Proposal Specialist

As the "quarterback" of each pursuit, the Proposal Specialist leads the end-to-end proposal process for RFPs, RFIs, RFQs and similar solicitations, running color team reviews from assignment through submission, supporting post-submission activities and coordinating all resources across sales, technical, pricing, contracts, legal, program management, partners and vendors into one cohesive response. The role calls for both a strong persuasive writer and a disciplined project manager. The Proposal Specialist uses content library/knowledge management platforms and company-approved generative AI tools to produce compliant, compelling, win-focused responses efficiently. The ultimate goal of the role is to increase win rates and drive revenue. What You Will Do: Opportunity Assessment & Planning Analyze solicitations for requirements, evaluation criteria, instructions and risks; build compliance matrices and outlines mapping each requirement to an owner. Research the customer's priorities, constraints and hot buttons, the incumbent and the competitive landscape. Provide relevant context and input for sales-led bid/no-bid decisions. Proposal Leadership & Project Management Build a schedule backward from the due date, define roles and track actions, risks and dependencies. Manage concurrent proposals, hold contributors accountable without direct authority, escalate issues early. Color Team Review Process Plan, facilitate and adjudicate Kickoff, Pink (first draft), Red (final dr