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Junior Proposal Manager

About Blue Water Thinking

Guided by our principles of value generation, continuous innovation, customer-centricity, and vested collaboration, Blue Water Thinking proudly supports our Federal clients in achieving their Agency goals.

Founded by a decorated twenty-eight year Veteran of the United States Army, Blue Water Thinking understands and supports the mission of our Nation's war fighters, Veterans, their families and caretakers. 

Leveraging our executive team's military experience and private and public sector consulting expertise, Blue Water Thinking takes an integrated "one-team" approach and brings to bear best-fit solutions,  thought leadership, and grit to meet our client's transformational needs.

Fueled by our values of integrity, respect, professionalism, stewardship and customer service, the Blue Water Thinking team understands the power of the human connection, collaboration, humility and loyalty to one another, our clients and industry partners.

Lastly, our formula for success is simple:  Build something good, take care of our people, keep our clients satisfied, nurture our work ethic and reputation, build long-lasting partnerships, enjoy what we do and give back as much as possible.

Job Description:

Our federally focused professional services consulting company is seeking a skilled Junior Proposal Manager to join our team. The Junior Proposal Manager is responsible for managing the proposal process for multiple types of bids including IDIQ task orders and stand-alone contracts. The junior proposal manager is responsible for coordinating with project teams and subject matter experts, developing compliant, compelling and timely proposals. The junior proposal manager will report to the director proposal management.

Key Responsibilities:

  • Manage the full proposal development process from RFP release to proposal submission, including proposal kickoff meetings, proposal planning, proposal writing, and color team reviews.
  • Develop compliant and compelling proposals that meet the requirements of the RFP, reflect a value proposition, and are aligned with our company's capabilities and strengths.
  • Analyze solicitations to develop detailed, annotated proposal templates.
  • Facilitate working sessions with SMEs, executives, teaming partners, authors, and other contributors to develop storyboards, solutions, and graphics.
  • Work with the director proposal management and other senior leaders to develop win themes, differentiators, and value propositions that will set our proposals apart from the competition.
  • Edit proposal content for effectiveness (e.g., clarity, readability, accuracy, persuasiveness, and compliancy) as well as style (e.g., grammar, punctuation, word usage, sentence structure, and spelling).
  • Develop proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, and other proposal management tools to ensure the quality, consistency, and timeliness of all proposals.
  • Manage proposal production ensuring a quality presentation, ease of evaluation, and that all proposals are delivered on time.
  • Develop and maintain a proposal library, including past performance references, resumes, and other proposal content that can be repurposed for future proposals.

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in English, journalism, marketing, communications, or relevant area of study.
  • Minimum five (5) years’ experience as a proposal writer or proposal coordinator.
  • Experience working with project teams and subject matter experts to develop complex proposals.
  • Advanced skills in writing, editing, and proofreading, including proficiency with at least one industry editorial style guide (e.g., GPO, Chicago, AP).
  • Understanding of the federal procurement process and familiarity with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) and agency-specific regulations.
  • Ability to work in a high-paced work environment supporting multiple proposals simultaneously and meeting tight deadlines.
  • Ability to serve as team leader to coordinate numerous proposal efforts simultaneously within tight timeframes.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint), Adobe Acrobat, etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

  • CF APMP certification
  • Shipley training
  • Experience with Department of Veterans Affairs proposals and / or IDIQ contracts.

Eligibility:

  • Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for employer sponsorship, now or at any time in the future.
  • Must be able to obtain and maintain the required federal public trust clearance for this role.

Compensation:

Salary for this position is determined by various factors, including but not limited to, location, the candidate’s particular combination of knowledge, skills, competencies and experience, as well as contract specific affordability and organizational requirements. The proposed salary range for this position is outlined below.

Salary range: $80,000 - $110,000

Blue Water Thinking offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance (medical, dental and vision), paid time off, federal holidays, and matching 401K plan.

Our Commitment to Diversity

Blue Water Thinking, LLC (BWT) is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other protected status.

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