Senior Proposal Manager

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in United States.

📋 Description

• Lead and manage the firm's most significant, high-profile, intricate, and financially substantial proposal initiatives from initial strategy formulation to submission and debriefing.

• Provide guidance to executive leadership and senior business development teams regarding pursuit selection, go/no-go assessments, capture strategies, and risk management.

• Collaborate with senior technical and operational leaders to develop enterprise-level winning strategies, messaging frameworks, and unique selling points.

• Establish and supervise proposal governance, standards, and best practices across various regions, markets, or business lines.

• Formulate and endorse proposal strategies, timelines, compliance methods, and review plans for major pursuits.

• Lead and facilitate executive-level proposal evaluations, pink team/red team sessions, and post-submission review sessions.

• Provide final executive-level quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) approval for select major proposals.

• Assist in the preparation for crucial client interviews and presentations in collaboration with the Marketing Manager.

• Offer leadership, mentorship, and professional development support to junior staff; contribute to performance evaluations and succession planning.

• Track proposal performance metrics, win/loss trends, client feedback, and market insights to promote continuous improvement.

• Spearhead firmwide or market-level initiatives for proposal process enhancements, including tools, templates, content libraries, and technological solutions.

• Identify and relay proposal risks, capacity limitations, and opportunities to executive and senior leadership.

• Represent the proposal function in strategic planning, business development leadership discussions, and cross-functional projects.

• Report directly to the Director of Proposals.

⛳️ Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree or higher in Marketing, Communications, Business, English, or a related field is preferred.

• A minimum of 5 years of experience in proposal development, management, or business development support is required.

• Proven experience in leading large, complex, enterprise-level proposals and advising senior leadership is required.

• Expert knowledge of proposal development, capture strategy, and compliance with RFP/RFQ/SOQ is required.

• Demonstrated ability to lead high-risk, high-value pursuits with visibility at the executive level is required.

• Strong strategic, analytical, and decision-making skills are required.

• Exceptional leadership, facilitation, and communication skills at the executive level are required.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suite, particularly InDesign, is required.

• Ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams without direct authority is required.

• Strong mentoring and talent development abilities are required.

• Capability to manage competing priorities at a portfolio level is required.

• High attention to detail with a strategic focus on quality, outcomes, and win probability is required.

• Willingness to work overtime as needed to meet proposal deadlines is required.

• Experience leading proposal strategy in a professional services context (e.g., AEC, engineering, consulting) is required.

• Experience advising executives on pursuit strategy and go/no-go decisions is preferred.

• Experience leading proposal teams across multiple markets, regions, or service lines is preferred.

• Experience contributing to long-term growth and market positioning strategies is preferred.

• APMP Professional Certification is strongly preferred.

• Advanced training in capture planning, strategic business development, and Adobe InDesign or proposal management systems is preferred.

• A deep understanding of CRM and proposal management systems is preferred.

• Strong business acumen and commercial awareness are preferred.

• Applicants must already have work authorization in the country where the job is located.

🏝️ Benefits

• Freedom to Work program: Set your own schedule and location (as appropriate).

• Principal program: Earn the opportunity to become an owner of the firm.

• Flexible paid time off/vacation.

• Career development: learning and growth opportunities within and across industries.

• Health, life, vision, and dental insurance.

• Paid sick time.

• Retirement plan.

• Fitness reimbursement.

• Pet insurance.

• Identity protection.

• Technology stipend.

• Employee assistance program.

• Competitive pay.