Proposal Manager

Cresa•Chicago, IL

20h

About The Position

At Cresa, we believe our clients deserve better. A better space to work, create, build, grow. A better outcome for their people and organization. A better partner who puts their needs first, helping them navigate the landscape, tilting the playing field in their favor and giving them an insider’s edge. Our mission is to find and foster the best environment for every business. Our purpose is to think beyond space - strengthening those we serve and enhancing quality of life for our clients and employees. We are built to champion our clients’ aspirations through real estate. When considering partnership, we strive to connect with those who share our values: Work Together, Create Value, Be Tenacious, Enhance Community, and Embrace Diversity . We believe in being the change. We work together to find new ways of doing things that create value for our clients — and for each other. Because there is not much that feels better than collaborating to make a positive difference each day. At Cresa, we offer an opportunity to be part of something bigger. To learn, advance, mentor and be recognized. Your voice will be heard, and you will be valued for both your individual and team contributions. Proposal Manager, Client Solutions Summary We are seeking an experienced Proposal Manager with proven experience working in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments. Working with our Client Solutions group, this individual will be responsible for understanding how Cresa’s suite of services work together and for articulating our unique value add to prospective portfolio clients through thoughtfully crafted proposals, presentations and custom collateral. This individual will support both business development, existing/expanding business efforts and internal initiatives. The Proposal Manager will manage the pursuit process from strategy and content development through draft revision and final submission. The ideal candidate is comfortable writing short- and long-form copy, working within InDesign and PowerPoint templates and managing competing deadlines. Excellent written and verbal communication skills are a must – our Proposal Manager will work with representatives from multiple service lines to create comprehensive responses to complex RFPs. They must be capable of enhancing boilerplate and also writing new content with input from multiple team members. The ideal candidate will make complicated concepts accessible through clear, concise writing. Most importantly, the Proposal Manager will be self-motivated, organized, detail-oriented and share Cresa’s “one team” mindset.

Requirements

5-8 years of relevant proposal management, business development, and/or marketing experience
Prior experience supporting business development efforts by managing proposals, presentations and custom collateral for commercial real estate services
Strong writing, editing and proofreading skills – attention to detail is critical
Excellent project management and organizational skills
Ability to work independently, lead large pursuits and manage competing deadlines
Strong interpersonal skills and proven experience working with cross-functional teams
Highly proficient in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign is a must) and Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Ability to work across multiple time zones to accommodate global initiatives on occasion

Responsibilities

Create collateral to support a range of business development and existing business efforts
Lead the entire proposal process from kick-off and content development through draft review and final submission, ensuring our response aligns with the client’s request
Synthesize ideas to write short- and long-form copy (initial proposal drafts, resumes, case studies, etc.) including Cover Letters or Executive Summaries for important pursuits
Establish a proposal response schedule which outlines action items, the team member responsible and internal deadlines – this includes pricing templates and MSA redlines
Manage the revision process and ensure content is finalized in a timely manner to allow for formatting and design
Input and upload the final proposal to procurement platforms when applicable (e.g. Ariba)
Develop additional deliverables following proposal submission, as needed (Workshops, YellowPads, Final Presentations, Best and Final Offers, etc.)
Schedule in-person dry runs and secure meeting spaces for the pitch team when traveling, coordinating with local counterparts, as necessary
Conduct light research and interview team members across the organization to elicit the information required for new collateral
Conduct knowledge management by maintaining a library of newly developed content and ensuring that content is routinely updated and easily accessible for future use
Identify and share best practices and process improvements
Develop a thorough understanding of Cresa’s value proposition and how the organization’s suite of services work together
Collaborate with the Senior Graphic Designer and Cresa’s Corporate Marketing team to ensure alignment with brand standards