Proposal Manager

Proposal Manager

Durham, NC

CoVar is a small AI/ML R&D software company with offices in Durham, NC and McLean, VA. We develop artificial intelligence and machine learning solutions that help the Department of Defense detect threats, enable biomedical researchers to accelerate scientific discovery, and help industry solve complex real-world problems.

Our team includes software engineers, data scientists, machine learning researchers, and subject matter experts who enjoy tackling difficult challenges and delivering innovative solutions to our customers. We work closely with organizations such as DARPA, the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy, the NIH, and other government and commercial partners to develop next-generation technologies.

About This Position

CoVar is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to support our growing Business Development team. This individual will be responsible for coordinating and managing the development, review, and submission of federal research and development proposals.

Working closely with Business Development, technical staff, project leaders, executive leadership, and finance personnel, the Proposal Manager will ensure that proposal submissions are compliant, complete, compelling, and delivered on schedule. The successful candidate will serve as the organizational hub for proposal activities, helping subject matter experts focus on content development while ensuring all requirements, deadlines, and submission details are successfully managed.

While the primary focus of this role is proposal management, the Proposal Manager will also support Business Development efforts by helping maintain proposal calendars, tracking funding opportunities, and occasionally identifying opportunities that align with CoVar's technical capabilities and strategic interests.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end proposal development process from solicitation release through final submission.
• Review and interpret funding announcements, requests for proposals, broad agency announcements, and other funding opportunities from agencies including DARPA, the NIH, the U.S. Army, and the U.S. Navy.
• Develop proposal schedules, compliance matrices, submission checklists, and proposal calendars.
• Coordinate contributions from principal investigators, technical authors, project leaders, finance personnel, and executive leadership.
• Partner closely with finance staff to ensure budgets and cost volumes are accurate, compliant, and aligned with technical approaches.
• Track proposal progress and proactively manage deadlines, risks, dependencies, and action items.
• Coordinate internal proposal reviews and ensure all proposal materials meet sponsor requirements and submission guidelines.
• Manage proposal submissions through government portals and agency-specific submission systems.
• Support the Business Development team by maintaining awareness of upcoming funding opportunities and sharing relevant opportunities when identified.
• Coordinate subcontractor and teaming partner contributions when required.
• Maintain proposal templates, reusable content libraries, proposal calendars, and process documentation.
• Recommend and implement process improvements that enhance proposal quality, efficiency, and compliance.

Minimum Qualifications

• Ability to work in Durham, NC.
• Eligibility for US security clearance (US citizenship is required).
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of three years of experience managing federal proposal submissions.
• Demonstrated experience supporting proposals for DARPA, the NIH, and/or Department of Defense organizations including the Army or Navy.
• Strong project management and organizational skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines and priorities.
• Ability to build productive working relationships with highly technical subject matter experts and effectively coordinate contributions from individuals with competing priorities.
• Ability to work independently while collaborating across multiple teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Active security clearance.
• Experience supporting SBIR/STTR proposals.
• Experience supporting federal research and development contracts.
• Experience coordinating subcontractor proposal efforts.
• Familiarity with AI, machine learning, software development, data science, biomedical research, or related technical disciplines.
• Experience using government proposal submission systems and portals.
• Knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS).
• Experience with DoD capture strategy, competitive intelligence, and price-to-win analysis.
• Proficiency in responding to RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs across DoD components (Army, Navy, USAF, DISA, MDA, SOCOM and others).

What We're Looking For

The ideal candidate is organized, personable, and collaborative. They enjoy working with smart people, coordinating complex efforts, and helping teams deliver high-quality work under tight deadlines.

Success in this role requires the ability to work effectively with highly educated technical professionals while maintaining a positive, team-oriented approach. The right candidate is comfortable asking questions, keeping contributors on schedule, and ensuring that important details do not fall through the cracks.

At CoVar, we value curiosity, initiative, professionalism, and a willingness to jump in wherever needed. We are looking for someone who will become a trusted partner to our Business Development, technical, and finance teams and help us continue to grow.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, cash bonus, equity structure, and 401k with employer contributions
• Excellent health care coverage, including dental and vision plans
• Parental leave
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Flexible work schedule
• Tuition support
• PTO and paid holidays

Join us in developing technology that solves problems that matter.