Marketing Specialist

Marketing Specialist

Walnut Creek, CA

You know that feeling when the plane lands smoothly, the light rail actually shows up on time, or the new school down the street just opened on schedule? Someone made the numbers work to get there — and that's us. LSA has spent over 30 years figuring out what public infrastructure actually costs to build, so airports, transit lines, schools, hospitals, and civic buildings across California (and beyond) get built right.

We're looking for a Marketing Specialist to help us tell that story — and to basically run marketing for our Bay Area team. This is a full-time position with a hybrid schedule, with 3 days a week in our Walnut Creek office.

Why This Role Is Different

• You won't be the 47th person on a giant marketing team. You'll be the marketing engine for our Bay Area office — working closely with our Marketing Manager based in Washington, D.C., but owning the day-to-day here.
• Your work goes straight to principals and project leads. No 4 layers of approval between your draft and the client.
• This is a self-starter role. We'll set you up to win, but we're looking for someone who sees what needs to happen next and just does it — not someone who waits to be told.
• Real growth path: Marketing Specialist → Marketing Manager → BD/Marketing leadership, with the chance to cross-train into proposal management or business development along the way.

What You'll Do

Proposals & Pursuits (60%)

• Serve as project manager for the coordination, writing, editing, and production of Statements of Qualifications (SOQs), proposals, and interview presentations for public-agency and private-client pursuits.
• Support go/no-go decision-making, capture planning, and win-strategy development alongside principals and project managers.
• Assist with interview prep and rehearsal, helping technical staff (estimators, schedulers, project controls leads) present clearly and confidently.
• Develop and maintain sector-focused boilerplate (aviation, transit, healthcare, municipal, education) as master content for proposals.
• Coordinate and tailor content from teaming partners, subconsultants, and staff across our Walnut Creek, Oakland, Los Angeles, and Chicago offices.

Messaging, Brand & Business Development (25%)

• Translate LSA's technical expertise (cost estimating, GMP analysis, schedule risk, benchmarking) into clear, compelling marketing language for non-technical audiences.
• Help maintain and elevate LSA's brand — including our 65+ year legacy with the Leland Saylor Cost Index — across the website, collateral, and pursuit materials.
• Support thought leadership: case studies, project profiles, award submissions, and content for LinkedIn and the firm website.
• Assist with tracking market trends and competitor positioning.

Marketing Systems & Administration (15%)

• Maintain the firmwide marketing database — project data, staff resumes/bios, past performance, and photography.
• Keep project descriptions, statistics, and qualifications data current and audit-ready for fast-turnaround pursuits.
• Manage and improve our use of marketing/CRM tools (experience with an AEC marketing tool like OpenAsset, or a CRM like Salesforce/Deltek/HubSpot, is a plus — we're open to the right platform experience).

Who You'll Work With

You'll report into and collaborate closely with our Marketing Manager, based in our Washington, D.C. office, on brand standards, boilerplate, and firmwide pursuits. Day to day, though, you're the go-to marketing presence for the Bay Area — working directly with the principals, estimators, and project controls staff in Walnut Creek, Oakland, and LA who are closest to the work. It's a hybrid setup: strategic support from D.C., full ownership on the ground here.

Ideal Candidate

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Architecture, or a related field.
• 2–5+ years of marketing/proposal experience in the A/E/C or construction industry preferred (we're open to strong candidates with less experience and real hunger to learn the industry).
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office required; InDesign or Adobe Creative Suite strongly preferred.
• Understanding of public-agency procurement (RFP/RFQ processes) is a big plus, but not required — we'll train the right person.
• Sharp writer and editor who can turn technical, numbers-heavy content (cost estimates, schedules, benchmarking data) into a clear, persuasive story.
• A true self-starter — comfortable setting your own priorities and running point on Bay Area marketing with a remote manager, not someone who needs daily direction.
• Strong project management instincts — comfortable juggling multiple pursuit deadlines at once without dropping quality.
• A collaborative, curious mindset — this role works shoulder-to-shoulder with cost estimators and project controls staff, not in a marketing silo.
• CPSM certification (or interest in pursuing it) a plus — we'll support you in getting it.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary of $73,000-$93,000 plus performance bonus eligibility.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage
• 401(k) with employer match
• PTO + paid holidays
• Hybrid work schedule — flexibility to manage your own days
• Professional development support (CPSM, conferences, industry associations)
• Direct mentorship from firm principals — not a large-firm marketing department where you're one of dozens
• A real seat at the table: your ideas and initiative directly shape how a 60+ person firm shows up to clients

Additional Information

Leland Saylor Associates is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other protected category under applicable law.