Manager, Proposal Support Operations

New York Life•New York, NY

4d•$70,000 - $90,000•Remote

About The Position

The Manager, Proposal Support Operations is responsible for leading a remote team supporting proposal and RFP operations within Group Insurance Sales. This role oversees proposal execution, team development, operational excellence, and cross-functional collaboration to ensure high-quality, compliant, and timely proposal submissions that support business growth objectives. The position plays a key role in driving consistency, process improvement, knowledge management, and operational scalability across the proposal support function.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience preferred
5+ years of experience in RFP, proposal management, underwriting operations, sales support, or related operational leadership roles
2+ years of people leadership experience with demonstrated success coaching, developing, and elevating team performance
Strong knowledge of RFP/RFI lifecycle management, proposal strategy, and questionnaire response development
Experience supporting complex Group Benefits products and understanding of underwriting, compliance, security questionnaires, and contractual requirements
Proven ability to lead in a fast-paced, high-volume environment while balancing quality, service, and deadlines

Nice To Haves

Experience working within Group Benefits, insurance, or employee benefits environments
Familiarity with proposal automation tools, content management systems, or workflow technologies
Strong operational improvement, change management, and process optimization experience
Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and cross-functional collaboration skills

Responsibilities

Own new hire onboarding, training, and continuous development
Coach team members on how to effectively communicate the GBS story and value proposition through responses to questionnaires
Provide ongoing feedback, mentoring, and performance guidance
Foster a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team environment
Create an environment focused on continuous improvement, knowledge sharing, and operational excellence
Support career development and succession planning across the team
Manage team workflow, prioritization, and resource allocation to support service delivery and quality expectations
Monitor team performance and provide coaching to drive consistency, accountability, and operational excellence
Oversee the end-to-end proposal process, from intake to final submission
Ensure proposals are accurate, compliant, and aligned with sales strategy
Review the Final Proposal Package
Provide guidance, oversight, and escalation support for complex and high-priority proposal opportunities
Monitor and drive team performance metrics including quality, turnaround time, SLA adherence, and finalist outcomes
Identify trends, risks, and process gaps and implement improvement plans to enhance proposal effectiveness
Support adoption of operational governance and reporting standards across the RFP function
Develop deep team knowledge of GBS products and value-add positioning, compliance, contract standards, and client requirements, and responses to product, bidding entity, and security-related questions
Coach team on handling Data Processing Agreements, Master Service Agreements, compliance, and client/prospect inquiries
Reinforce adherence to approved content standards, response guidelines, and proposal best practices
Identify outdated or inconsistent content and escalate improvement opportunities to leadership
Support team adoption and effective use of proposal content libraries and knowledge management tools
Train team on job aids, tools, and standard workflows
Ensure effective use of project plans and tracking tools, content libraries and proposal systems
Guide team on where to go for support (IT, SMEs, Underwriting, Sales)
Drive operational consistency, proposal efficiency, and quality outcomes
Execute bi-weekly Process Confirmations on standard work
Support implementation and adoption of proposal technologies, workflow tools and automation initiatives
Champion continuous improvement and operational transformation efforts across the RFP function
Reinforce adherence to standard operating procedures, workflows, and quality expectations
Identify process gaps and escalate improvement opportunities to leadership
Collaborate with Sales, Underwriting, SMEs, Legal, and IT partners
Provide guidance on when and how to engage SMEs, Underwriting, and Sales, and escalating risks and resolving issues quickly
Support alignment across stakeholders to drive winning outcomes