Proposal Manager

Overview

Award-Winning 50-person distinguished architectural practice is actively seeking a Proposal Manager to join their growing Newport Beach studio. The firm possesses expertise in programming, planning, design, and management services, primarily catering to Educational Facilities for over three decades. With offices located in Orange County, San Diego, and East Bay, this firm boasts a wealth of professional knowledge, talent, and personalized commitment to their clients. The studios embrace hybrid work arrangements and prioritize the professional development and growth of their designers, architects, and managers.

This role offers the opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of educational spaces while advancing your career in a supportive and collaborative environment.

Position Overview

Award-Winning company is in search of an ambitious candidate to fill the role of Proposal Manager. This employee will be actively involved in leading marketing teams & marketing production processes associated with RFQ/RFP responses for new business opportunities for multiple service divisions within the company, as well as maintain creative control over special projects within the marketing department, for example, layouts for submittals and firm advertisements. This individual must have the ability to work well under pressure, juggle and prioritize multiple projects, and adjust work accordingly, often against tight deadlines.

This position is based in the company's Newport Beach office (Hybrid work environment available). There is currently a team of 4 marketing professionals.

Responsibilities:

• The employee manages research, surveying, due diligence procedures, corporate follow-up, and post-mortem procedures to obtain intelligence that leads to the refining and improvement of the company's marketing techniques and strategies
• The Proposal Manager is charged with effectively communicating this knowledge to senior architects, engineers, consultants, other managerial staff, and the marketing department

• A primary objective of the role is to develop and implement firm-wide processes that incorporate better delivery methods for marketing production

• The Proposal Manager also possesses full authority over all production processes associated with production of responses to Requests for Qualifications (RFQs)

• This requires the individual to direct and oversee the efforts of architects, engineers, consultants and all other staff resources when formulating a coordinated response to best represent the firm's qualifications

• The position works with assigned personnel to maintain creative and written control over the appearance and information used to profile the firm's qualifications

• Work closely with leadership to determine strategies on proposals and presentations; hands-on planning and development of strategic customized responses to RFPs and in the interview preparation

• Conduct research and compiles information regarding existing and prospective clients, competitor activity, and industry or market trends to aid in the development of marketing plans, proposals, and presentations

• Support those with marketing assignments to prepare for meetings, interviews, and other contacts with prospective clients, as well as for speaking engagements and other marketing activities

• Coordinate the preparation of statements of interest and qualifications, proposals, collateral materials, miscellaneous marketing, and marketing-oriented correspondence, etc

• Organizes, coordinates and controls activities involved in the preparation of marketing proposals, presentations, and submittals.

• Actively involved in overseeing & maintaining all marketing resource materials-brochures, data, archiving, assets, and marketing database.
• Participate in pre-interview planning and presentation rehearsal with design teams and assists in developing win strategies, themes in presentation materials
• Proofreading, editing, and oversight of select quality control measures.
• Track and report on proposal success rates, win/loss ratios, and other relevant metrics
• Manage proposal budgets and resources effectively
• Exhibit strong collaboration skills to work effectively across various staff members
• Experience with digital marketing strategies and tools relevant to the A/E/C industry
• Ensure all proposals comply with legal and regulatory requirements
• Drive continuous improvement of proposal processes and strategies
• Ability to adapt to evolving industry trends and incorporate them into proposal strategies

Requirements:

• Equivalent of Bachelor's degree in marketing or technical related field, minimum 5-7 years of experience in the A/E/C industry serving as a marketing professional with control over marketing assignments
• Minimum of 1 year of experience managing a team of marketing professionals preferred
• Prior marketing production experience with A/E/C company is required (Experience in K-12 and/or Higher Education experience is a plus, but not required)

• Good organizational, communication, and leadership abilities

• Quality-minded, self-motivated, and team-oriented

• Effectively exercise discretion to design, organize, and oversee production of the firm's marketing materials

• Ability to operate and make decisions independently

• Ability to develop written content for qualifications statements that represent the company's services in a manner that is customized for each opportunity

• Strong attention to detail and ability to meet highly technical requirements and standards

• Ability to work well under pressure, juggle and prioritize multiple projects, and adjust work accordingly, often against tight deadlines

• Excellent written communication skills

• Ability to interact with senior management, external client organizations and vendors
• An aggressive, client oriented personality with a knack for creative problem solving will succeed in this position
• Ability to work independently with a self-motivated "Do whatever it takes" attitude; capable of overseeing multiple projects simultaneously

Additional Software Requirements

• Proficient in Adobe InDesign (latest version) and Microsoft Office Suite (latest version)
• Basic skills in other Creative Suite products including Adobe Photoshop & Illustrator (latest version)
• Working knowledge of PowerPoint, including use of color palettes, master slides, imported elements and template creation

• Demonstrate knowledge in CRM systems, with Salesforce experience being a plus

Please Note: Delays may be experienced if uploading portfolio pdf. Do not exit out of page during upload. We look forward to receiving your application!