Proposal Manager

Title: Proposal Manager

Location: North Sioux City, SD

Reports To: Vice President of Bids and Proposals

Job Description: Sterling Computers is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to lead the development of proposals for government (federal, state, local, and education - SLED) and commercial contracts. This role involves managing the entire proposal lifecycle, ensuring compliance, quality, and timely submission of responses to RFPs, RFIs, and RFQs. The Proposal Manager is responsible for leading cross-functional teams in the development and presentation of comprehensive technical and business solutions. This position demands strong organizational capabilities, thorough knowledge of federal acquisition processes, and effective team coordination to clearly articulate innovative and persuasive proposals.

Required Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Business, Computer Science, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in proposal management or a senior proposal writing role, with experience leading proposal development for government (federal, SLED) and/or commercial contracts.
• Demonstrated knowledge of relevant acquisition regulations (e.g., FAR, DFARS for federal) and contracting processes applicable to government and commercial sectors.
• Understanding of various contracting vehicles and procurement processes relevant to Sterling's business, such as GSA MAS, NASA SEWP, CIO-CS, NASPO, etc.

Required Technical Skills:

• A strong aptitude and broad understanding of information technology concepts, products, tools, services, and solutions.
• Ability to quickly grasp and articulate new and emerging technologies and how they can be applied to solve customer problems.
• Understanding of the financial benefits of solutions and ability to discuss Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)/Return on Investment (ROI) of comparable offers.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Manage the full proposal lifecycle from opportunity qualification and kick-off through submission, ensuring adherence to all solicitation requirements and deadlines for federal, SLED, and commercial opportunities.
• Develop proposal plans, outlines, compliance matrices, and schedules, and manage proposal team activities to meet milestones.
• Collaborate with Capture Managers, Proposal Writers, technical subject matter experts (SMEs), business development, and sales teams to develop proposal strategies and content.
• Analyze solicitation documents, including statements of work, evaluation criteria, and contract terms, to ensure compliant responses.
• Facilitate and lead proposal review cycles (e.g., Pink Team, Red Team, Gold Team), incorporating feedback to improve proposal content.
• Oversee the development of technical solutions for IT requirements, leveraging Sterling's capabilities and incorporating new technologies.
• Ensure proposals clearly present Sterling's value proposition, technical capabilities, and address customer needs.
• Maintain proposal libraries, templates, and best practices to support future proposal efforts.
• Manage multiple concurrent proposals under deadlines.

Requirements:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).
• Strong project management, organizational, and time management capabilities.
• Effective writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills, with attention to detail and the ability to adapt writing style for different audiences.
• Ability to understand and articulate technology solutions and their application to customer challenges.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to consolidate information from various sources into unified communication.
• Proficiency in leveraging generative AI tools and prompt engineering techniques to enhance proposal content, conduct research, and improve overall efficiency in the proposal development process.

Sterling Computers Corporation ("Sterling") is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, creed, religion, disability, medical condition, economic status or status with regard to public assistance, citizenship status, national or social or ethnic origin, past or present membership in the uniformed services, protected veteran status, sex, pregnancy, marital or civil union or domestic partnership status, family or parental status, sexual orientation, gender expression or identity, family medical history or genetic information, HIV status, political belief, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable law.