Associate Proposal Manager (Secret)

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what’s happening now and shape what’s coming next. Vantor is a place for problem solvers, changemakers, and go-getters—where people are working together to help our customers see the world differently, and in doing so, be seen differently. Come be part of a mission, not just a job, where you can: Shape your own future, build the next big thing, and change the world.

To be eligible for this position, you must be a U.S. Citizen. This position requires an active U.S. Government security clearance, applicants who do not currently hold the required clearance will not be eligible for consideration. Employment for cleared roles is contingent upon verification of clearance status.

Export Control/ITAR: Certain roles may be subject to U.S. export control laws, requiring U.S. person status as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3).

Please review the job details below.

This position requires an individual who is willing to obtain a U.S. Government   Secret   clearance.  

Vantor is hiring an Associate Proposal Manager, an ideal growth opportunity for a strong Federal Proposal Coordinator, Proposal Specialist, or junior Proposal Manager ready to take on greater ownership of complex federal pursuits. In this role, you will support the development of compliant, compelling proposals for DoD, Intelligence Community, and other federal customers, including enterprise and large-dollar opportunities. You will partner with Capture Managers, proposal leaders, technical SMEs, pricing/cost teams, graphics, production, and business leaders to coordinate proposal activity from pre-RFP planning through final submission.  

This is a high-visibility role within Vantor’s sales and growth organization. You will gain exposure to senior leaders, technical experts, and mission-focused federal programs while building the skills to manage proposal efforts independently over time.  

Responsibilities:  

• Support the full lifecycle development   of complex federal proposals for enterprise and large opportunities from pre-proposal phase through post-proposal submittal phases.  

• S upport proposal strategy development and translate capture direction into compliant, compelling content   and translate capture   objectives   into high-quality, compliant proposal content across all volumes (technical, management, cost, past performance, etc.).  

• Work closely with executives, leadership teams, business development staff, partners, and subject matter experts to lead and guide proposal efforts, providing strategic direction and support throughout.  

• S upport and increasingly own compliance and submission readiness:   manage and control all proposal activities against the proposal schedule and RFP requirements within Vantor’s complex business environment.  

• Drive storyboarding, proposal mock-ups, and iterative drafts from concept through final submission; ensure cost volume integration and alignment with technical/management volumes.  

• Plan and conduct structured kick-offs that set expectations, responsibilities, and schedules for all contributors.  

• Lead and/or coordinate color reviews that produce actionable feedback (in-briefs / de-briefs) and ensure reviewer accountability.  

• Coach SMEs, authors, and proposal contributors in persuasive writing and proposal best practices; collaborate closely with production, graphics, and desktop publishing teams to ensure high-quality deliverables.  

• Communicate progress, risks, and decisions effectively with senior leadership, capture teams, and program leadership.  

• Operate effectively under pressure and tight deadlines,   maintaining   composure and ensuring proposal quality when proposals have CEO visibility.  

• Coordinate contributors, SMEs, writers, reviewers, graphics, pricing, and production teams to gather inputs, track assignments, resolve gaps, and keep proposal artifacts moving through deadlines.  

• Maintain proposal workspaces, content repositories, templates, prior proposal artifacts, and reusable content to support efficient proposal development.  

Minimum Qualifications:  

• Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, English, marketing, or a related field, or equivalent experience.  

• 3-5 years of federal proposal experience in a coordinator, specialist, writer, business development, or junior proposal management capacity.  

• Experience supporting or coordinating formal color-team reviews, such as Pink, Red, Gold, or similar review processes.  

• Familiarity with federal solicitation structure, including Sections L, M, and C, and ability to translate requirements into outlines, matrices, schedules, and assignments.  

• Demonstrated experience coordinating and   leading   major sections of all proposal volumes (technical, solution, management, cost) for large/enterprise opportunities.  

• Demonstrated experience developing and applying formal proposal management artifacts and processes: proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, kick-offs, storyboards, mockups, and color review in-briefs/de-briefs.  

• Strong time management, prioritization, attention to detail, and sound judgment under deadline pressure.  

• Experience supporting proposal development for federal RFPs, RFIs, white papers, ROMs, task orders, IDIQs, BPAs, GWACs, or similar opportunities.  

• Understanding of the federal proposal lifecycle, including RFP analysis, schedules, assignments, compliance matrices, outlines, kickoffs, drafts, reviews, production, and submission.  

• Experience coordinating internal stakeholders, SMEs, writers, reviewers, graphics, pricing/cost teams, and proposal leadership under deadline pressure.  

• Strong organization, follow-through, attention to detail, and judgment in a deadline-driven environment.  

• Advanced Microsoft Word and Office skills; familiarity with proposal production tools and Adobe Acrobat for final production.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; proven ability to present to senior executives.  

• Willingness to work onsite in Herndon, VA 3 days per week.  

• U.S. citizenship   required . Must be willing to possess   an   active Secret clearance .  

Preferred Qualifications:  

• Formal proposal training and/or certifications (e.g., Shipley, APMP) 

• Experience collaborating with Senior/Corporate leadership  

• Background in geospatial services/products, digital transformation, cybersecurity, cloud, or related technical domains  

• Experience supporting large, complex federal proposals (e.g., IDIQs, GWACs, BPAs)  including opportunities over $100M.  

• Proposal experience within a large systems integrator or federal contractor  

• Familiarity with AI tools, workflows, and processes  

• Experience with DoD, Intelligence Community, or other federal customers.  

• Familiarity with Sections L, M, and C, FAR/DFARS concepts, and federal procurement terminology.  

• Experience   maintaining   proposal repositories, templates, content libraries, reusable artifacts, or lessons learned.  

• Formal proposal training or certification such as Shipley or APMP.  

• Experience in geospatial, space, digital transformation, cybersecurity, cloud, systems integration, or related technical domains.  

• Interest in using AI-enabled tools and workflows to improve proposal quality, speed, and knowledge management.  

Pay Transparency: To support pay transparency, Vantor includes salary ranges in all U.S. job postings. Starting pay for this role will fall within the listed range and will be based on factors such as experience, qualifications, skills, location, and market conditions. Candidates who meet the minimum requirements for the role should not expect to receive compensation at the top of the range. The listed range reflects the expected pay for this position, and final offers will be determined based on each candidate’s experience, expertise, and alignment with the role.

 

● The base pay for this position within the Washington, DC metropolitan area is: $83,000.00 - $111,000.00 - $122,100.00 annually.

For all other states, we use geographic cost of labor as an input to develop market-driven ranges for our roles, and as such, each location where we hire may have a different range.

Benefits: Vantor offers a competitive total rewards package that goes beyond the standard, including a robust 401(k) with company match, mental health resources, and unique perks like student loan repayment assistance, adoption reimbursement and pet insurance to support all aspects of your life. You can find more information on our benefits at: 

The application window is three days from the date the job is posted and will remain posted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. If the job is reposted regardless of reason, it will remain posted three days from the date the job is reposted and will remain reposted until a qualified candidate has been identified for hire. 

The date of posting can be found on Vantor's Career page at the top of each job posting.

To apply, submit your application via Vantor's Career page.

EEO Policy: Vantor is an equal opportunity employer committed to an inclusive workplace. We believe in fostering an environment where all team members feel respected, valued, and encouraged to share their ideas. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.