Principal Proposal Management Lead, Launch and Space Energy

The Principal Proposal Management Lead is recognized as an internal expert and thought leader in proposal development, capture execution, and strategic business pursuits across Rocketdyne’s launch and space energy solutions business units. This role operates under consultative direction and is responsible for leading large, complex proposal and capture initiatives of strategic importance to the organization.

This individual provides enterprise-level leadership across the full proposal lifecycle, shaping proposal strategy, influencing internal and external stakeholders, and driving the development of compliant, compelling, and competitive proposals for major government and commercial opportunities. The Principal Proposal Management Lead works across multiple functions to recommend and implement proposal processes, tools, and practices that directly impact business growth, operational effectiveness, and overall win strategy.

The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in proposal and capture management within the U.S. launch or aerospace industry, has a strong record of leading high-value pursuits, and is capable of influencing senior leadership, customers, and cross-functional teams in support of strategic business objectives.

Essential Functions

• Serve as a recognized subject matter expert and thought leader in proposal management, capture execution, and strategic pursuit development across Rocketdyne’s launch and space energy solutions business units.
• Lead and manage large, complex proposal efforts and strategic captures of significant business importance, including pursuits in excess of $100M total contract value.
• Oversee the full proposal lifecycle, from early opportunity shaping and qualification through fact-finding, negotiation support, proposal submission, and post-submission actions.
• Provide consultative leadership to business development and proposal teams and functional partners to ensure proposals are compliant, compelling, executable, and aligned with customer requirements and Rocketdyne business objectives.
• Develop and drive proposal strategies, themes, discriminators, and win approaches that clearly communicate Rocketdyne’s capabilities, technical strengths, and value proposition.
• Partner cross-functionally with Engineering, Technical Services, Finance, Contracts, Business Development, Operations, Supply Chain, and Program Management to integrate technical, programmatic, pricing, and execution inputs into winning proposals.
• Influence leadership, capture teams, and functional stakeholders to adopt new proposal practices, approaches, and concepts that improve proposal quality, efficiency, and win probability.
• Establish, refine, and champion proposal development processes, tools, templates, standards, and operating mechanisms to improve consistency, compliance, and effectiveness across the organization.
• Identify and address complex proposal and capture challenges through root cause analysis, broad-based reasoning, and cross-functional coordination.
• Ensure all proposals, change proposals, and related submittals comply with regulatory, statutory, contractual, and company policy requirements, while proactively mitigating business and execution risks.
• Support and advise on Basis of Estimate (BOE) development and review, as well as price and cost analysis, to ensure alignment between technical scope, execution planning, and pricing strategy.
• Coordinate and conduct briefings and reviews for the Rocketdyne CEO and support staff, customers, and external stakeholders on proposal status, risks, strategies, and recommendations.
• Communicate and collaborate directly with external customers, partners, and vendors, as required, to support strategic pursuits and proposal development activities.
• Recommend tactics, operating plans, and process improvements with short- and mid-term business impact, including initiatives that support proposal excellence, organizational capability, and business growth over a 1- to 2-year horizon.
• Establish training and development expectations within the proposal management discipline and provide coaching, mentorship, and guidance to employees across the company in areas of proposal strategy, content development, compliance, and capture execution.
• Work with the in-space propulsion and space electronics business units as required to support their pursuits

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 12 years of prior relevant experience; or
• Graduate degree and a minimum of 10 years of prior related experience; or
• In lieu of a degree, a minimum of 16 years of prior related experience.
• Significant experience in proposal management, capture management, or strategic pursuit leadership within the aerospace, defense, or U.S. launch industry.
• Demonstrated experience leading large, complex captures and proposal efforts with substantial strategic and financial impact, including opportunities valued at $100M or greater.
• Mastery-level knowledge of proposal development processes, compliance requirements in commercial, FAR, and OT based structures, competitive and sole-source proposal strategies, and cross-functional coordination required to produce executable and winning proposals.
• Experience influencing senior leaders and cross-functional teams on matters of substantial importance to business strategy, proposal execution, and organizational effectiveness.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Top Secret clearance with SCI eligibility
• Experience in U.S. launch systems, space systems, propulsion, or related aerospace and defense markets.
• Experience supporting and collaborating with ULA or equivalent firms and supporting and collaborating with the top DOD space primes and neo-primes.
• Broad background spanning proposal management, pricing, contracts, product support, operations, supply chain, or manufacturing coordination.
• Experience with commercial product quoting and standard product catalog management.
• Familiarity with material planning, supplier coordination, manufacturing schedules, and operational execution considerations that affect proposal realism and affordability.
• Demonstrated experience improving proposal processes, managing a CRM, developing new tools or systems, and implementing best practices across an organization.
• Experience coaching, mentoring, and training proposal professionals and cross-functional contributors in proposal development disciplines.
• Experience working cross-functionally with:
  • Program Management
  • Procurement / Buyers
  • Operations
  • Engineering
  • Finance
  • Contracts / Legal
  • Business Development
  • Supply Chain

Key Role Characteristics

• Recognized internally as an expert and trusted resource in proposal strategy and execution.
• Operates with broad latitude under consultative direction.
• Leads initiatives of strategic importance involving large, cross-functional teams.
• Influences internal and external stakeholders, including senior leaders, customers, and partners.
• Drives process innovation, standardization, and operational improvement across the proposal function.
• Recommends strategies and tactics that directly affect business results, competitive positioning, and growth outcomes.