Proposal Manager (Federal and Defense Business Development & Contracting )

Heartland Consulting•, DC

6d•Remote

About The Position

We are seeking a skilled and results-driven Proposal Manager to lead the development of winning proposals in response to U.S. federal government and defense solicitations. This role is critical to our growth strategy, focusing on complex, competitive bids where structured processes, compliance excellence, and customer-focused storytelling differentiate us from the competition. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the federal acquisition lifecycle, a passion for disciplined proposal management, and preferably credentials aligned with industry-leading methodologies such as those from Shipley Associates. You will orchestrate cross-functional teams through every stage of the formal bid cycle-from RFP analysis and kickoff through color-team reviews, production, submission, and post-award debriefs-ensuring every proposal is compliant, compelling, and strategically aligned with customer needs and evaluation criteria. This position offers the opportunity to directly impact win rates on high-value federal and defense opportunities while advancing your career in a collaborative, high-performing business development environment.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, English, Engineering, Public Administration, or a related field.
3–5 years of direct experience managing proposals in response to U.S. federal government solicitations, with a strong track record in defense, aerospace, intelligence, or related mission-critical sectors.
Demonstrated formal knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), federal source selection processes, solicitation structures (Sections B–M), compliance requirements, and the complete formal bid/proposal cycle from RFP release through award.
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams (internal and external partners) of 5–20+ members in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
Exceptional project management, written/verbal communication, editing, and interpersonal skills.
Advanced Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint), Adobe Acrobat Pro, and familiarity with proposal collaboration, content management, and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools.
U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance (Secret or higher) is highly desirable for defense-related work.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree or relevant certifications a plus.
Shipley Business Winning Certification (One Star or higher) or successful completion of core Shipley courses such as Managing Federal Proposals, Writing Federal Proposals, and/or Business Development Boot Camp.
Familiarity with Shipley's 7-phase, 96-activity business-winning lifecycle is a major advantage.
APMP Certification: Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) Foundation, Practitioner, or Professional certification (or active pursuit).
Hands-on experience with DFARS, agency-specific FAR supplements (e.g., NASA, DHS), Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), or classified proposal handling.
Direct involvement in capture planning/pre-RFP positioning, pricing-to-win strategies, past performance volume development, orals preparation, or post-award debrief analysis.
Experience with AI-assisted proposal tools, advanced graphics/storyboarding techniques, or enterprise proposal automation platforms.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end proposal development, management, and writing of federal RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, and other solicitation responses, following structured, repeatable processes that emphasize compliance, responsiveness, and win strategy.
Develop and maintain proposal schedules, compliance matrices (mapping requirements to proposal sections), outlines, storyboards, and production plans aligned with government instructions (Section L) and evaluation criteria (Section M).
Plan, facilitate, and document disciplined color-team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold, and others as appropriate) to validate strategy, compliance, customer focus, and competitiveness-incorporating feedback to drive iterative improvements.
Coordinate with C-Suite, Business Development, technical subject matter experts (SMEs), pricing analysts, contracts specialists, and graphics teams to translate capture strategies and win themes into persuasive, customer-centric proposal content.
Manage proposal production, including editing, formatting, graphics integration, version control, and final assembly for timely electronic or hard-copy submission via government portals (e.g., SAM.gov, PIEE, eBUY, agency-specific systems).
Ensure full compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS where applicable), and agency-specific requirements throughout the proposal lifecycle.
Incorporate and reinforce win themes, discriminators, past performance evidence, and value propositions that directly address customer hot buttons and evaluation factors.
Support pricing-to-win strategies, cost volume development.
Lead or support past performance volume assembly in collaboration with relevant functional leads.
Prepare for and support oral presentations, discussions, or communications as required by the solicitation; assist with post-submittal activities including EN responses and debrief analysis.
Maintain and improve proposal templates, style guides, reusable content libraries, and lessons-learned repositories to increase efficiency and quality on future pursuits.
Contribute to capture planning and pre-RFP positioning activities when assigned, helping shape opportunities and gather intelligence that feeds successful proposals.
Promote adoption of best practices in proposal management across the organization.
Track proposal metrics (win rates, compliance scores, cycle times) and recommend process enhancements to continuously improve competitive positioning.