Proposal Manager - Writing Specialist
Role Overview
Your task will be to put together RFP proposals for prospective clients that lay out how we are solving their problem and how our offering is able to do that. It also a document that shows that we understand the problem they have.
Your Background
Your role in this will be founded on
3 core competencies
– the
writing
piece, generally having a
good business brain
and also an element of
project management
.
The chief USP that you will bring to this is the creative writing element – that being how to
sell through the written word
. That and having a commercial awareness of the business side of things while also having the client at the forefront of your mind.
With those things combined in practice this can mean a few different things. Writing in the active voice is important. At all times you are making sure that the question is being answered – but more than that you are understanding
why
a client might be asking the question they're asking.
There's also an element of project management to this. There are contributions into the proposal from various parts of the business, so in the end you have to pull information from a lot of different people and put it together.
You'll be
managing all those pieces, making sure they're on time
and that they're delivering what they are supposed to.
Primary Responsibilities
The Proposal Manager is responsible for interacting with various teams within an organization to gather necessary information, coordinate efforts, and ensure a successful bid submission.
* Develop and implement a bid strategy that aligns with the commercial organization's goals and objectives. This includes
understanding the client's needs, assessing the competition and identifying the unique value proposition
.
* Coordinate with various teams and functions to gather the necessary information and resources for the bid, ensuring cohesion in and consistency in tone and delivery to prospective client.
* Create detailed proposal plans that outline the timeline, milestones, responsibilities, and resources required for the bid, ensuring all aspects of the bid are addressed in a systematic manner.
* Write, edit and review proposal content
to ensure message is clear, concise, and compelling. This may involve drafting executive summaries, technical sections, pricing details, and other relevant information.
* Organize and maintain RFP repository of bid-related documents, including past proposals, templates, and reference materials to facilitate efficient future bid processes.
Key Interactions
* Collaborate with Sales Reps / Account Managers to
understand the client's needs
, preferences and any specific requirements.
* Engage with Corporate Marketing team to gather market research, competitive analysis and any collateral materials that may be relevant to the bid.
* Coordinate with Pricing team to receive input on pricing strategies, cost estimates and discounting considerations.
Qualifications, Education and Experience
* Some Sales Proposal experience would be an advantage, preferably in B2B service environment. Fleet or Government bid experience a plus.
* Prior experience with
business and/or creative writing
* Experience with presentation software and crafting sales presentations is a plus.
* Project Management (basic skills): identifies key tasks and required deliverables, establishes timelines, engages others as appropriate, and manages status of work to ensure overall objectives are met. Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously in a rapidly changing, fast-paced, environment.
* Written Communication:
Expresses ideas and opinions clearly
in properly structured, well-organized and grammatically correct documents. Utilises language and terminology that the reader will understand.
* Verbal Communication and Presentation: Understands audience needs; reads reactions and adjusts appropriately. Articulate; conveys information in a clear, confident manner.
* Builds Strong Working Relationships: Builds and maintains productive working relationships based on a mutual trust at all levels in the organization. Solicits, considers and appropriately incorporates perspectives from others. Proactively communicates and engages all critical constituents.
* Critical Thinking: obtains and effectively analyses data, identifies trend/issues, solicits input, looks at all perspectives, reaches logical decisions or recommendations and acts quickly to implement solutions.
* Collaboration and Partnering: Leads by example to create an environment of collaboration; encourages cooperation and teamwork and models professional behaviours. Collaborates with others across the organization to provide the best solutions. Develops and maintains a network of internal resources across functions.
* Proficiency in various MS Office software applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint
Hybrid model is 3 days per week in the office - Tues/Wed/Thurs