Associate Proposal Manager

Aery Aviation, LLC•Newport News, VA

8d•$60,000 - $75,000

About The Position

The Associate Proposal Manager is an entry-level, developmental role supporting Aery Aviation’s business development and capture activities across the full business development lifecycle. Working under the guidance of the Proposal Manager, the position researches new opportunities, supports opportunity qualification and pipeline development, coordinates proposal development, updates business development and proposal systems, and maintains reusable proposal assets. The role assists in planning, developing, and submitting compliant, compelling responses to RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, collaborating with executive leadership, sales professionals, solution architects, project managers, and subject-matter experts. It offers exposure to the full business development lifecycle and may support progression into a Senior Proposal Manager role as organizational needs grow. The position researches opportunities aligned with Aery’s offerings, including aviation services and flight operations; ISR/EW platforms and training; aircraft engineering, modification, and integration; maintenance, sustainment, and lifecycle support; and air medical services. It documents opportunity characteristics, supports qualification decisions, develops RFI responses, assists with solicitation analysis and proposal planning, coordinates proposal inputs and reviews, and helps maintain proposal templates, boilerplate, resumes, past-performance summaries, and other reusable materials. New-hire training may cover Aery systems, software, policies and procedures; proposal writing and management; program management processes, techniques, and tools; GovWin; and Wolverine and Badger systems. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a pre-employment background check; some positions may require drug testing. Aery Aviation describes its workplace as collaborative and inventive, with employees working together to solve customer problems. The company offers a competitive compensation and benefits package, but specific benefits are not listed.

Requirements

1–4 years of experience supporting business development, capture management, proposal development, marketing, or related functions within government contracting, aerospace, defense, aviation, or professional services organizations.
Strong written communication skills and ability to transform technical concepts into clear, concise proposal language.
Detail-oriented approach and ability to track requirements and maintain compliance.
Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and work in a fast-paced environment.
Strong organizational and time-management skills.
Ability to collaborate across departments and work effectively with subject-matter experts and executive management.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel) and collaboration tools such as Teams and SharePoint.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and hold a Secret clearance.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in business, communications, marketing, English, or a related discipline.
Prior experience supporting proposal writing, proposal coordination, or business development.
Demonstrated ability to write and edit professional business documents, proposals, white papers, or customer-facing communications.
Familiarity with government contracting, procurement processes, or commercial proposal development.
Familiarity with aviation services.
Basic understanding of proposal processes, such as Shipley or similar methodologies.
Experience with proposal management software and AI tools.
Some knowledge of the federal acquisition lifecycle, including FAR/DFARS.
Prior military service or civilian government experience.
Experience in small-to-mid-size aerospace companies.

Responsibilities

Research new business opportunities using online tools and databases, including SAM.gov, GovWin, agency forecasts, and industry sources.
Track recompete opportunities and incumbent contractor information for key opportunities and competitors.
Record research in Aery’s Wolverine business development system and in Teams and GovWin portals.
Collect key information and prepare synopses describing opportunities’ salient characteristics.
Research customers, competitors, contract vehicles, and acquisition strategies; support assessments of competing companies.
Support bid/no-bid decision packages, opportunity reviews, and the internal repository of opportunity data.
Develop draft RFI response templates and work with business development team members to assemble required information.
Edit and format RFI responses for clarity, accuracy, and responsiveness to requirements.
Analyze RFP, RFI, and RFQ documents to identify requirements, deadlines, evaluation criteria, and risks.
Help build proposal outlines, writing assignments, schedules, production plans, compliance matrices, and requirement traceability.
Assist with opportunity pipelines and customer relationship management (CRM) databases.
Gather technical, financial, and operational information from internal subject-matter experts and teams for proposals.
Coordinate proposal kickoffs, communications, schedules, meetings, and review cycles, including color team reviews.
Draft, edit, and format proposal sections in alignment with company voice and standards; verify responsiveness to solicitation requirements.
Coordinate collection of subcontractor and teaming partner inputs.
Maintain document version control and ensure materials follow internal quality and brand guidelines.
Assist in developing graphics, tables, and supporting materials for proposals.
Manage and track tasks using collaboration tools such as SharePoint, Teams, or proposal management software.
Maintain proposal templates, boilerplate libraries, resumes, past-performance summaries, and other reusable content.
Support post-submission activities, including file archiving, pipeline updates, and debriefs.