Proposal Manager

QualX•Springfield, VA

About The Position

The Proposal Manager will be the primary lead on all federal proposals, RFIs, and market research varying in size and complexity. This role involves managing proposal efforts ranging from quick-turn task order responses to large strategic bids, partnering with capture managers and executives to shape winning strategies, and improving proposal processes, templates, and AI-enabled workflows. The Proposal Manager will contribute directly to QualX growth objectives.

Requirements

5–8 years of experience managing federal government proposals.
Demonstrated experience serving as proposal manager on federal proposals valued from $10M to $100M+.
Demonstrated ability to manage 3–5 concurrent proposal projects in a fast-paced federal contracting environment, consistently meeting aggressive deadlines and submission requirements.
Experience supporting or developing RFIs, Sources Sought responses, or white papers.
Experience with GovDash, GovWin, SAM.gov, SharePoint, and Microsoft Teams.
Experience working in a federal contracting environment is required.
Strong understanding of federal procurement processes, RFP structures, and compliance requirements.
Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft, edit, and refine proposal content.
Proven ability to manage proposal processes independently and drive teams toward deadlines.
Strong attention to detail, particularly in compliance and document quality.
Ability to coordinate across multiple stakeholders, including technical, operational, and leadership teams.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Experience with proposal and content management tools (e.g., GovDash, SharePoint).
Ability to leverage AI tools to improve efficiency and content development.

Nice To Haves

APMP Foundation or Practitioner certification.
Experience supporting DoD, Joint Staff, OSD, Army, Navy, Air Force, or civilian agencies.
Experience managing both task order and standalone proposal efforts.
Familiarity with Shipley-based proposal processes.
Familiarity with DoD, Joint Staff, or other federal agency proposal environments preferred.

Responsibilities

Successfully lead and deliver 3–5 simultaneous proposal efforts, coordinating cross-functional teams and managing multiple deadlines without sacrificing quality or compliance.
Develop and manage proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, and submission requirements.
Coordinate cross-functional teams, including SMEs, pricing, and leadership, to drive proposal execution.
Write, edit, and finalize key proposal sections, including executive summaries, management approaches, and past performance volumes.
Ensure all proposal content aligns with solicitation requirements, evaluation criteria, and federal acquisition guidelines.
Facilitate proposal meetings, including kickoff sessions, status updates, and color team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold).
Support development of RFIs, Sources Sought responses, and white papers to contribute to early-stage opportunity positioning.
Conduct and synthesize market research to support capture strategies and proposal development.
Maintain and update proposal content libraries, templates, and reusable materials for efficiency and consistency.
Leverage AI-enabled proposal tools, automation, and content management platforms to improve proposal quality, accelerate development cycles, and reduce administrative burden.
Track and manage multiple proposal timelines, deliverables, and dependencies in a fast-paced environment.
Identify and resolve proposal development challenges, ensuring deadlines are met without compromising quality.
Provide regular status updates to leadership on proposal progress, risks, and resource needs.
Step in as needed to support all aspects of proposal development in a lean team environment.
Support opportunity shaping activities, including market research, competitive analysis, win themes, and pre-RFP positioning.