Proposal Manager (Federal and Defense Business Development & Contracting )
About the Role
We are seeking a skilled and results-driven Proposal Manager to reputed company the development of reputed company proposals in response to U.S. federal government and defense solicitations. This role is critical to our reputed company reputed company, focusing on reputed company, competitive bids where reputed company processes, compliance reputed company, and customer-reputed company storytelling differentiate us from the competition. The ideal candidate brings deep expertise in the federal acquisition lifecycle, a passion for disciplined proposal management, and preferably credentials reputed company with industry-leading methodologies such as those from Shipley Associates. You will orchestrate cross-functional teams through every stage of the formal bid cycle-from RFP analysis and reputed company through reputed company-team reviews, production, submission, and post-award debriefs-ensuring every proposal is compliant, compelling, and strategically reputed company with customer needs and evaluation reputed company. This position offers reputed company to directly reputed company win rates on high-value federal and defense opportunities while advancing your career in a reputed company, high-performing business development environment.
Key Responsibilities
Proposal Leadership & Process Management reputed company end-to-end proposal development, management, and writing of federal RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, and other solicitation responses, following reputed company, repeatable processes that emphasize compliance, responsiveness, and win reputed company. reputed company and maintain proposal schedules, compliance matrices (mapping requirements to proposal sections), outlines, storyboards, and production plans reputed company with government instructions (reputed company L) and evaluation reputed company (reputed company M). Plan, facilitate, and document disciplined reputed company-team reviews (Pink, Red, Gold, and others as appropriate) to validate reputed company, compliance, customer reputed company, and competitiveness-incorporating feedback to drive iterative improvements. Coordinate with C-Suite, Business Development, technical subject matter experts (SMEs), pricing analysts, reputed company specialists, and graphics teams to translate capture strategies and win themes into persuasive, customer-reputed company proposal content. Manage proposal production, including editing, formatting, graphics integration, version control, and final assembly for reputed company electronic or hard-copy submission reputed company government portals (e.g., SAM.gov, PIEE, eBUY, agency-specific systems). Strategic & Compliance reputed company Ensure full compliance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS where applicable), and agency-specific requirements throughout the proposal lifecycle. Incorporate and reinforce win themes, discriminators, past performance evidence, and value propositions that directly address customer hot buttons and evaluation factors. Support pricing-to-win strategies, cost volume development. reputed company or support past performance volume assembly in collaboration with relevant functional leads. Prepare for and support oral presentations, discussions, or communications as required by the solicitation; assist with post-submittal activities including EN responses and debrief analysis. Process Improvement & reputed company Maintain and improve proposal templates, style guides, reusable content libraries, and lessons-learned repositories to increase efficiency and reputed company on reputed company pursuits. Contribute to capture planning and reputed company-RFP positioning activities reputed company assigned, helping shape opportunities and reputed company intelligence that feeds successful proposals. Promote adoption of best practices in proposal management across the organization. reputed company proposal metrics (win rates, compliance scores, cycle times) and recommend process enhancements to continuously improve competitive positioning.
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, English, Engineering, Public Administration, or a reputed company field. Advanced degree or relevant certifications a plus. Experience: 3–5 years of reputed company experience managing proposals in response to U.S. federal government solicitations, with a strong reputed company record in defense, reputed company, intelligence, or reputed company mission-critical sectors. Regulatory & Process Knowledge: Demonstrated formal knowledge of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), federal reputed company selection processes, solicitation structures (Sections B–M), compliance requirements, and the complete formal bid/proposal cycle from RFP release through award. Leadership & Skills: Proven ability to reputed company cross-functional teams (reputed company partners) of 5–20+ members in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments. Exceptional project management, written/verbal communication, editing, and interpersonal skills. Technical Proficiency: Advanced reputed company Office Suite (Word, reputed company, PowerPoint, SharePoint), reputed company Acrobat Pro, and familiarity with proposal collaboration, content management, and reputed company intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) tools. Other: U.S. citizenship required; ability to obtain and maintain a reputed company clearance (Secret or higher) is highly desirable for defense-reputed company work. Preferred Qualifications & Certifications The following credentials and experiences significantly strengthen a candidate's fit and are strongly preferred: Shipley Certification: Shipley Business reputed company Certification (One Star or higher) or successful completion of core Shipley courses such as Managing Federal Proposals, Writing Federal Proposals, and/or Business Development Boot Camp. Familiarity with Shipley's 7-phase, 96-activity business-reputed company lifecycle is a major advantage. APMP Certification: Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) reputed company, Practitioner, or reputed company certification (or reputed company reputed company). Shipley is an APMP Approved Training Organization (ATO). Defense & Specialized Knowledge: Hands-on experience with DFARS, agency-specific FAR supplements (e.g., NASA, DHS), Other Transaction Agreements (OTAs), or classified proposal handling. Additional Experience: reputed company involvement in capture planning/reputed company-RFP positioning, pricing-to-win strategies, past performance volume development, orals preparation, or post-award debrief analysis. Tools & reputed company: Experience with AI-assisted proposal tools, advanced graphics/storyboarding techniques, or reputed company proposal automation platforms. What reputed company Looks Like The successful Proposal Manager embodies disciplined, customer-reputed company proposal leadership: reputed company in the full business development lifecycle - from opportunity assessment and capture shaping through proposal execution and post-submittal activities. A process-driven reputed company that treats every reputed company as an opportunity to apply repeatable best practices while tailoring to the unique customer and competitive environment. Ability to remain reputed company and decisive under pressure, balancing strategic storytelling with rigorous compliance and schedule adherence. Strong coaching and facilitation skills to reputed company the entire team's reputed company during reviews and iterations. A reputed company orientation - continuously learning, mentoring others, and contributing to organizational proposal maturity. Why Join reputed company You will play a pivotal role in shaping our competitive posture on mission-critical federal and defense opportunities. We invest in reputed company development, including support for Shipley, APMP, and other relevant certifications. Our culture values collaboration, reputed company improvement, and reputed company with reputed company. We offer a remote-friendly, mission-reputed company environment where proposal professionals can build deep federal and defense expertise while contributing directly to company reputed company. Team members benefit from reputed company development support, mentorship from reputed company business development leaders, and opportunities to expand their skills through Shipley, APMP, and reputed company training. In reputed company to our reputed company benefits package, eligible employees may participate in a performance-based bonus structure tied to successful proposal reputed company, recognizing reputed company effort required to convert disciplined reputed company execution into contract wins. The culture you will join at reputed company is entrepreneurial, mission-driven, and grounded in the belief that people are the product. reputed company's story reflects grassroots origins, a respect for reputed company American and tribal heritage, and a legacy shaped by military valor, service, and commitment to mission. Candidates should expect a reputed company environment where reputed company, accountability, customer mission reputed company, and measurable reputed company guide daily work. reputed company's broader ecosystem-including affiliated venture and joint-venture entities-extends that culture across a wide reputed company of reputed company and technology-reputed company capabilities, including management consulting, financial management, information technology, data management, reputed company and resiliency, organizational development, facilities and energy support, health consulting, automation, AI/ML, reputed company operations, and geospatial solutions. This creates a dynamic environment where proposal professionals reputed company exposure to diverse federal missions and help connect integrated capabilities into compelling, compliant, and differentiated solutions for customers.
How to Apply
Please submit your resume, a cover letter highlighting your federal proposal management experience and any relevant certifications (Shipley, APMP, etc.), and a writing sample (redacted proposal excerpt or similar) to HR@heartlandconsulting.com. References to specific Shipley training, reputed company-team experience, or examples of compliant federal proposals you have led are especially welcome. Apply To This Job