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About the Role
Symons Fire Protection, Inc. is seeking a Design Manager to lead the design department, focusing on resource planning, departmental profitability, client relationships, and navigating regulatory challenges with senior County and City AHJs. This role requires proven people management experience and a history of guiding professional development and building high-retention engineering cultures.
Responsibilities
- Oversees departmental operational budgets, software licensing configurations, and long-term department expansion.
- Monitors project burn rates, estimates design hours for multi-million dollar contracts, and safeguards the department's gross profit margins.
- Audits high-risk projects and serves as the final escalation point for complex plan-check disputes.
- Hires, fires, disciplines, and promotes department personnel in alignment with company growth objectives and policies.
- Coaches, mentors, and develops the team, preparing them for advanced management paths.
- Conducts career-pathing sessions, establishes succession planning matrices, resolves high-level interpersonal conflicts, and works to reduce employee burnout.
- Establishes key performance indicators (KPIs) for the department, conducts formal performance reviews, and implements corrective action plans.
- Cultivates a psychologically safe work environment where team members feel empowered to collaborate, voice technical concerns, innovate, and report errors without fear of negative repercussions.
- Performs other management duties as assigned.
- Targets an overall department billable utilization rate of 85%.
- Maintains a department-wide first-pass plan check approval rate of 90%+ across all Southern California municipalities.
- Ensures design department capacity matches project backlog schedules up to 90 days out.
Requirements
- At least 8 years of progressive engineering and design experience.
- A minimum of 5 years of direct leadership experience overseeing a team of 10+ design professionals.
- NICET Level III in Water-Based Systems Layout certification.
- Expertise in Autocad, Autosprink, Hydracad, NFPA, and Bluebeam Revu (Studio, Sets, Quantity Link) for department-wide standardization and macro executive review.
- Expert command of local Fire Code amendments and WUI (Wildland-Urban Interface) regulations.
- Must be currently residing in the Southern California area.
- Remote candidates will not be considered.
Skills
- Autocad
- Autosprink
- Hydracad
- NFPA
- Bluebeam Revu
- Fire Code amendments
- WUI regulations
- People management
- Resource planning
- Financial accountability
- QA/QC
- Talent management
- Leadership development
- Mentorship
- Performance monitoring
- Culture cultivation
Location
- San Diego, CA
Work Type
- Onsite
Experience Level
- 8+ years of engineering and design experience
- 5+ years of leadership experience
Education Level
- NICET Level III in Water-Based Systems Layout
Salary/Compensations
- $125,000.00 - $155,000.00 per year
Benefits
- 401(k) + Company Matching
- Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, and AD&D Insurance
- FREE Employee Only premium for SIMNSA and Kaiser Permanente Bronze Base medical plans
- Vacation, Paid Holidays, Birthday Holiday, and Sick Pay
- Discretionary Bonus Program
- FREE Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
- FREE Onsite Gym
- FREE premium coffee and snacks
- Company Celebrations
- Employee Referral Program
- Management support for professional development
About the Company
- 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 alarm systems across Southern California.
- We pride ourselves on operational excellence, high-quality craftsmanship, and unwavering safety standards.
Equal Opportunity
- Symons Fire Protection, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
- We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), national origin, ancestry, age, physical/mental disability, medical condition, genetic info, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, military/veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.
- Pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act, we consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.
- If you require a reasonable accommodation to complete this application or any part of the hiring process, please let us know.