Proposal Manager (Public Sector Programs)

Neighborly Software•Atlanta, GA

20h•Remote

About The Position

Neighborly Software is seeking a Proposal Manager to lead and execute high-value, complex public-sector RFP pursuits for our upmarket growth initiatives. This role is both strategic and hands-on - ideal for someone who can own proposal strategy and structure while also writing significant portions of content initially, particularly during our current growth phase. You will lead proposals for state-level and enterprise opportunities, including disaster recovery (CDBG-DR/MIT), DOE Home Energy Rebate Programs, state energy offices, and large housing portfolios. You will serve as the central orchestrator of the proposal lifecycle - from kickoff through submission - while helping build the processes, templates, and content foundation that will support future scale. At this stage, this is a player/coach role. While you will be supported by a Proposal Coordinator, external design resources, and SMEs, you should expect to do substantial writing and synthesis yourself as we build toward a more fully staffed proposal function.

Requirements

7+ years of experience leading and/or writing complex proposals in a consulting, GovTech, SaaS, or enterprise solutions environment.
Strong experience responding to state or local government procurements.
Proven ability to both manage proposal strategy and write high-quality content.
Exceptional writing, editing, and synthesis skills with the ability to simplify complex technical and regulatory concepts.
Deep understanding of RFP compliance, evaluation scoring, and public-sector procurement dynamics.
Highly organized, deadline-driven, and comfortable operating in a build-as-you-go environment.

Nice To Haves

Experience developing proposal responses for large-scale, public sector programs, such as disaster recovery (CDBG-DR/MIT), DOE energy or rebate initiatives, and HUD or affordable housing.
Familiarity with APMP-style proposal methodologies.
Experience with proposal tools such as Loopio or RFPIO.
Comfort collaborating with graphic designers and overseeing visually polished proposal outputs.

Responsibilities

Own end-to-end execution of complex RFPs, RFIs, and RFQs, including schedule, roles, compliance, and submission readiness.
Develop proposal strategy, win themes, response architecture, and evaluator-focused positioning.
Lead kickoff meetings, solutioning sessions, color team reviews, and final reviews.
Translate evaluation criteria into clear, scoreable narratives across all volumes.
Write, edit, and synthesize high-quality proposal content, particularly for executive summaries, technical narratives, implementation approaches, and differentiators.
Partner with SMEs across Product, Engineering, Implementation, Client Success, Partnerships, and Leadership to extract input and convert it into compelling, compliant responses.
Ensure consistency of voice, messaging, and positioning across all sections.
Maintain and evolve a reusable content library, templates, and boilerplate as part of building long-term structure.
Establish repeatable proposal processes, timelines, and pursuit frameworks suited for complex, upmarket procurements.
Define best practices for content development, reviews, version control, and submission readiness.
Identify gaps in documentation and proactively build materials needed to support future pursuits.
Help shape the future proposal team structure as the function scales.
Partner with graphic designers and/or external resources to develop visuals such as process flows, system diagrams, and roadmaps.
Oversee layout, formatting, and final packaging (Word, PDF, or InDesign-based), ensuring compliance with page limits and submission requirements.
Coordinate with the Proposal Coordinator on formatting, document assembly, and portal submissions.
Lead development of responses to bidder Q&A, addenda, and clarification requests.
Ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment across all submitted responses.
Partner with Legal as needed on proprietary language, redactions, and public-records considerations.
Serve as the connective tissue across Strategic Growth, Sales, Product, Engineering, Implementation, Finance, and Legal.
Guide SMEs on how to write to evaluators and focus on what drives scoring.
Manage multiple concurrent pursuits while maintaining quality and calm under deadline pressure.