Proposal Manager

Ames Construction•Denver, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Ames Construction is seeking a Proposal Manager to lead the development, preparation, and submittal of proposals for projects. This role involves identifying proposal content requirements, collaborating with various internal teams (Pursuit, Operations, Engineering, Administrative) to develop winning strategies, managing proposal development and submittal, building relationships with clients and industry partners, and providing development and training opportunities for coworkers. The goal is to deliver effective, well-formatted, and compliant proposals within customer-defined timeframes, ensuring alignment with estimating, risk, legal, scheduling, quality, environmental, and preconstruction efforts. The Proposal Manager will also support project pursuits through post-bid activities, interviews, and negotiations, and clearly communicate proposal contents to preconstruction and construction teams.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business Communications, or a related field
Minimum of five (5) years of relevant experience
Proven experience in proposal development, marketing, or a related role within the construction or professional services industry
Strong proposal management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and shifting priorities
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a focus on clarity and persuasiveness
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign
Working knowledge of the heavy civil and/or industrial construction industry preferred
Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to develop compelling content and messaging
Comfortable using cloud-based platforms and virtual collaboration tools in a fast-paced pursuit environment
Skilled in conducting interviews with technical professionals to extract key information, including asking clarifying and follow-up questions to develop strong proposal content
Demonstrated experience in persuasive writing and basic graphic design, including infographics, flowcharts, and organizational charts
Ability to independently lead Statements of Qualifications (SOQs) and pre-qualification submittals with a high degree of accuracy and attention to detail
Comfortable coordinating with third-party consultants for writing, editing, and 2D/3D visualization support as needed
Ability to pass a pre-employment drug test

Responsibilities

Ensure that safety is Ames number one value.
Understand project delivery methods (e.g., DB, PDB, CMGC, Best Value), become familiar with each and propose best practices for proposal content based on the client’s delivery method.
Conduct research on potential clients and competitors to tailor proposals to specific needs and preferences.
Analyze RFP/RFQ documents, identifying key requirements, deadlines, and evaluation criteria.
Gather and incorporate relevant industry data, statistics, and case studies into proposals.
Collaborate with project managers, engineers, estimators, project controls, legal, risk and wellness, quality, environmental, graphic design and other team members to gather project specific information.
Monitor and download Project Documents to Ames SharePoint site or system drive in collaboration with the Senior Pursuits and Preconstruction Manager.
Organize and format proposal content, develop compliance matrix and ensure compliance with client requirements.
Write, edit, and proofread proposal sections to ensure clarity, accuracy, and consistency.
Manage version control of proposal documents.
Schedule and lead proposal kickoff meetings to define roles, responsibilities, and timelines.
Coordinate proposal review meetings and track action items to ensure deadlines are met.
Create and maintain a proposal library of templates, boilerplate content, and graphics.
Collaborate with graphic designers to create visually appealing proposal elements, including charts, diagrams, and images.
Ensure that proposal visuals align with the overall design and messaging.
Conduct thorough quality checks on final proposal documents to ensure accuracy and compliance with all RFP requirements, addressing any issues or discrepancies before submission.
Collaborate with regional leadership to identify key personnel to be named in the proposal.
Develop resumes of key personnel to be included in the proposal.
Email, hand deliver or upload final RFP documents to client’s web-based portal on or before date and time in which the RFP is due.
Support pursuit group through the post-bid proposal clarification, BAFO and negotiation process including attending proposal review meetings, updating proposal contents, narratives, etc.
Participate in hand-off meetings to clearly communicate proposal contents to preconstruction and construction teams.
Develop and implement market strategies to increase the company's visibility and market share within the heavy civil and industrial construction industry.
Conduct market research to identify industry trends, competitors, and potential opportunities.
Create market collateral, including brochures, presentations, and case studies, highlighting the company's strengths and achievements.
Organize and represent the company at industry events, conferences, and trade shows.
Build and maintain strong relationships with existing clients and key stakeholders.
Identify and pursue opportunities for upselling and cross-selling services to current clients.
Assist in identifying and targeting potential clients and strategic partners.