Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Fire & Security Systems Integrated Sales Representative

🎯 Role Definition

The Fire & Security Systems Integrated Sales Representative is a technical sales professional who develops and closes new business opportunities and grows existing accounts for integrated life-safety and security system solutions. This role blends consultative field sales, pre-sales technical support, specification and bid management, and project coordination to deliver compliant, profitable security and fire protection systems (fire alarm, access control, video surveillance, intrusion, intercom, and building integration) across commercial, healthcare, education, government and industrial sectors.

Primary objectives:

Meet and exceed regional revenue, margin and pipeline targets for integrated security and fire solutions.
Influence project specifications, drive RFP responses, and secure awarded contracts while ensuring compliance with NFPA, local codes and owner requirements.
Act as the primary customer-facing technical resource, coordinating internal estimating, engineering and project delivery teams.

Keywords: Fire & Security Systems, integrated security solutions, fire alarm sales, access control, CCTV, intrusion detection, NFPA, life-safety, security systems sales, RFP responses, specification writing.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Junior Sales Representative – Low Voltage / Security
Technical Sales Support / Inside Sales (Security Systems)
Fire Alarm Technician or Security Systems Technician transitioning into sales

Advancement To:

Senior Sales Manager – Fire & Security Solutions
Business Development Manager / Regional Sales Manager
Sales Director / National Accounts Manager (Security & Fire)

Lateral Moves:

Pre-Sales Solutions Engineer (Security Integration)
Estimating / Project Development Manager
Product Manager – Security & Fire Systems

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute a territory sales plan to identify, qualify, and close new commercial and institutional accounts for integrated fire and security systems, achieving monthly and annual revenue and gross margin targets.
Conduct in-person and virtual consultative sales meetings, site surveys and needs assessments to design system solutions combining fire alarms, access control, video surveillance, intrusion detection, and building automation where appropriate.
Prepare, develop and deliver technically accurate proposals, system specifications, point lists and scope of work documents that address client requirements, compliance with NFPA and local codes, and company profitability goals.
Lead RFP/RFQ/RFI responses from intake through submittal: coordinate scope definition, pricing, value-engineering, clarifications, and submission while managing deadlines and document control.
Collaborate with estimating and engineering teams to produce accurate material takeoffs, labor hours, and installation scopes; review and validate estimates to ensure competitive pricing and margin protection.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with architects, engineers (specifying engineers), general contractors, consulting firms, facility managers and AHJs to influence specifications and secure project awards.
Manage the entire sales cycle from lead generation and qualification through contract negotiation, order placement and project handover to operations and commissioning teams.
Provide pre-sales technical leadership: create system designs, block diagrams, network requirements (IP, VLAN, PoE), and integrate third-party systems for unified security and life-safety solutions.
Negotiate commercial terms, change orders, service agreements and maintenance contracts, ensuring clear scope, payment terms and risk allocation.
Maintain and update CRM (e.g., Salesforce) with pipeline activities, customer interactions, forecast updates and opportunity documentation, producing reliable sales forecasts.
Develop and present formal proposals and executive-level presentations to C-suite, facility directors and procurement teams to win large and strategic accounts.
Respond to technical clarifications, submittal reviews and contract questions during bid evaluations and post-award; coordinate RFIs with internal engineering and field teams.
Provide product, system and code training to customers and internal staff; act as subject-matter expert for manufacturers’ product lines, firmware updates and system integration best practices.
Coordinate factory acceptance tests (FAT), site acceptance testing (SAT) and final commissioning schedules with project managers and field service teams to ensure a smooth project turnover.
Track competitor activity, pricing trends and local market intelligence to refine value propositions, pricing strategies and competitive differentiators.
Drive aftermarket revenue by developing service, monitoring and maintenance contracts, upselling system upgrades and lifecycle refresh programs.
Ensure compliance with all applicable codes and standards (NFPA 72, NFPA 101, UL listings, local fire codes) and document approvals required by AHJs and owners.
Manage key accounts through regular business reviews, account plans and customer satisfaction follow-ups, escalating issues to operations when necessary.
Attend industry events, trade shows, manufacturer trainings and code update seminars to maintain product knowledge, certifications and professional network.
Support warranty, service escalation and emergency response coordination by liaising between customers, service teams and manufacturers to drive rapid resolution.
Create value-based selling tools, case studies, ROI analyses and return-on-investment proposals to demonstrate lifecycle value and justify capital expenditures.
Monitor and control order confirmation, procurement lead-times, and special equipment requests to minimize project delays and protect margins.

