Associate Proposal Manager
The Associate Proposal Manager supports the end-to-end development of federal proposals, ensuring compliance, competitiveness, and alignment with solicitation requirements. This entry-level role involves coordinating multiple stakeholders, managing proposal schedules and reviews, and contributing to continuous process improvements, with training and mentorship provided to develop into a Proposal Manager. The position requires strong organizational and communication skills, familiarity with federal procurement processes, and the ability to work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment with hybrid remote work based in the Eastern Time Zone.
About Careertakes
👉 Important disclosure: Careertakes is a third-party recruiting platform supporting this hiring process. If selected, you will be employed directly by our client, Energy, Oil & Gas.
Applicants for this role may also receive access to additional matched opportunities through the Careertakes platform.
What You’ll Do
This entry-level Associate Proposal Manager will support the development of compliant, compelling federal proposals from pre-RFP planning through final submission. You will work closely with capture leads, proposal managers, technical and business contributors, and cross-functional teams to ensure accurate, timely, and win-focused submissions.
- Manage assigned federal proposal efforts from kickoff through submission (including amendments, Q&A responses, change pages, modifications, and Final Proposal Revisions).
- Create compliant, evaluation-focused proposal outlines and annotated structures aligned with Section L/M and other solicitation instructions.
- Build and maintain proposal schedules, compliance matrices, cross-reference tools, and other proposal artifacts.
- Translate solicitation requirements into actionable assignments, annotated outlines, and content development plans.
- Incorporate win themes, discriminators, and strategic messaging into technical, management, past performance, and cost/price volumes.
- Coordinate inputs across Finance, Contracts, HR, IT, Security, Legal, Quality, Small Business, and operational teams.
- Support color-team reviews (e.g., Pink, Red, Gold), track comments, and ensure timely incorporation of feedback.
- Partner with production resources for final formatting, production, packaging, and electronic/physical submission.
- Identify and escalate proposal risks, gaps, and schedule challenges; contribute to continuous improvement of templates, processes, and tools.
Note: This is a developmental role. Training, mentorship, and Shipley-based processes/APMP support will be provided.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent relevant experience.
- 1–3 years supporting proposals, capture, contracts, or another deadline-driven function; federal proposal exposure preferred.
- Familiarity with FAR-based solicitations (Section L/M, PWS/SOW) and proposal best practices.
- Experience with proposal schedules, compliance matrices, annotated outlines, and review cycles.
- Strong written/verbal communication and coordination skills across multiple organizational levels.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail; ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines.
- Proficiency in SharePoint, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and common proposal tools.
- Willingness to obtain APMP Foundation certification within the first 180 days.
- Must be a U.S. citizen able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance within the required timeframe (see Security Clearance section).
Preferred Qualifications
- Familiarity with Shipley proposal processes.
- Experience supporting oral presentations and discussion/negotiation responses.
- Prior exposure to federal proposals, capture, or contracts.
- Active Secret security clearance (preferred).
Work Location & Travel
- Remote / Hybrid — candidates must reside in the Eastern Time Zone (ET).
- Up to 20% travel may be required to support proposal activities, reviews, and coordination (e.g., proposal team locations or client sites).
Security Clearance
- Must be a U.S. citizen able to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance. Candidates with an active Secret clearance are preferred.
- Candidates without an active clearance must complete required paperwork within the first 30 days and obtain clearance within 90 days.
Compensation & Benefits
- Estimated salary (source data): $91,621 per year (estimated). This figure is provided by the source listing and is for candidate guidance only.
- Careertakes and our client provide competitive benefits and professional development opportunities, including support for APMP certification and Shipley-based proposal training.
About the Employer
Confidential Client is a leading provider in the Energy, Oil & Gas industry delivering professional and technical services to government and commercial customers. Applicants will be employed by Confidential Client.
Equal Opportunity & Hiring Transparency
Careertakes and our client are Equal Opportunity Employers committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. We prohibit discrimination or harassment of any kind. To support a fair and efficient hiring process, AI tools may be used to assist with application review or resume screening. These tools do not replace human decision-making. Final hiring decisions are made by people.
If you have questions about how your data is used, please contact us directly.
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