Proposal Manager

1. Position Title

Proposal Manager

Location: Fredericksburg, VA (Remote)

Position Type: Permanent, Full-Time

2. Compensation

Salary Range: $80,000 - $120,000 per year

Compensation is based on experience, qualifications, and background. This position does not include variable compensation components.

3. Benefits

(Confidential Client) offers a comprehensive benefits package to support employee wellness and financial security, including:

• Health Insurance (Medical, Dental, and Vision coverage)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan with company matching
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Holiday Pay
• Life Insurance and Disability Coverage
• Professional Development and Training Opportunities
• Flexible Remote Work Environment
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

4. Company Overview

(Confidential Client) is a HUBZone, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) headquartered in Fredericksburg, Virginia. We are a rapidly growing organization dedicated to supporting critical national security missions through specialized expertise in language and culture, training and education, information technology, cybersecurity, intelligence, and federal professional services.

As a trusted partner to the federal government, we deliver innovative solutions that address complex challenges in defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. Our commitment to excellence, veteran leadership, and mission-driven culture positions us as a preferred contractor for government agencies seeking reliable, capable, and responsive partners.

5. Position Summary

(Confidential Client) is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to lead and manage federal proposal efforts in a fast-paced, growth-oriented environment. This is an ideal role for a strategic, hands-on proposal professional who thrives under tight deadlines, excels at building scalable processes, and can independently manage multiple proposal efforts from capture through submission.

Working remotely with significant autonomy, the Proposal Manager will collaborate closely with executive leadership, business development, capture managers, technical subject matter experts (SMEs), recruiters, and teaming partners. This role is critical to supporting the company's expansion and maturation of its proposal management function while delivering high-quality, compliant, and competitive federal proposals that drive company growth.

The successful candidate will establish standardized proposal processes, build a comprehensive proposal library, and become the internal subject matter expert on federal proposal best practices and compliance requirements.

6. Must-Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Communications, English, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field
• Minimum 5 years of experience managing and writing federal government proposals
• Demonstrated expertise in SDVOSB proposal management
• Proven ability to stand up and mature proposal functions from the ground level
• Shipley Associates or similar proposal development methodology certification
• Experience responding to rapid-turnaround IDIQ task order responses
• Proficiency coordinating color team reviews and proposal quality assurance processes
• Experience developing and managing national security domain proposals (DoD, Intelligence Community, or civilian federal agencies)
• Demonstrated success supporting capture planning and business development activities
• Experience developing and maintaining proposal content libraries and reusable assets
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with ability to translate complex technical information into compelling, customer-focused content
• Proven ability to manage multiple simultaneous proposal efforts with minimal supervision
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and collaborative document management platforms
• Ability to work independently in a fully remote environment while managing competing priorities and deadlines
• Experience supporting small business federal contractors is strongly preferred

7. Primary Functions

Proposal Development & Management

• Lead end-to-end development of federal proposals from opportunity qualification through final submission
• Analyze solicitation documents (RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, Sources Sought notices, and task orders) to identify customer requirements and develop proposal strategies
• Develop proposal schedules, compliance matrices, outlines, writing assignments, and production timelines
• Manage multiple concurrent proposals while ensuring quality, compliance, and on-time delivery
• Coordinate proposal kickoff meetings, solutioning sessions, color team reviews, and final production activities
• Implement and maintain version control, document management, and proposal configuration processes
• Ensure all proposals comply with solicitation requirements, company standards, and federal procurement regulations (FAR, DFARS)

Proposal Writing & Content Development

• Write, edit, and refine compelling proposal content including executive summaries, technical approaches, management plans, staffing plans, transition plans, past performance narratives, and corporate experience sections
• Translate complex technical information into clear, customer-focused, and persuasive content that addresses customer needs and differentiates the company
• Review proposal sections for consistency, accuracy, compliance, grammar, and readability
• Maintain and continuously improve proposal templates, reusable content libraries, resume databases, boilerplate language, and past performance materials
• Develop and implement repeatable proposal management processes, templates, workflows, and best practices

Capture & Business Development Support

• Support capture planning by contributing to win strategies, competitive assessments, customer research, solution development, and messaging strategies
• Participate in pipeline reviews, bid/no-bid decisions, teaming discussions, and opportunity planning sessions
• Collaborate with Business Development to improve opportunity qualification and proposal readiness
• Identify proposal performance gaps and recommend solutions to enhance competitiveness

Proposal Process Development & Governance

• Develop and implement repeatable proposal management processes that improve efficiency, consistency, compliance, and overall quality
• Establish proposal governance structures, documentation standards, and quality control procedures
• Help establish a proposal-centered culture by educating internal stakeholders on proposal planning, schedules, roles, and responsibilities
• Develop proposal performance metrics (on-time delivery rates, compliance rates, proposal turnaround time, win rates)
• Recommend and implement tools and technologies that improve proposal development and collaboration

Stakeholder Coordination & Communication

• Coordinate effectively with executive leadership, business development, recruiters, technical SMEs, subcontractors, and teaming partners
• Track proposal progress and proactively communicate risks, issues, and resource needs
• Build collaborative relationships that improve proposal responsiveness and solution quality
• Support continuous communication throughout the proposal lifecycle to ensure successful execution
• Serve as the proposal subject matter expert and advocate for proposal excellence across the organization

8. Required Skills

Core Competencies

• Federal Proposal Management: Minimum 5 years of hands-on experience managing and writing federal government proposals with demonstrated success in rapid-turnaround environments
• Proposal Writing & Editing: Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills with ability to craft compelling, customer-focused narratives that address complex solicitation requirements
• Technical Translation: Ability to synthesize and communicate complex technical information in clear, persuasive language tailored to customer needs and evaluation criteria