect customers, technicians, compliance, and job completion.
• Professional communication skills and the ability to work effectively with field technicians, customers, suppliers, inspectors, authorities, and company leadership.
• Working familiarity with fire alarm documentation, permitting processes, inspections, and applicable industry practices. Familiarity with NFPA 72 is preferred.
• Experience using service management, dispatch, CRM, estimating, or project tracking systems is beneficial.
• Previous experience in a lean commercial fire alarm or life safety organization where team members routinely handled responsibilities across multiple functions is strongly preferred.
• Comfortable working on-site and taking ownership of both planned operational responsibilities and unexpected issues.

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services.