Secondary Functions

Generate and follow up on inbound and outbound leads via cold-calling, email campaigns, industry referrals and networking to build a robust opportunity pipeline.
Maintain up-to-date product and integration knowledge across multiple manufacturers (fire panels, VMS, NVRs, readers, controllers, intrusion panels) and recommended interoperability configurations.
Assist marketing with content ideas, customer success stories and technical copy for web, SEO, and product collateral targeted at security and facilities audiences.
Support proposals by preparing BOMs (bill of materials), line-item pricing, and alternate solution options for value-engineering discussions.
Participate in cross-functional project kickoffs, weekly status reviews and post-installation lessons-learned to improve delivery and reduce field rework.
Track and report on KPIs such as bid-hit ratio, sales velocity, average deal size, and contract renewal rates to the sales leadership team.
Mentor and onboard junior sales staff, technicians and inside sales representatives on consultative sales techniques, product basics and CRM use.
Maintain and renew relevant manufacturer certifications, NICET certifications (if applicable), and local contractor licenses as required by jurisdiction and company policy.
Escalate and document any potential contract risk, scope gaps or compliance issues to legal and operations for resolution prior to project start.
Coordinate with purchasing and suppliers to secure long lead items, custom equipment, and obtain competitive quotes to protect project schedules.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proven sales and business development experience selling integrated security and life-safety systems (fire alarm, access control, CCTV, intrusion).
Strong knowledge of NFPA 72, NFPA 101, UL listings, local fire and life-safety codes, and typical AHJ approval processes.
Ability to read and interpret construction drawings, electrical schematics, riser diagrams and floor plans for system design and takeoff.
Experience preparing and submitting RFP/RFQ responses, technical proposals, system specifications and BOQs.
Familiarity with IP-based video and access control systems, TCP/IP networking basics, PoE, VLANs, network cameras and NVR/VMS configurations.
Competency with CRM systems (Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics or similar), MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and proposal/estimating tools.
Prior experience coordinating with estimating/engineering teams to produce accurate cost models and margin-sensitive bids.
Knowledge of lifecycle service contracts, remote monitoring services, and maintenance program structures and pricing.
Proven contract negotiation skills including drafting and negotiating purchase orders, change orders and service agreements.
Technical fluency with manufacturer product lines and the ability to articulate system benefits and integration approaches to technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Experience managing public sector bidding processes, government procurement, and compliance with public contracting rules (when applicable).
Familiarity with industry certifications and standards (NICET, BICSI, manufacturer certifications) and a commitment to ongoing professional development.

Soft Skills

Consultative seller mindset: strong listening, questioning and solution-oriented approach to customer needs.
Excellent verbal and written communication; comfortable presenting to executive-level stakeholders and technical teams alike.
Strong negotiation and influence skills with contractors, owners and specifiers.
Organized, detail-oriented and able to manage multiple complex opportunities and deadlines simultaneously.
Resilient and persistent with a hunter mentality for new business; skilled in follow-up and pipeline management.
Collaborative team player, able to coordinate across operations, engineering, estimating and service groups.
Problem-solver who can translate field issues into product or process improvements and escalate effectively.
Time-management and prioritization skills to balance prospecting, account management and project support activities.
Customer-service driven with a focus on long-term relationships and recurring revenue.
Adaptable and quick to learn new technologies, manufacturer updates and code changes.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High school diploma or GED required; technical certificate or associate degree preferred.

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Electronics, Security Technology, or related field preferred.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Electrical Engineering, Electronics or Telecommunications
Business Administration, Sales or Marketing
Fire Protection Engineering or Security Systems Technology

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

4–10+ years of progressive sales experience in fire alarm, security systems, low-voltage integration or related technical sales roles.

Preferred:

5+ years selling integrated fire and security systems with a demonstrated track record of closing complex commercial and institutional projects, experience responding to RFP/RFQs, and managing cross-functional teams through project handover.