Pursuit Strategist

CannonDesign

2d•$83,200 - $104,000•Remote

About The Position

CannonDesign is seeking a creative problem solver to work with firm leaders to influence strategy and drive success on significant and complex project pursuits. The Pursuit Strategist is part of the Brand, Marketing and Business Development (BMBD) team, reports to the National Marketing Pursuits Leader, and collaborates with marketing staff, business developers, graphic designers, and market and client leaders throughout the firm. The role turns information into narratives that inform decisions and inspire action, and applies strategic marketing skills across the firm’s areas of expertise. The position leads pursuit strategy, including research and analysis, win planning, strategy workshops, proposal messaging and content development, and preparation for client interviews and presentations. It also contributes to staff development, quality review, firm and subject-matter knowledge, and learning from pursuit outcomes. Up to 25% travel is expected. The position may be filled anywhere in the United States, with preference potentially given to candidates able to work in a CannonDesign location. Applicants should provide a resume and portfolio, including examples of visual and verbal storytelling and work in which they played a primary creation role. Candidates will have time to present their work during the interview. The salary range is $83,200 to $104,000 annually. Employees may be eligible for discretionary bonuses. The company offers medical, dental and vision coverage, flexible spending account options, voluntary insurance, paid time off, flex-time schedules, remote work options, a 401(k) plan, and employee perk programs. Compensation may vary based on geographic location, work experience, education, and skill level.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field.
At least 8 years of related work experience.
Related experience in a proposal management role influencing strategy and content for a professional services firm.
Strong proficiency with InDesign, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to translate ideas into plans, goals, role assignments, and measures for implementation.
Ability to work as part of a driven and disciplined team and find solutions to obstacles.
Ability to command a room, gain consensus, and navigate team and organizational dynamics.
Strong time and project management skills, including the ability to manage up and work with large teams in deadline-driven environments.
Confidence and skill in driving a process.
Ability to collaborate with and inspire a creative team.
Effective communication skills, including the ability to share ideas clearly and shape compelling narratives.

Nice To Haves

10 or more years of related work experience.
Related experience in the Architecture, Engineering, and/or Construction industry.
Familiarity with Deltek CRM Vision, Salesforce, and Miro.

Responsibilities

Lead strategy development for the firm’s most significant and complex project pursuits.
Develop early-stage pursuit action plans, including decision-maker and influencer profiles, competitor analyses, SWOT analyses, and market research.
Partner with Opportunity Leaders to develop project-specific win plans, strategic teaming plans, and preliminary go/no-go and strategy reviews.
Facilitate strategy sessions and workshops, guiding brainstorming, testing ideas, setting action items and assignments, and synthesizing outcomes and next steps.
Support compliance, readability, and messaging of pursuit-related materials.
Coordinate with opportunity leaders and marketing leads to set workshop objectives and engage local, regional, and firm resources in win planning.
Work with pursuit teams to develop and implement differentiators, value propositions, key messages, project approaches, and client interview presentations.
Collaborate with proposal content teams, subject matter experts, and the BMBD team to create compelling narratives and graphics that reinforce pursuit themes.
Coach and facilitate presentation rehearsals for client presentations and interviews.
Participate in win/loss debriefs and apply lessons learned to future pursuits.
Coach and mentor Marketing Specialists and Senior Marketing Specialists in proposal strategy and strategic storytelling.
Develop in-depth knowledge of the firm’s portfolio, personnel, and brand, and develop subject-matter expertise that supports marketing and pursuit activities.
Work with the National Marketing Pursuits Leader and Regional Marketing Team Leaders to train and develop marketing staff.
Provide peer review and oversight for content accuracy and quality, and self-review work.
May participate in external marketing activities.