Proposal Manager

Our proposal professional careers provide you the opportunity to support and lead business development pursuits to capture quality business for the enterprise. As a Proposal Manager, you will lead the preparation and production of proposals for federal sector opportunities of various sizes and types.

Based out of any US office, this position requires strong leadership and communication skills, knowledge of business and proposal development processes, and the ability to unite multidisciplinary teams from various business functions to execute a coherent capture plan. As a leader of proposals and sales deliverables for a variety of environmental services projects, you are responsible for the quality of the final product as measured through the four C’s—compelling, compliant, clear, and credible. You will lead the management of client deliverables across the pursuit lifecycle with a focus on strategy development for positioning and proposal deliverables. You will facilitate the development of win strategy sessions with associated action plans, client-focused value propositions and win themes and drive a disciplined relationship-based sales (RBS) process to achieve consistent, quality results.

You should be a self-motivated professional and leader that has demonstrated experience in an Architect-Engineer, environmental consulting, or related technical industry, with a demonstrated history of winning work with existing clients. The successful candidate balances leadership with hands-on proposal capability including writing skills.

As a Proposal Manager you will:

• Facilitate strategy sessions for specific opportunities, clients, accounts, and/or geographies.

• Support account and capture teams in integrating pursuit strategy and win themes. Lead the integration of the pursuit strategy/win themes into proposals.

• Analyze complex issues and use sound judgment and experience to develop solutions for a wide range of sales-related activities and issues.

• Lead proposal efforts and deliverables including win strategy development, active middle game activities, and proposal deliverables.

• Lead the proposal development process, including meeting client requirements, internal and external schedule milestones, and proposal budget.

• Proactively communicate issues/variances, resource needs, or other issues; seek input and support and help develop solutions in a timely manner.

• Independently perform research, writing, editing, and proposal production and coordination for various sales/business development efforts.

• Assemble and charter proposal team, production staff (graphic design, document publishing, production staff, technical writer/editor), and review teams to streamline proposal development and maximize the document quality.

• Work with technical teams to develop outlines for compliant, responsive technical content and conceptual-level proposal graphics.

• Facilitate effective communication between supporting functions including technology, estimating, contracting, and project controls staff during proposal development.

• Understand and apply Jacobs’ sales best practices and processes for opportunity assessment, proposal development, and knowledge management.

• Demonstrate excellent oral and written communication and active listening skills.

• Use communication and negotiation skills to guide, influence, and coordinate others.

• Implement company image/brand guidelines on assigned projects.

• Accurately budget and track level of effort for proposal team.

• BS/BA in management, journalism, English, or related humanities or technical discipline OR 5+ years of relevant proposal management experience in lieu of degree

• Relevant experience managing and developing proposals, presentations, and related sales or business development deliverables

• Proposal experience in the engineering and/or environmental industries

• Strong English writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with an eye towards sales messaging, themes, proposal aesthetics, quality, and content

• Strong business acumen to help drive competitive positioning on pursuits

• Well organized to manage multiple tasks concurrently and effectively engage with various stakeholders, disciplines, and leaders across all levels of the firm

• Strong leadership capabilities to help drive the sales process and coordinate with teams both in person and remotely

Ideally, you’ll also have:

• Knowledge of company markets, partner/competitor/subconsultant firms, clients, and emerging business and industry trends, and the ability to actively integrate that knowledge into work activities

• Marketing and proposal experience for federal clients

• Ability to work to a deadline

• Willing to travel as needed to support pursuits

• Proficient in Microsoft Office suite (mandatory) and Adobe creative suite including InDesign (preferred); experience with a customer relationship management (CRM) system (Salesforce preferred)

• Team player with advanced communications skills to work with a range of personalities, driving them together to achieve the end mission on time

Jacobs is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, creed, color, national origin, ancestry, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), age, medical condition, marital or domestic partner status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression and transgender status, mental disability or physical disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, citizenship, low-income status or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law. Learn more about your rights under Federal EEO laws and supplemental language.