Damien Symons

A dynamic, passionate, driven fire protection professional with 21 years of experience, encompassing Engineering, Design, Sales, Business Development, Quality Management, and team leadership Roles. Naturally driven to reach and exceed targets both personally and as a team leader, while maintaining the highest levels of client relations. My experience in the fire industry sector has provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the relevant BS's & ACOP's.

Following recent changes in personal circumstances I am currently seeking new opportunities to develop, grow and deliver excellence, whilst contributing to organisational success.

Managing Director at EDS Fire Protection Ltd (2018-08 – Present)

• Building in the same manner as previous experience, but directing the business as a specialist contractor, working on behalf of other fire protection companies, or as a preferred supplier within the FM framework.
• Offering consultation services, specialist services, and niche services, at high profile or restricted access sites.
• Training Personnel to attain to Mid-level Management across service delivery, office administration, and Installation/Small Works.

Managing Director at Advance Fire Solutions Ltd (2010-03 – 2018-08)

• Sales: Growth Strategy, Market & Sector Research, procure new customers, service contracts, establish SLA's, Sales agreements and auditable documentation. Client meetings, site surveys, presentations, through to handover. Tenders and PQQ's for Government & Corporate Contracts.
• Quality: Develop, Initiate, and manage a quality management system (IOS 9001), ensuring all aspects of the service delivery, from initial enquiry, through to job completion, meet he highest of standards set.
• Engineering: Scheduling delivery of planned maintenance works, UK wide, across AFD, Suppression, 9251. 5301, & 12845 Sprinklers, Extinguisher, AOV's, and Passive Inspections and Installations, ensuring they are allocated to the correct skill sets, completed in line with SLA's, Meet the requirements of the relevant British Standards, maintaining the correct handling of all electronic documentation.
• Installation/Small Works: Specifying, Designing, & Tendering for New Installations, corrective works from service visits and reactive calls. Ensuring compatibility of system components, protocol, and functional requirements. Ensuring Correct Labour, access requirements and assets are assigned to each small works or new installation project. Ensuring completed works meet original or intended system design, interface with ancillary equipment, and hand over to client (including on-site training where required) is delivered.
• Sub-Contractor Management: Establish effective working relationships with Bona fide subcontractors, ensuring skill sets and geographical coverage aids the business in its service and installation delivery. Review sub-contractor performance, qualifications, and levels of Insurance, to ensure SLA delivery and requirements are maintained.
• Business Development: Build and develop customer relationships, understanding their requirements, whilst upselling and cross selling additional services and Benefits. To handle and issues or complaints, ensuring a resolution is found and satisfies all parties.
• Collaboration: Ensuring all department personnel maintain good levels of internal communication, that both information, ideas and targets are effectively relayed, and achieved, ensuring a strong teamwork ethic throughout the business.

Business Development Manager at Fire & Safety Services (2007-09 – 2009-10)

• To Enhance Relationships with existing customers, Cross-sell further services, build new national sales accounts, targeting Retail, Utilities, and FM.
• Actively pursuing Customers through Pre-Qualification Questionnaires, Tenders, and Pre-Contract Meetings.
• Secured £1.3 Million of new Service Contracts for national organisations (Telefonica O2, River Island, Severn Trent Water, Bupa Healthcare).
• Oversee additional Field Sales Representatives activity, CRM Pipeline, and Guide to increase productivity.

Sales Representative at Fire & Safety Services (2007-06 – 2007-09)

• Responsible for prospecting, Site surveys, Preparation of Quotations, winning new local accounts. Reporting to the Sales Manager, managing a pipeline through a CRM package, forecasting, specifying, and presenting to the client.
• Exceeded Sales Targets Every month, securing £85k of New Local service contracts, along with winning a large National Retailer on a multi service, 4-year deal valued at £300k. This resulted in being moving into National accounts sales as BDM.

Field Service Engineer at P.A.T Services (2005-01 – 2007-12)

• Field based Fire Extinguisher Engineer, Trainee Alarm Engineer. Manage own workload (Plan, schedule, & Book assigned works from the office with each client/Site) Manage stock, Company assets, generate additional works via defect reporting, liaise with office administration, other engineers and cover an on-call Rota.