Senior Proposal Manager

Riverside Research Institute•Fairfax, VA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Riverside Research is seeking a Senior Proposal Manager to lead enterprise-level proposal operations in Fairfax, Virginia. This is the organization’s most senior proposal professional, responsible for planning, directing, and executing complex, multi-volume proposal efforts for large-scale lifecycle acquisitions, enterprise IDIQ vehicles, and high-visibility task order competitions. The role oversees the full proposal lifecycle and shapes proposal strategy in partnership with business development and capture leadership, while leading the proposal team to deliver consistent, compliant, and competitive submissions across the enterprise. The Senior Proposal Manager coordinates activities across Riverside Research’s R&D and mission assurance business units and corporate service centers, including finance, procurement, contracting, security, IT, facilities, business development, human resources, recruiting, and program management. Responsibilities include proposal planning and resourcing, solution and volume development, color team execution, and post-submission activities such as EN responses and oral proposal preparation. The role requires extensive Federal Government proposal experience, particularly with large DOD and Intelligence Community R&D, engineering, mission assurance, and enterprise-level acquisitions.

Requirements

At least 15 years of progressive experience in Federal Government proposal management, strategy development, and lifecycle proposal operations supporting DOD and/or Intelligence Community acquisitions; 12 years of direct proposal management experience is accepted with a master's degree.
Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 2 years of experience applying formal proposal management methodologies; certifications such as APMP Practitioner or Professional, PMI, or PMP are supported, with foundational-level certification acceptable and higher-level certification strongly preferred.
Deep knowledge of proposal lifecycle standards and best practices, including Shipley, APMP, or PMI, compliance management, solution development, volume integration, color team execution, and production.
Demonstrated success leading proposal strategy, planning, development, and production for complex, multi-volume solicitations, including large IDIQ vehicles, enterprise task order competitions, and full lifecycle R&D or mission assurance procurements.
Demonstrated success developing and presenting oral proposals.
Demonstrated success establishing trusted working relationships with technical staff, leaders, peers, and outside organizations.
Demonstrated success managing large-scale, complex, high-dollar-value programs or efforts.
Demonstrated success working with and leading large teams, including team members from other organizations.
Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving skills, with the ability to manage multiple project tasks simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
Active Top Secret security clearance required; TS/SCI strongly preferred.
Ability to travel to support efforts across the organization.
U.S. citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree.
Significantly deeper experience leading large, complex pursuits.
APMP Practitioner or Professional, PMI, or PMP certification; higher-level certification is strongly preferred.
TS/SCI security clearance.

Responsibilities

Identify and assign proposal teams by analyzing pre-solicitation and solicitation materials and aligning technical, management, financial, contracting, IT, facilities, security, HR, graphics, and recruiting stakeholders.
Partner with capture leadership to shape R&D and mission assurance solutions, strategies, win themes, evidence-backed strengths, discriminators, value propositions, differentiators, competitive ghosting opportunities, and integrated volume messaging.
Direct proposal strategy development, refining capture outputs and insights into focused, defensible messages and win themes across proposal volumes.
Develop proposal management plans by integrating capture artifacts, structuring solution storyboards, and preparing response frameworks for RFIs, Sources Sought notices, RFPs, and prototype proposal requests.
Oversee formal and expanded compliance matrices, identify compliance gaps, and guide milestone reviews, including pink, red, gold, and executive compliance checks.
Support price-to-win strategy by analyzing solicitation requirements, customer budgets, historical pricing, competitor tendencies, and should-cost perspectives, and align pricing with the technical solution and competitive position.
Lead teaming strategy planning, evaluate subcontracting and small business goals, shape teaming constructs, and initiate and formalize teaming discussions and agreements.
Build, publish, and manage comprehensive proposal schedules covering requirements, stakeholders, milestones, reviews, Q&A cycles, kickoff, partner engagement, approvals, and final submission.
Oversee proposal knowledge management and version control using enterprise IT tools and classified or unclassified share environments.
Ensure submitted proposals meet overall quality and compliance standards, with senior-level review of content through Shipley-aligned development stages.
Lead proposal production and submission planning, coordinate Section L requirements, and ensure complete, compliant, and timely delivery of all volumes and artifacts.