Leadership Development Program

Position: Leadership Development Associate Company: Columbia Safety Services, LLC Program Length: 12 months, followed by placement into an operating company leadership role Program Base: Seattle, WA Rotation Locations: Seattle and Spokane, WA; Albany and Newport, OR; Greater Boise, ID; plus new markets as they open Reports To: Vice President of Operations Employment Type: Full-time, salaried, non-exempt (overtime eligible) during the program year Bargaining Unit Status: Non-union Travel: Extensive, including extended stays at branch locations throughout the program year Relocation: Required at program completion, to the market where you are placed About Columbia Safety Services Columbia Safety Services is the parent company of a growing group of fire and life safety businesses across the Pacific Northwest and Intermountain West: Columbia Fire, LLC — Seattle, WAValley Fire Control, LLC — Albany and Newport, OR + Spokane, WAFFF Protection — Greater Boise, with an office in Nampa, ID Our companies design, install, inspect, and service fire sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, suppression systems, portable extinguishers, and the life safety equipment that protects people and property. We grow both organically and through acquisition, and we are building a formidable platform for the long term. Our core values guide how we operate: Customer First, Grit, Effective Communication, Own the Outcome, Take Pride in the Work, and Do the Right Thing. Why This Program Exists We grow by acquisition. Every company we acquire needs leaders who understand two things at once: how the trade actually works in the field, and how the business makes money. That combination is rare, and we cannot hire it off the open market in the numbers we need. So we are building it. This program takes people who have already proven they can lead, moves them through every function of the business for a year, and places them into a leadership seat in one of our markets. You will not be handed a team on day one. You will earn credibility with people who have been doing this work for twenty years, and the only way to do that is to do the work alongside them. What This Actually Looks Like Twelve months. Multiple offices. Every function. You will spend real time in the field wearing PPE — pulling wire on a fire alarm installation, running inspections, servicing kitchen suppression systems, working alongside sprinkler fitters. You will sit with dispatch and service coordinators. You will follow project managers, designers, and estimators through live jobs. You will ride with salespeople on customer calls. You will spend time in accounting, billing, purchasing, and licensing. For a good portion of the year you will be the least knowledgeable person in the room. That is the point. The technicians and managers teaching you will decide fairly quickly whether you are serious. Show up early, ask real questions, and carry your own weight. Rotation Areas Field Operations Fire sprinkler installation and serviceFire alarm installation, service, and programmingInspection, testing, and maintenance across system typesSuppression systems and portable fire extinguishers Operations and Delivery Dispatch and service coordinationProject managementDesign and estimatingPurchasing and material managementSafety Commercial Sales and customer relationshipsProposal and bid developmentInspection and service agreement growth Business and Back Office Accounting, billing, and collectionsLicensing and complianceRecruiting and onboardingReporting and business systems Executive Exposure and Special Assignments You will report to the Vice President of Operations and meet regularly with the Columbia Safety Services executive team. Throughout the year you will be given assignments that go beyond learning: market analysis, acquisition diligence support, process build-out, margin and pricing review, and operational problems that need a fresh set of eyes. These are real deliverables presented to real decision-makers. How you handle them will shape where you land. What Comes Next The purpose of this program is to place you into a leadership role at the end of it. Late in the program year you will tell us which market you want to build your career in, and we will work toward a leadership position in that location. The level depends on your performance, the needs of the business, and what seats are open. It may be a division or department leadership role. In the right circumstances it could be more. We will be straightforward with you: this program is a substantial investment on our part, and no specific title or position is guaranteed at the end of it. Employment remains at-will. What we commit to is a serious year of development, honest feedback throughout, and every intention of placing you in leadership if you earn it. Who We're Looking For We are actively recruiting transitioning military officers and senior noncommissioned officers. The reason is straightforward: military leaders arrive with the part that is hardest to teach — accountability, decision-making under pressure, the ability to lead people who did not choose you, and a bias toward action. We can teach fire protection. We cannot teach that. The program is also open to strong candidates from other backgrounds who bring comparable leadership experience. You are probably a fit if you: Have led teams and been accountable for their performance and their welfareAre comfortable being new, and being coached by people without your credentialsLearn quickly and take notesHold high standards without arroganceWant to run something, and understand that starts with understanding itAre willing to move for the right opportunity You are probably not a fit if you: Expect a management title before you have earned field credibilityConsider a year in work boots beneath your experienceWant a defined role with clear boundariesNeed to be the expert in the room to be comfortableAre unwilling to travel heavily or relocate Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's degree, service as a commissioned officer or senior noncommissioned officer, or equivalent leadership experienceDocumented record of leading teams and delivering resultsWillingness to travel extensively, including extended stays at branch locationsWillingness to relocate to one of our markets at program completionValid driver’s license and clean driving recordAbility to wear standard PPE, climb ladders, work at heights, lift up to 50 lbs, and work on active jobsites and in occupied buildingsFluent in spoken and written EnglishAbility to pass a background check and pre-employment drug screen No fire protection or construction experience is required. Preferred Qualifications 4–10 years of leadership experienceMilitary leadership experience, particularly with maintenance, engineering, logistics, or facilities responsibilityBudget, P&L, or resource management accountabilityMulti-site or geographically dispersed team experienceStrong analytical and written communication skillsBilingual (Spanish)Eligibility for DoD SkillBridge or a comparable military transition program Compensation Annual salary: $85,000 – $100,000, depending on experience and leadership backgroundClassification: full-time, salaried, non-exempt during the program year. Hours are tracked, and overtime is paid for hours worked over 40 in a workweek — which matters, because field rotations regularly run long.Travel and lodging covered during rotations; relocation support provided at placement Benefits Medical, dental, and vision insurance through Regence BlueShield, Delta Dental of Washington, and VSP — available to employees scheduled 30 or more hours per week, effective the first of the month following or coinciding with your hire dateThe company pays approximately 90% of the employee premium on the HSA-qualified medical plan, plus a substantial share of dependent premiumsHealth Savings Account with a $600 annual company contribution401(k) with Safe Harbor employer match up to 3.5%Paid time off starting at 10 days annually and increasing with length of serviceEight paid holidaysCompany-paid basic life and AD&D insuranceEmployee Assistance Program, telehealth access, and optional pet insuranceCompany vehicle or vehicle allowance during field rotations, and a company laptop and technology packagePaid training, certifications, and continuing education Schedule & Work Environment Full-time, Monday through Friday, with field rotations following branch and crew schedules — early starts are normalOccasional after-hours, on-call, or weekend work during field and service rotationsExtended travel with stays at branch locations across Washington, Oregon, Idaho, and new marketsWork performed in offices, commercial buildings, mechanical and riser rooms, active construction sites, and commercial kitchensRegular use of PPE, ladders, and lifts Why This Program Works Twelve months of paid, structured exposure to every function of a multi-state contractorDirect reporting to the Vice President of Operations and regular access to the executive teamReal assignments with real stakes, not observationA defined path toward a leadership seat in a growing companyAn industry that is stable, code-driven, and genuinely about protecting people and propertyBacked by a group building for the long term Apply If you led well in uniform and want to build a civilian career where leadership still matters, we want to talk. Columbia Safety Services, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We value diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Reasonable accommodations will be made for qualified individuals with disabilities in accordance with applicable law. Employment with Columbia Safety Services is at-will and may be terminated by either party at any time, with or without cause or notice, consistent with applicable law.