INTERNAL APPLICANTS ONLY - Senior Manager of Bid (Hybrid)

Company Description

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, over 50 stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

Please note that this position is open to internal candidates only. External candidates who apply will not be considered for this role.

At Lakeshore, our Bid team makes sure the right products reach the educators, designers, and families who need them most. As Senior Bid Manager, you'll lead a team of bid analysts and proposal writers through the full proposal life cycle — from strategy and writing to quality review and final submission. You'll set the standard for what great looks like, keep the work moving, and grow the people around you while we grow our reach.

A day on the job looks like this:

• Lead your team through the full bid and proposal life cycle — setting direction, managing timelines, and holding the bar high on quality for both common bids and Architect & Design firm proposals.
• Own proposal quality: review all outgoing submissions to ensure accuracy, compliance with contractual requirements, and the kind of polish that gives Lakeshore a competitive edge.
• Partner cross-functionally with writing, editing, production, and other internal teams to coordinate proposal responses and keep complex projects on track.
• Drive process improvement by identifying bottlenecks, championing best practices, and building workflows and templates that make the whole team more effective.
• Coach, develop, and support your direct reports with timely feedback, clear expectations, and a genuine investment in their growth.
• Roll up your sleeves when it counts — contributing directly to proposals and workload distribution to keep the team moving during high-volume periods.

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

Required:

• 4+ years of people management experience, including hiring, coaching, and developing direct reports
• Demonstrated experience leading proposal, bid, or RFP processes from kickoff through submission
• Strong project management skills — you can run multiple deadlines simultaneously without letting quality slip
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to give clear, actionable direction to a team and work confidently across all levels of an organization
• Sharp eye for detail and a commitment to producing polished, compliant, accurate work
• Ability to interpret contractual language and translate requirements into coordinated team action
• Hybrid schedule with regular onsite presence at our Carson, CA headquarters

Preferred:

• Experience with Architect & Design firm proposals or commercial/public-sector bid environments
• Familiarity with proposal management tools or CRM platforms
• Background in retail, education, or consumer products industries

What sets you apart:

• You give feedback early and often — not just at review time — because you know that's how people actually get better.
• When a process isn't working, you don't just flag it; you dig in, figure out why, and build something better.
• You stay calm and focused when the deadline pressure is real and the scope keeps shifting.
• You bring people along with you — you earn trust across teams by listening well and communicating clearly, even when the answer is complicated.

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain!

At Lakeshore, we pay local market wages for employees that reside within Los Angeles and Orange Counties.

For this position, new employees joining Lakeshore who live within Los Angeles and Orange Counties are typically brought into the organization at a salary rate between $110,000-$150,000 depending on relevant experience & skillset.

This range is indicative of projected hiring range. The annual base compensation will take into account each candidate's relevant experience, location, and skillset.

• Bonus eligible
• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees’ children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.


To learn more about Lakeshore, visit



Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

To learn about how we collect and use Applicant information, please visit our Employee/Applicant Privacy Policy.

Lakeshore is an E-Verify employer. We use E-Verify to confirm the employment eligibility of all newly hired employees.

Please see the E-Verify Participation Poster and Know Your Rights Poster in English and Spanish for more information.