Senior Capture & Proposal Manager

Senior Capture & Proposal Manager

PURPLE RHOMBUS, INC. | JOB DESCRIPTION

Location: Remote

Classification: Full-time, Exempt

Seniority: Senior Manager

Reports To: Chief Growth Officer

Compensation: $155,000–$170,000 base salary, plus performance bonus and equity

Company Description

Purple Rhombus, Inc. is a rapidly growing U.S. defense technology company designing and manufacturing unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for modern military operations. Our focus is on long-range, multi-mission aircraft that can be produced affordably and at scale to meet the demands of today’s battlefield.

Our approach combines innovative aircraft design with practical manufacturing solutions, including sheet-metal construction, automated production, and flexible domestic supply chains. With government development and production contracts underway, Purple Rhombus is moving from early-stage development into sustained production while expanding its UAS portfolio.

As Purple Rhombus grows from a small business into a major UAS manufacturer, we’re building the team to help lead that expansion. This position will play a pivotal role in securing new opportunities, expanding our government customer base, and helping shape the company’s next chapter.

Position Overview

Purple Rhombus is seeking an experienced Senior Capture & Proposal Manager to lead the development and execution of capture strategies and competitive proposals across our growing portfolio of defense UAS programs. Reporting directly to the Chief Growth Officer, this individual will manage opportunities from initial identification and qualification through proposal submission, contract award, and transition to program execution. The role requires a hands-on leader who can independently develop capture plans, write compelling technical and business proposals, coordinate cross-functional teams, and maintain a disciplined opportunity pipeline.

As Purple Rhombus continues to expand, this position will play a key role in building and scaling the company’s Growth organization, including the development of processes, tools, and personnel needed to support sustained business growth.

Key Responsibilities

Capture Management

• Lead capture activities from early opportunity identification and pre-solicitation shaping through proposal development, submission, and contract award.

• Develop and execute capture plans, including customer engagement strategies, competitive assessments, teaming approaches, and win strategies.

• Coordinate with the Chief Growth Officer, engineering, program management, and external partners to shape requirements and position Purple Rhombus for competitive awards.

Proposal Development and Execution

• Own the end-to-end proposal process, including solicitation analysis, compliance matrices, outlines, schedules, writing, reviews, and final submission.

• Serve as a primary proposal writer and editor, developing clear, persuasive technical and business narratives in collaboration with subject-matter experts.

• Lead cross-functional proposal teams and external consultants, ensuring timely delivery of compliant, competitive submissions.

• Manage pricing inputs, Rough Order of Magnitude (ROM) estimates, and proposal coordination with finance, engineering, and program leadership.

Pipeline Management and Forecasting

• Manage and maintain the company’s opportunity pipeline, ensuring accurate forecasting and reporting to leadership.

• Lead opportunity qualification, prioritization, and bid/no-bid recommendations to align Growth resources with company objectives.

Growth Organization Development

• Develop and refine capture and proposal processes, tools, templates, and reporting practices appropriate for a rapidly scaling defense business.

• Support the hiring, onboarding, and development of additional Growth personnel as the company expands.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.

• Ten (10) or more years of experience in defense industry business development, capture management, or proposal development, with demonstrated success securing U.S. government contracts.

• Strong working knowledge of DoW acquisition processes, federal contracting mechanisms, and competitive procurement practices, including FAR/DFARS, OTAs, SBIR/STTR, and IDIQ vehicles.

• Demonstrated experience independently leading complex capture efforts and managing competitive proposals from solicitation through submission.

• Exceptional technical writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to develop persuasive proposals from complex engineering and operational inputs.

• Demonstrated experience managing and qualifying defense business development pipelines, including opportunity tracking, forecasting, and proficiency with CRM tools.

• Ability to manage multiple concurrent opportunities and proposal deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to travel as required for customer engagements, industry events, and company activities.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior capture and proposal experience in the UAS, aerospace, or defense technology sectors.

• Established familiarity with DoW customers, acquisition organizations, and operational requirements relevant to unmanned aircraft systems.

• Experience pursuing rapid acquisition opportunities, including SBIR Phase III, Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), and sole-source awards.

• Experience developing and implementing capture and proposal processes within a growing defense technology company.

Travel: Up to 20%, as required for customer engagements, industry events, and company activities.

Benefits

• Equity

• 401(k) with company matching

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off