Fire suppression operations manager job description
A fire suppression operations manager keeps a sprinkler contractor's inspection and service calendar on track. They decide which buildings are due, which technician goes, and what happens to the problems found. They also make sure every visit leaves the tags, reports and filings that fire officials expect.
By the HireBus team · Updated · Pay data: BLS, May 2025
Median pay, plumbing, HVAC and sprinkler contractors · BLS, May 2025
Annual pay: 10th percentile $57,570, middle half $79,040 to $158,540, 90th percentile $214,590. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025.
Reports to
General Manager
Department
Operations
Schedule
Business hours, some evenings, on-call · Mostly office work with regular site visits, some evening or weekend calls for urgent issues, and on call at peak times
Also called
Service operations manager · Inspection manager · Fire protection service manager
Fire suppression operations manager job description template
This is our Role Blueprint, word for word. Replace the highlighted fields and adjust the example targets and pay to fit your company.
Lead and coordinate fire suppression operations to ensure a high level of service quality and safety compliance. Drive efficient scheduling, maintenance of procedures, and proactive technician coordination to support company growth and customer satisfaction.
2. Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Oversee daily fire suppression operations, ensuring adherence to safety and service protocols.
Coordinate and schedule technicians to optimize productivity and timely inspections.
Enforce standard operating procedures and quality assurance measures consistently.
Collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve operational challenges quickly.
Maintain detailed records of inspections, service reports, and operational metrics.
3. Key Tasks / Daily Activities
Manage technician assignments and daily work orders to maximize efficiency.
Monitor inspection schedules and ensure timely completion of every task.
Communicate with clients about service appointments, updates, and post-service feedback.
Review and update operational procedures to align with industry safety standards.
Address and resolve day-to-day issues and operational bottlenecks proactively.
4. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Inspection Completion Rate: 95% or higher.
Technician Utilization Rate: 90% efficiency across scheduled shifts.
Procedure Compliance Rate: Maintain a 100% adherence level to safety and operational protocols.
5. Required Qualifications and Skills
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, or a related field.
Minimum of 5 years’ experience in operations management, preferably within the home services industry.
Proficient in scheduling software and operations management tools.
Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated ability to enforce compliance with industry standards and company procedures.
6. Preferred Experience
Previous experience in fire suppression or related safety services.
Background in managing field service technicians and coordinating multi-site operations.
Experience with quality assurance and regulatory compliance in home services.
Proven track record of implementing process improvements in operational settings.
7. Physical Requirements
Ability to occasionally lift up to 25 lbs and maneuver equipment safely.
Capability to work in varying environmental conditions, including confined spaces and outdoor settings.
Frequent standing, walking, and light physical activity required during site visits.
Visual and auditory acuity to inspect equipment and operational areas effectively.
8. Work Environment and Schedule
Standard business hours with occasional evenings or weekends for urgent issues.
Working primarily in an office environment with regular site visits.
Occasional travel between service locations and regional offices.
Availability for on-call duties during peak operational periods.
Collaborative and fast-paced environment with a focus on operational excellence.
9. Compensation and Benefits
Competitive salary range between $75,000 and $90,000 per year, commensurate with experience.
Performance-based bonuses to reward operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance packages.
401(k) retirement plan with company matching contributions.
Additional fringe benefits such as paid time off, professional development opportunities, and employee wellness programs.
10. Company Culture and Overview
Our company fosters an inclusive culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
We value innovation, teamwork, and a proactive approach to service delivery.
Employees are empowered to grow professionally and contribute meaningfully to the company’s success.
We celebrate achievements and invest in the long-term career development of our team members.
11. How to Apply
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a growth-oriented company focused on customer satisfaction, please send your resume to [INSERT EMAIL HERE] or apply online at [INSERT WEBSITE LINK HERE].
Need help filling this role? HireBus posts the ad, Iris interviews every applicant by phone before you do, and you decide who to hire. Start hiring now
What a sprinkler operations manager keeps track of
Most of this job is a calendar of buildings that must be inspected, tested and fixed on time, plus a paper trail that proves it. Fire officials and building owners both read that paper.
A new tag after every visit
In Tennessee, every inspection or service visit ends with a new service tag on the system. It shows the contractor's certificate number, the responsible managing employee's name and license number, the work done and the result of the two-inch drain test. Service tags can't be red. When an inspector finds an impairment, they notify the owner and the local fire official and hang a red tag. The regular tag goes back up only after the fix passes a new inspection. Source: Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0780-02-07-.10: Service tags (Cornell LII).
Some fire departments want reports online
Some cities want test results sent in, not just left in a binder. Springfield, Missouri, for example, has inspection companies file annual test reports for sprinklers, standpipes, fire pumps and private hydrants through an online portal. Only companies registered with the fire department may file. The portal then reminds building occupants about needed repairs and upcoming inspections. Check each city on your routes and build its steps into your report process. Source: Springfield, Missouri Fire Department: The Compliance Engine (city example).
Backflow testers carry their own card
A fire line often has a backflow preventer, and testing it is a separate skill. In Tennessee, testers earn a state Certificate of Competency by passing written and hands-on exams in a TDEC-approved course, such as the one at the Fleming Training Center. They renew it every three years. Track which technicians hold a current card. Ask each water system how it wants test reports sent, and book the backflow test with the sprinkler inspection where you can. Source: Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation: Cross-connection control training and certification.
