Proposal Development Lead

Cascade Energy•Portland, OR

7d•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a Proposal Development Lead. In this role, you will help Cascade's Customer Engagement team deliver high-quality, compliant, and compelling proposals to meet company sales goals. The Proposal Development Lead follows detailed checklists to coordinate the entire RFX-based sales process from opportunity assessment through proposal development, interviews, contract negotiations, and handoff to the delivery team. The Proposal Development Lead can expect to coordinate approximately twelve active proposals in various stages at any given time. RFX = Request for Proposals, Qualifications, Information, etc. Future-Focused AI-Ready Culture: At Cascade Energy, we’re actively shaping how AI gets deployed in the real world, in our tools, our client engagements, and our daily work. Our approach has always been relationship-driven and expertise-led, and AI is how we multiply the impact of both. Successful Cascadians are curious and resilient. They embrace change, seek smarter ways to create impact, and take ownership of their own growth. We embed AI into our work in ways that are responsible and human-centered, and we actively develop our people to deploy it creatively and confidently. We believe the future belongs to organizations that pair emerging technology with genuine human expertise. That future is being built here. . . .come be a part of it!

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in English, Communications, Journalism, or related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
6+ years’ experience writing and editing proposals, grants, marketing materials, or other business development content.
Experience working with energy efficiency, demand response, decarbonization, climate, and sustainability programs, or, a very similar industry.

Responsibilities

Manages proposal team activities to support milestone achievement, including scheduling meetings, developing work plans, assigning and tracking action items, and following up to keep proposal efforts on schedule.
Owns and delivers on the full lifecycle of proposals for large and/or priority sales efforts, with the ability to work on higher-stakes proposals as experience increases. Responsible for leading Cascade’s most important proposal efforts.
Conducts research and outreach required to draft RFX response and coordinates with subject matter experts for input as needed.
Manages and drafts initial responses to post-proposal requests including interview presentations, follow-up questions, and revisions.
Manages communications and maintains organized records during contract negotiations. Proficient at reading and interpreting contractual documents, managing redlines, and drafting required deliverables such as scopes of work, subcontractor agreements, logic models/diagrams, and guidance documents.
Supports compilation and transfer of relevant materials and information to program delivery team.
Provides mentorship support for Proposal Coordinator I and II roles. Supports some initiatives (e.g., workload balancing) in coordination with Sales Operations Manager.
Contributes to the team’s high-quality written proposals by proofreading proposals and collaborating on proposal efforts. Identifies process improvements and works with the team to implement them.
Regularly monitors inboxes and check websites for relevant opportunities.
Utilizes AI tools (such as Copilot, Claude, and others) and other emerging technology to refine proposal content, enhance productivity, and improve business outcomes.

Benefits

health, dental, and vision coverage
flexible spending and health savings account options that include employer contributions
life insurance
short- and long-term disability coverage
paid parental leave
401(k)-retirement plan with a guaranteed 3% employer contribution
Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP)
annual cash performance bonuses
paid vacation and sick time
inclusive, flexible holiday policy
$500 contribution that can be applied to an HSA, FSA, or Lifestyle Spending Account