Proposal Writer

Black & Veatch Family of Companies•San Jose, CA

1d•$66,176 - $117,312•Hybrid

About The Position

Black & Veatch is seeking a Proposal Writer to join a growing team of Writers within the Water Portfolio Pursuits group. This role partners closely with internal clients to develop persuasive, technically accurate content that supports business capture efforts, primarily proposal development. The position requires exceptional writing skills, deep experience in proposal development, and a sophisticated approach to collaborating within complex, multidisciplinary teams. Success in this role depends on the ability to translate strategy into clear, compelling sales messaging while ensuring technical accuracy and consistency. The Proposal Writers are a specialist team within the Water Portfolio Pursuits department who act as expert writing consultants to internal proposal-development teams. As such, they must be able to build trusting relationships, remain accountable to tight deadlines, and manage stakeholder expectations. The Writers are responsible for helping develop persuasive, consistent, and client-specific messaging within engineering proposals. Writers are Subject Matter Experts who provide feedback, revision, and guidance within internal teams that develop proposals (e.g., engineers, business development, and document production professionals). The Pursuits team sits within the Integrated Water & Environmental business unit and focuses primarily on pursuits for water-related infrastructure (water/wastewater treatment plants, conveyance & pipelines, stormwater management, etc.). Clients, usually municipalities and water agencies, typically select proposals through qualifications-based procurement procedures.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience
2+ years related experience
All applicants must be able to complete pre-employment onboarding requirements (if selected) which may include any/all of the following: criminal/civil background check, drug screen, and motor vehicle records search, in compliance with any applicable laws and regulations.

Nice To Haves

Previous experience developing pursuit content to meet the criteria of qualifications-based selections, with a strong preference for an individual with experience in AEC industries (preferably Water Solutions).
Exceptional interpersonal skills with a proven ability to navigate complex team dynamics and build strong, collaborative relationships across diverse groups.
Superior writing skills, including experience in proposal development and business communications.
Strong proofing and editorial skills, including persuasive writing, content accuracy, style, grammar, and spelling.
Proven ability to manage multiple priorities, remain organized and meet strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Journalism or a related field; or equivalent experience
6+ years related experience
Proficient in Microsoft Office with advanced skills in Word
Familiarity with Adobe InDesign and Photoshop.

Responsibilities

Help create high-quality, engaging, and persuasive sales content to support the pursuit of new business.
Support pursuit teams in the development of clear, accessible content with the goal of distinctly communicating intended sales messages.
Review, revise, and edit proposal documents for clarity in communicating the sell through good storytelling.
Edit proposal documents for style, grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Interview Subject Matter Experts and translate complex ideas into digestible stories.
Collaborate with others to complete/produce uniform, compelling, visually appealing deliverables.
Plan, manage and direct workload to balance long-term and short-term proposal deadlines, as well as strategically focus on priorities in the face of competing demands.