Director, Proposal Management

Sierra Space•Louisville, CO

About The Position

The Director, Proposal Management provides executive leadership for the enterprise-wide proposal function, driving strategy, process excellence, and competitive success across major pursuits. This role combines deep proposal expertise with responsibility for building high-performing teams, establishing best-in-class processes, and delivering winning proposals aligned with corporate growth objectives. The successful candidate will direct multiple high-value proposal efforts simultaneously, improve win rates through sophisticated quality processes, and foster an ethical, values-driven culture.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in a related field (or equivalent work experience in lieu of degree)
Extensive executive-level experience leading enterprise-wide proposal management functions with demonstrated success winning major strategic contracts
Proven track record managing large teams and complex projects in high-stakes proposal environments
Expert knowledge of proposal management methodologies, processes, and best practices across diverse market segments
Comprehensive understanding of government acquisition processes, procurement regulations, and evaluation criteria with ability to anticipate procurement trends
Strategic vision to develop and implement organizational proposal strategies aligned with corporate growth objectives
Demonstrated success directing multiple high-value, complex proposals simultaneously while optimizing resources and maintaining quality
Exceptional leadership in building high-performing proposal organizations and establishing effective processes, tools, and best practices
Advanced writing and content development expertise with ability to craft compelling executive-level narratives and win strategies
Proven ability to establish sophisticated review processes and quality standards that significantly improve win rates

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree (Master's or MBA) in Business, Communications, Technical Writing, Engineering, or related discipline
Fifteen (15) or more years of progressive proposal management experience, including at least seven (7) years in senior leadership roles
APMP certification at the Professional or Fellow level
Experience leading proposal functions for large-scale government contracts in aerospace, defense, civil space, or highly regulated industries
Demonstrated track record of measurably improving organizational win rates through innovative processes or tools
Experience translating capture strategies into winning approaches that create meaningful differentiation
Proven success winning contracts valued at $100M+ and leading pursuit teams on strategic opportunities
Experience establishing proposal centers of excellence, including training programs and knowledge management systems
Strong financial acumen with experience managing significant budgets and capital investments
Recognition through industry awards, professional association leadership, or published thought leadership
Experience implementing proposal automation tools or AI-enabled content management systems
Demonstrated ability to foster ethical business culture and model company values
Experience in matrixed organizations with geographically distributed teams

Responsibilities

Provides executive leadership for enterprise-wide proposal management, developing strategies that align with corporate growth objectives and market positioning.
Directs multiple high-value, complex proposal efforts simultaneously, optimizing resources and maintaining quality standards for compelling, compliant submissions.
Builds and leads high-performing proposal teams, establishing clear roles, fostering collaboration, and creating development pathways.
Implements sophisticated review processes and quality standards that significantly improve win rates and ensure best practice consistency.
Translates capture strategies into winning proposals by partnering with business development, technical, and executive leadership to address client needs and create differentiation.
Crafts executive-level proposal narratives, win themes, and strategic messaging for high-stakes opportunities.
Establishes efficient proposal processes, tools, and templates that ensure compliance and enable scalable growth.
Maintains deep understanding of government acquisition, procurement regulations, and evaluation criteria, anticipating trends to maintain competitive advantage.
Advises executive leadership on proposal strategy, competitive positioning, and win probability for bid/no-bid decisions.
Drives continuous improvement through innovative methodologies, automation tools, and lessons-learned integration.
Fosters cross-functional partnerships across business development, capture, contracts, pricing, and technical organizations.
Models company values, holds teams accountable to ethical standards, and ensures integrity throughout all proposal activities.
Establishes performance metrics and win-rate analytics that drive accountability and improvement.
Represents the company in industry forums and maintains awareness of competitive intelligence and best practices.
Manages proposal budgets, resource planning, and infrastructure investments.