Currently, we are seeking a Proposal Coordinator in either our Seattle or Chicago office, who can help contribute to the overall excellence of work coming from Olson Kundig.
Position Description:
The Proposal Coordinator will work in close collaboration with the firm’s leadership, Marketing Director, and Business Development Manager, and other Coordinators to lead and support marketing efforts for our diverse range of projects.
Primary Responsibilities:
Pursuit & Proposal Management:
- Lead and support competitive pursuit process (RFQ, RFP, Interview, Design Competition, etc.), ensuring quality strategy and response.
- Evaluate requests for proposals (RFPs) for shareholder review.
- Coordinate the go/no-go decision-making process and provide overviews of each opportunity.
- Develop written content for a range of marketing materials, crafting narratives tailored to unique audiences and ensuring clarity.
- Identify and track new business prospects, partnerships, target markets, and industry trends.
- Manage the organization of marketing collateral: boilerplate, project cut sheets, resumes, project portfolios, etc.
- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, or closely related field
- Minimum 3-5 years of experience working in an architecture firm. Or similar role with equivalent work experience in the industry.
- Comprehensive understanding of RFQ/RFP processes, interview preparation, and design competition workflows within professional services (preferably A/E/C industries).
- Strong grasp of strategic marketing practices, branding, and business development concepts tailored to a design, architecture, or consulting environment.
- Proficient in content strategy, storytelling, and persuasive writing, especially for technical or design-focused audiences.
- Awareness of market intelligence strategies, including competitor analysis, emerging trends, and target client profiling.
- Working knowledge of managing concurrent deadlines, timelines, and project schedules in a fast-paced proposal environment.
- Ability to write compelling, audience-focused narratives that clearly articulate value and differentiators
- Skilled at using layout tools (InDesign, PowerPoint, etc.) to create visually engaging proposals
- Able to manage multiple pursuits, coordinate cross-functional teams, and prioritize competing deadlines efficiently.
- Skilled at assessing RFPs for strategic fit, making data-informed decisions, and crafting content with a high-level view of business goals.
- Adept at working with leadership, subject matter experts, and cross-departmental stakeholders to gather input and align messaging.
- Take initiative to lead the entire proposal process from go/no-go through final submission with minimal supervision.
- Translate technical input into client-centric messaging, adapting tone and structure for each pursuit.
- Maintain and update a library of resumes, project descriptions, boilerplate content, and visual assets for efficient reuse.
- Proactively research and recognize potential markets, clients, and partnerships aligned with firm strategy.
- Demonstrate initiative, accountability, and creative problem-solving without waiting for direction.
What can you expect from us?
- A creative work environment and colleagues who are collaborative, creative, and challenging
- Opportunity to grow professionally
- Check our culture page to learn about life at Olson Kundig
In addition to a dynamic and creative culture, Olson Kundig provides a generous benefits package that includes 16 days of paid time off, paid holidays, health plan, 401k match, bonuses, profit-sharing plans for qualified positions, a monthly travel subsidy for public transportation, and more.
As a firm, we are committed to pay practices that are fair, competitive, and reflect internal pay equity. At the time of posting this job, the hiring range for this position in Chicago is between $78,000 and $82,000 annually. Final salary decisions are made based upon the extent and relatedness of the candidate’s education and experience and considering internal equity and external market factors.
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What We Do
Now in its sixth decade of practice, Olson Kundig is a collaborative design practice led by 13 principal/owners whose work includes cultural and museum projects, exhibition design, commercial and mixed-use design (including wineries and sports facilities), private and multi-family residential, hospitality projects, places of worship, interior design, product design and landscape design. With deep roots in the Pacific Northwest, the firm and its team of over 350 work with clients around the world.
The firm began its creative existence in 1966 with the architect Jim Olson, whose work at that time centered on explorations of the relationship between dwellings and the landscapes in which they inhabit. Olson started the firm based on the essential ideas that buildings can serve as a bridge between nature, culture, histories, and people, and that inspiring surroundings have a positive effect on people’s lives.
Among the firm’s accolades are the 2009 National AIA Architecture Firm Award (as Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects), national and regional design awards from the American Institute of Architects, Jim Olson’s 2007 Seattle Medal of Honor and Tom Kundig’s National Design Award from the Smithsonian Cooper-Hewitt and his Academy Award in Architecture from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Books on the firm’s work include Tom Kundig: Working Title (Princeton Architectural Press, 2020); Jim Olson: Building • Nature • Art (Thames & Hudson, 2018); Tom Kundig: Works (Princeton Architectural Press, 2015); Jim Olson: Art and Architecture (August Editions, 2013); Tom Kundig: Houses 2 (Princeton Architectural Press, 2011); Jim Olson Houses (The Monacelli Press, 2009); and Tom Kundig: Houses (Princeton Architectural Press, originally published in 2006 and re-released in 2021).