Spread the year's inspections out
Inspection dates tend to bunch up around when buildings opened or when a big account signed. Left alone, that means a crush in some months and idle technicians in others. Within what each contract and the local fire code allow, the operations manager shifts renewal dates to even out the year. Outdoor flow tests and fire pump runs are booked for warmer months, and indoor work fills the winter.
How much fire suppression operations managers make
The closest BLS group for fire suppression operations managers is general and operations managers. General and operations managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $105,740 a year ($50.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s about the same as the $105,770 median for general and operations managers in all industries. About 40,250 of the 3,503,020 general and operations managers in that survey work for plumbing, HVAC and sprinkler contractors.
Expect to pay a salary, plus the template's bonuses for efficiency and customer ratings. Even its highest figure is below the BLS median for sprinkler, plumbing and HVAC contractors, a number that also counts general managers.
Plumbing, HVAC and sprinkler contractors
$105,740$105,740 median Middle half $79,040–$158,540 10th–90th $57,570–$214,590
All industries
$105,770$105,770 median Middle half $72,320–$167,280 10th–90th $50,090–$253,390
$0k$50k$100k$150k$200k$250k$300k
10th–90th percentileMiddle halfMedianAnnual pay, May 2025. Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics.
Annual pay by percentile
Group
10th
25th
Median
75th
90th
Plumbing, HVAC and sprinkler contractors
$57,570
$79,040
$105,740
$158,540
$214,590
All industries
$50,090
$72,320
$105,770
$167,280
$253,390
BLS doesn’t publish pay for fire sprinkler contractors on their own. These figures cover plumbing, heating and air-conditioning contractors, which include them. Post a real range for your market in the ad.
The pay line in the template above is an example from our Role Blueprint. Set yours from these figures and what local companies pay.
Skills to hire for, and what you can teach
Hire for these
Has kept a large book of commercial buildings inspected on time
Knows what quarterly, annual and five-year sprinkler inspections involve
Keeps tags, reports and filings complete for every visit
Follows each deficiency until it is quoted, fixed or turned down in writing
Can explain a red tag to a building engineer without making it sound routine or alarming
Teach these on the job
Your state's tag and report rules
Each fire department's reporting portal
Your inspection software and report forms
Which technicians hold backflow and NICET cards
Access rules at your largest accounts
Inspection software such as ServiceTrade or Inspect Point holds the building list, due dates, reports and deficiency quotes, and some fire departments add a portal of their own. A good interview question: how would they catch a building that fell off the calendar after its contact person changed?
Fire suppression operations manager interview questions
Two of the 6 questions we'd ask, and what a strong answer sounds like. Ask every candidate the same questions, and rate each answer on your own before you compare notes.
Situational · Planning for peak inspection season
In the fall, [60] annual inspections come due within the same [six] weeks. Walk me through how you'd plan the schedule and staffing.
A strong answer: Plans months ahead, books access early, spreads work where customers agree to move dates earlier, lines up overtime or help, and protects emergency capacity.
Behavioral · Coaching on report quality
Tell me about a technician whose inspection reports kept coming back incomplete. What did you do?
A strong answer: Showed specific examples, found the cause, such as rushing or confusion about the form, set a standard, and checked the next reports.
Start from last year's due dates and audit results, agree each target with the general manager, and go over late inspections every Monday.
Inspection Completion Rate
Count inspections finished in their due month against all that fell due, straight from the inspection software. A visit that ended in a red tag still counts as done; follow its repair under deficiencies.
Technician Utilization Rate
Divide each technician's hours on inspections, tests and repairs by paid hours. Report writing is part of the job in this trade, so decide up front whether it counts, and keep drive time on its own line.
Customer Satisfaction Rating
Survey the building contact after each inspection and repair visit, and read low scores by technician and by building. When a building scores low, check whether tenants got notice before alarm bells rang during testing.
Procedure Compliance Rate
Pull a monthly sample of finished visits and check the tag, report, impairment notices and photos. Join a few visits unannounced too, since paperwork can't show whether ladder and lockout rules were followed. Count the visits that passed.
Where do sprinkler inspection reports go in Tennessee?
Tennessee's rules say written inspection reports are filed the same way as the test certificate after an install. One copy stays at the site and the contractor keeps one. Copies go to the local fire official and to the state within ten days. Ask the state fire marshal's office how it wants them sent, then build that routing into your software.
How much does a fire suppression operations manager make?
General and operations managers who work for plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors earned a median of $105,740 a year ($50.84 an hour) in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $79,040 and $158,540 a year. Pay also depends on your local market, experience and bonus terms.
How does this job split with dispatch and production?
Where a company has all three, the operations manager sets the inspection calendar, the staffing plan and the rules for each kind of visit. The dispatcher books and moves the day's calls inside that plan. The production manager keeps installs on the general contractors' schedules. When an emergency and a due inspection want the same technician, the operations manager chooses.
Should inspectors fix small problems during the visit?
Often, if the agreement allows it and the customer approves on the spot. A missing cover plate or a loose hanger can be fixed in minutes and saves a trip. Larger repairs go on a deficiency quote. Either way, log inspection time and repair time on separate lines, so utilization numbers and the bills stay honest.
Which physical tasks come with this job?
Site visits bring real tasks. The manager carries a test kit or a box of heads up stairs. They check valves in a cramped riser closet or outside in the cold, and stand and walk through a fire pump test. They read pressure gauges and tags, and listen for alarm bells and running pumps. Describe these tasks in the post, and invite applicants to ask about reasonable accommodation.
