Proposal Program Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Northwest Engineering Service, Inc. is the leading provider of Testing, Adjusting, and Balancing Services of mechanical systems and Whole Building Commissioning in the Pacific Northwest. Founded in 1958, NWESI continues to have a reputation for providing quality work and for our professional assessments. 

We are looking to add a talented Proposal Program Lead to our team in the Idaho/Oregon area. The Proposal Program Lead is responsible for owning, managing, and continuously improving the company's proposal program. This role serves as the central point of coordination for proposal development, ensuring every pursuit progresses efficiently from opportunity identification through final submission and post-proposal debrief.

As a working manager, this individual actively develops proposals while managing the proposal program itself. They maintain proposal standards, coordinate cross-functional teams, monitor program performance, identify opportunities for continuous improvement, and implement technologies that improve efficiency and proposal quality. This role 
manages the proposal process, not people.

Working closely with Business Development, Marketing, Technical Staff, and Executive Leadership, the Proposal Program Lead helps ensure the proposal program continues to mature, scale, and supports the company's long-term growth objectives.

At NWESI, we are proud to be employee-owned. As part of joining our team, this role will be eligible for participation in the Employee Stock Ownership Plan.

ROLE VISION

While this role is initially focused on managing and strengthening NWESI's proposal program, it is designed with long-term growth in mind. As we continue to develop and implement AI-driven tools, automation, and improved proposal workflows, the day-to-day effort required to produce proposals is expected to decrease. Over time, this position will evolve into a more strategic role, with increasing responsibility for marketing initiatives, AI-enabled process improvement, proposal analytics etc., while continuing to provide oversight of the proposal program rather than serving as its primary producer.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Proposal Program Ownership

• Own the company's proposal program and its day-to-day operation.
• Manage the proposal process from bid monitoring through Go/No-Go, kickoff, proposal development, review, submission, interview preparation, and debrief.
• Ensure proposal processes remain organized, repeatable, scalable, and consistently followed.
• Maintain proposal templates, standards, workflows, and documentation.
• Coordinate proposal schedules, priorities, and deliverables across multiple concurrent pursuits.
• Continuously evaluate and improve proposal workflows to increase efficiency and proposal quality.

Proposal Development

• Lead development of RFQs, RFPs, SOQs, interview presentations, and prequalification packages.
• Write, edit, and format proposal narratives, executive summaries, project descriptions, resumes, and marketing content.
• Coordinate technical content from engineers, project managers, and subject matter experts into cohesive client-focused proposals.
• Develop graphics, layouts, schedules, organizational charts, and other proposal materials.
• Perform quality assurance reviews to ensure proposals are complete, accurate, and compliant.
• Prepare and submit final proposal packages.
• Maintain proposal libraries, project sheets, resumes, and reusable proposal content.

Program Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Develop and maintain proposal performance metrics, dashboards, and reporting.
• Track proposal workload, win rates, turnaround times, hit rates, and other key performance indicators.
• Prepare proposal performance reports and recommendations for leadership.
• Lead proposal debriefs and document lessons learned.
• Identify opportunities to improve proposal workflows, templates, and overall program effectiveness.
• Evaluate and implement technologies that improve proposal quality, consistency, and efficiency.

Collaboration & Relationship Management

• Build strong working relationships with Business Development, Marketing, Technical Staff, Project Managers, and Executive Leadership.
• Coordinate communication across proposal teams to keep pursuits organized and on schedule.
• Develop relationships with teaming partners and client marketing contacts that support successful pursuits.
• Support conferences, interviews, networking events, and broader business development initiatives as needed.

SKILLS & ABILITIES

• Proposal program management
• Proposal writing, editing, and content development
• Proposal scheduling and resource coordination
• Strategic organization and prioritization
• Process improvement mindset
• Business analytics and KPI reporting
• Exceptional written communication
• Executive-level editing and proofreading
• Relationship building and collaboration
• Meeting facilitation
• Technology curiosity and adaptability (Specifically with AI, and AI workflow improvements)
• Workflow optimization
• Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign preferred)
• Microsoft Office Suite
• CRM experience (HubSpot preferred)
• Document management best practices

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in business, Marketing, Communications, Engineering, or related field (preferred but not required).
• 3-7 years of proposal management, business development, marketing, or related experience within the AEC, engineering, construction, or professional services industry.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent proposal pursuits with competing deadlines.
• Experience using CRM platforms, Adobe Creative Suite, Microsoft Office, and proposal or project management software.
• Demonstrated interest in technology, automation, process improvement, and continuous learning.

POST-OFFER, PRE-EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to pass pre-employment and ongoing background checks and drug screens
• Valid Driver's License with a good record

BENEFITS PACKAGE

• Medical, dental, vision coverage, with a $450 Cafe Contribution provided by the Company
• Company-paid life and disability insurance
• Flexible Spending Account and Dependent Care Reimbursement Account
• Reimbursement for educational and credentialing expenses related to professional development, and define pay raises or bonuses related to certifications
• 31 paid days off (including holidays and PTO)
• Profit sharing program and 401(k)
• Employee Stock Ownership Plan with a minimum 3% annual company contribution to employees