Proposal Manager

Lead the development, coordination, and submittal of complex technical commercial proposals. In this position, you will work with various departments throughout the company, from Sales to Engineering, to Provide support to field sales teams and customers requesting technical commercial quotations for products and services. You will be responsible for driving the coordination of resources and preparing the proposals, including the drafting, writing, editing, and proofreading of the proposal to ensure it is in compliance with internal processes and client requirements. Key skills include ability to absorb and retain technical product knowledge; ability to multi-task and thrive in fast-paced environment and working under pressure; ability to meet challenging deadlines; solid organizational, follow-up, and planning abilities; strong communication skills, both verbal and written; ability to work in a team environment. Candidate must be able to proactively lead the proposal development process with a results-driven mindset, ensuring timely and high-quality submissions while motivating cross-functional teams toward successful, on-time completion of deliverables.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES:

• Participate in strategic planning that includes evaluating marketing intelligence, identifying customer concerns and key issues, analyzing competitive aspects, developing proposal strategies and themes for win strategies.
• Draft, write, edit, proofread proposal to ensure compliance with technical and customer requirements.
• Develop proposal management plan including proposal submittal schedule.
• Schedule and run kick-off meetings; facilitate key status review meetings; coordinate document production and delivery of final professional proposal within customer deadlines.
• Assemble, coordinate, and manage necessary resources to support the proposal requirements.
• Develop proposal compliance matrix; integrate technical and cost information; meet and fulfill customer requirements through proposal development.
• Work closely and strongly with a variety of stakeholders, typically involving contribution from sales, engineering, software, physics teams, finance, legal, and project management.
• Utilize Excel to prepare financial evaluations/analysis on discounts & margins for proposal pricing.
• Manage internal and external customer relationships and maintain strong communication and response, handling issues appropriately and in a timely manner.

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Strong understanding of proposal processes and best practices
• Ability to work under pressure, manage a challenging workload when faced with changing priorities, and meet deadlines
• Proven track record of leading high-value, deadline-driven proposal efforts from kickoff to submission with minimal oversight.
• Solid organizational and planning skills
• Detail-oriented, with strong editing, formatting, and compliance-checking skills to ensure adherence to RFP requirements.
• Ability to absorb and retain technical product knowledge.
• Sense of urgency, ownership and commitment to meeting internal & external customer needs.
• Strong interpersonal skills to drive collaboration, resolve conflicts, and maintain team momentum.
• Solid skills in Microsoft programs: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Experience working with SalesForce or similar CRM tool
• Working knowledge of SAP or similar ERP/MRP systems

AMOUNT OF EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

• At least three years managing complex proposals, preferably in government contracting, professional services, or technical industries.
• Experience with federal, state, or commercial RFPs, including knowledge of FAR/DFARS and other compliance frameworks (bonus).

EDUCATIONAL REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, Marketing, English, or a related field