Proposal Manager

About the Role We are seeking an experienced Business Development & Proposal Manager to lead opportunity identification, market intelligence, bid strategy, and end-to-end proposal management for our U.S. civil engineering and infrastructure business. The role will focus on identifying and qualifying U.S. federal, state, county, and municipal government opportunities; analyzing RFPs and RFQs; developing compliant and competitive proposals; coordinating with technical and commercial teams; and maintaining a strong pipeline of upcoming opportunities.

The ideal candidate will have hands-on experience managing U.S. government bids and proposals, a strong understanding of government procurement processes, excellent proposal-writing and analytical skills, and the ability to translate business opportunities into well-structured, competitive submissions. Prior hands-on experience supporting or managing U.S. government contracts at both federal and state/local levels is mandatory.

Experience in civil engineering, infrastructure, construction inspection, geotechnical engineering, or engineering consulting is highly preferred. 1. Business Development & Opportunity Identification · Identify, research, and qualify new business opportunities across U.S. federal, state, county, and municipal government agencies. · Monitor government procurement portals, including SAM.gov and state/local procurement platforms, for relevant solicitations. · Identify opportunities related to civil engineering, geotechnical engineering, construction materials testing, construction inspection, infrastructure monitoring, and engineering consulting services. · Develop and maintain a pipeline of upcoming, active, and potential business opportunities. · Conduct market research to understand client requirements, upcoming projects, procurement trends, and competitor activity. · Support management in evaluating new markets, target agencies, strategic accounts, and potential partnerships. · Maintain opportunity trackers and provide regular pipeline updates to leadership. 2.

Bid Strategy & Opportunity Qualification · Review and evaluate RFPs, RFQs, Requests for Information (RFIs), Expressions of Interest (EOIs), and other government solicitations. · Assess solicitation requirements, eligibility criteria, scope of work, evaluation methodology, submission deadlines, and contractual conditions. · Coordinate bid/no-bid evaluations with leadership and relevant technical and commercial stakeholders. · Identify proposal requirements, compliance risks, resource needs, and potential differentiators. · Develop proposal schedules, compliance matrices, responsibility assignments, and submission plans. · Track amendments, addenda, clarifications, and changes to solicitation requirements. 3.

End-to-End Proposal & Bid Management · Lead the complete proposal lifecycle, from opportunity identification and qualification through submission and post-submission follow-up. · Manage the preparation of technical proposals, management approaches, project understanding, staffing plans, past-performance references, and supporting documentation. · Develop proposal outlines, response matrices, submission checklists, and compliance documents. · Coordinate with engineering, project management, operations, finance, legal, and leadership teams to collect proposal inputs. · Ensure proposals address all solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria. · Review submissions for accuracy, consistency, completeness, compliance, and overall presentation. · Manage proposal deadlines and ensure timely submission through the appropriate procurement portals. · Coordinate post-submission clarifications, interviews, presentations, and follow-up activities. 4.

Proposal Writing & Content Development · Develop clear, persuasive, and technically sound proposal narratives aligned with U.S. government solicitation requirements. · Prepare and refine executive summaries, technical approaches, staffing methodologies, management plans, and project-specific responses. · Maintain a centralized library of company qualifications, project descriptions, past-performance records, resumes, certifications, and standard proposal content. · Develop and maintain company capability statements, corporate profiles, and agency-specific qualifications packages. · Work with subject-matter experts to translate technical information into clear, compliant, client-focused proposals. · Continuously improve proposal quality, consistency, and competitiveness. 5.

Commercial & Pricing Coordination · Coordinate with management, engineering, estimation, and finance teams to develop competitive commercial proposals. · Review pricing inputs, labor categories, resource requirements, assumptions, and commercial terms. · Ensure proposed pricing and supporting documentation align with solicitation instructions. · Identify commercial risks, contractual exceptions, and compliance concerns for management review. · Support responses to commercial clarifications and post-submission negotiations, where applicable. 6.

U.S. Government Procurement & Compliance · Apply practical knowledge of U.S. federal and state/local government procurement processes and solicitation requirements. · Ensure compliance with proposal instructions, mandatory forms, representations, certifications, and submission procedures. · Coordinate the collection and maintenance of corporate registrations, insurance documentation, relevant certifications, and other supporting records. · Track contract requirements, amendments, submission milestones, and procurement-related communications. · Work with internal stakeholders to identify and address proposal compliance gaps before submission. 7.

Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis · Research government agencies, procurement forecasts, infrastructure programs, and upcoming engineering projects. · Analyze competitors, contract awards, incumbent contractors, market positioning, and available business intelligence. · Identify potential clients and opportunities aligned with the company’s service portfolio. · Maintain records of bid outcomes and analyze win/loss trends. · Provide management with insights on market opportunities, competitive positioning, and potential areas for business growth. 8.

Client & Stakeholder Coordination · Coordinate with U.S.-based leadership, business development teams, technical personnel, and other stakeholders throughout the bid lifecycle. · Support client communications, pre-bid meetings, clarification requests, and proposal presentations. · Develop a clear understanding of client requirements and procurement priorities. · Support the development of long-term client relationships and strategic partnerships. · Coordinate with internal teams following contract awards to ensure an effective handover of relevant bid commitments and documentation. 9.

Reporting & Performance Management · Maintain accurate records of opportunities, active bids, submissions, awards, and lost opportunities. · Prepare periodic reports on pipeline value, proposal status, submission deadlines, and bid outcomes. · Track proposal turnaround time, submission compliance, and win rates. · Provide regular updates and recommendations to management regarding pipeline development and proposal performance.

Required Skills & Competencies · Demonstrated hands-on experience with U.S. federal and state/local government bids and proposals. · Strong knowledge of U.S. government procurement processes and solicitation requirements. · Proven experience managing end-to-end bid and proposal activities. · Excellent technical and business proposal-writing skills. · Strong analytical, research, and opportunity-evaluation capabilities. · Experience preparing compliance matrices, bid schedules, and proposal response plans. · Ability to coordinate multiple proposals and meet strict deadlines. · Strong written and verbal communication skills. · Excellent stakeholder-management, coordination, and follow-up skills. · Strong attention to detail and a structured approach to documentation. · Ability to work independently while coordinating effectively with U.S.-based teams.

Technical & Software Skills · Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. · Hands-on familiarity with SAM.gov and U.S. state, county, and municipal procurement portals. · Experience with government solicitation documents, proposal templates, and compliance matrices. · Familiarity with CRM platforms, opportunity-tracking tools, and bid/proposal management systems. · Experience with proposal content libraries and document collaboration tools is preferred. · Exposure to BOQs, cost estimates, and technical engineering documentation is an advantage.

Educational Qualifications · Bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, or a related discipline preferred. · A degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or Management may be considered for candidates with substantial relevant experience. · PMP, proposal management, or relevant professional certifications are an advantage. Experience Requirements · 10+ years of relevant experience in bid management, proposal management, business development, tendering, or pre-sales. · Mandatory hands-on experience supporting or managing U.S. government contracts at both federal and state/local levels. · Experience in civil engineering, infrastructure, construction, geotechnical engineering, or engineering consulting is highly preferred. · Experience coordinating technical and commercial proposals for professional services or engineering projects is strongly preferred. · Candidates whose experience is limited to Indian government tenders or non-U.S. private-sector bidding will not meet the mandatory U.S. government contracting requirement.