Senior Proposals Specialist

The Senior Proposals Specialist is responsible for managing and coordinating the development of proposals in response to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Information (RFIs), and other solicitations from potential clients. This role involves working closely with cross-functional teams to create compelling, compliant, and competitive proposals that effectively communicate the company's value proposition and capabilities.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the end-to-end proposal development process, ensuring timely and high-quality submissions.
• Develop and implement proposal schedules, including key milestones and deadlines.
• Review and analyze RFP/RFI requirements and ensure proposals are fully compliant with client specifications.
• Work collaboratively with business development, sales, technical, and other teams to gather necessary information and inputs for proposals.
• Facilitate proposal strategy meetings and develop win themes and proposal strategies.
• Coordinate and manage contributions from subject matter experts (SMEs) and ensure their inputs are accurately integrated into the proposal.
• Write, edit, and format proposal content, ensuring clarity, conciseness, and persuasiveness.
• Develop and maintain proposal templates, boilerplate content, and standardized responses to common RFP questions.
• Ensure all proposal content aligns with company branding and messaging.
• Conduct thorough reviews of proposals to ensure accuracy, compliance, and adherence to company standards.
• Manage proposal reviews and approvals, including color team reviews (e.g., Red Team, Gold Team).
• Track and document proposal development activities, maintaining an organized and accessible repository of proposal documents.
• Conduct debriefs and lessons learned sessions to continuously improve the proposal development process.

Education and Experience Required

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in proposal management, business development, or a related role, preferably in a technical or professional services environment.
• Experience with proposal management tools and software (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Acrobat, proposal automation tools).

Specialized Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge of industry standards and guidelines for proposal development (e.g., Shipley, APMP). – APMP Certification Preferred
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills with the ability to create clear, compelling, and persuasive content.
• Attention to detail, ability to meticulously review and proofread documents, data, and processes to identify and correct errors.
• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple proposals simultaneously.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to think critically and strategically.
• Ability to interact effectively with all levels of the organization
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams.
• Strong facilitation and leadership skills to guide proposal teams and drive consensus.
• Highly proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) – especially developing PowerPoint presentations)

The successful candidate must be able to work in Canada and obtain clearance under the Canadian Controlled Goods program (CGP)