Director of Business Pursuits
Apply NowCompany: Milhouse Engineering & Construction Inc
Location: Chicago, IL 60629
Description:
The Director of Business Pursuits leads the development and execution of pursuit strategies that support the company's growth and competitiveness across all subsidiary firms. This leadership role manages proposal operations, pursuit analysis, and technical writing functions to ensure consistent, high-quality, and compelling responses to RFPs, RFQs, and other client solicitations. As a key contributor to the company's market presence, the Director of Business Pursuits aligns pursuit efforts with business development goals, driving value through efficient operations, cross-functional collaboration, and insight into client needs and market trends.
The Director is responsible for fostering excellence and innovation in proposal development, overseeing proposal-related resources, and ensuring effective coordination between enterprise and subsidiary operations. The role includes mentoring team members, maintaining compliance with pursuit standards, and championing ongoing improvements in content, production workflows, and client-focused storytelling.
The Director will be instrumental in helping shape the company's competitive positioning and drive successful project acquisition across Milhouse and its family of companies.
**Please note this role will follow our hybrid schedule of 4 days in-office at our downtown Chicago office.
What you will do:
What we are looking for:
Your background:
$141,000 - $214,000 a year
The actual base pay depends upon many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
While we provide a range, we'd love to hear from you if you are in or outside of this range as we are always looking to cater roles to the Talent we find!
Milhouse is a pay transparency non-discrimination organization committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We ensure that all employees are compensated fairly and without bias, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. In compliance with the Illinois Equal Pay Act, effective January 1, 2025, we include pay scales and benefits in all job postings and ensure that all promotion opportunities are communicated to current employees within 14 days of external postings. Additionally, we participate in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility and uphold compliance with federal requirements.
Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. was founded in 2001 with the goal of building the best engineering company in the country. It was based on the belief that if we hired great people, fueled their passion while challenging them to excel, and maintained a laser focus on the needs of your clients, success would come- and so it has. Our portfolio of successful projects continues to grow, our family of highly satisfied clients continues to expand, and our staff just gets better and better.
We are a unique, Chicago-based firm whose collective passion, vision and expertise has led to phenomenal growth! With more than 500+ talented professionals and offices across the globe, Milhouse offers a dynamic work environment where there is no limit to what you can achieve if you are willing to go after it.
Our people are the cornerstone of our organization, and key to our success. Join a remarkably talented team that shares a passion for what they do and a vision for improving communities around the world through innovative engineering and construction. Click here to see who we are, and how our people drive our culture each & every day.
Click here to see all of our awards and how many times we've won Chicago's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For!
Important Notice to US Applicants
Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. is an at-will employer.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Benefits List:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance
Short Term Disability Insurance
401(k) Plan
Transit Benefits Program
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Employee Education & Development Program
Paid Holidays
Employee Referral Program
Wellness Program
Employee Recognition Program
Lunch and Learns
Milhouse University Classes (Cross Functional Training)
Higher Level Professional Development/Certification support
Paid Maternity and Paternity leave (plus incentives to support you in your first year of parenthood)
The Director is responsible for fostering excellence and innovation in proposal development, overseeing proposal-related resources, and ensuring effective coordination between enterprise and subsidiary operations. The role includes mentoring team members, maintaining compliance with pursuit standards, and championing ongoing improvements in content, production workflows, and client-focused storytelling.
The Director will be instrumental in helping shape the company's competitive positioning and drive successful project acquisition across Milhouse and its family of companies.
**Please note this role will follow our hybrid schedule of 4 days in-office at our downtown Chicago office.
What you will do:
- Strategic Business Development & Growth:
- Support the strategy and execution of major pursuits across engineering subsidiaries in alignment with business development goals.
- Participate in key pursuit activities including kick-off meetings, teaming discussions, staffing and organization planning, messaging development, and debriefs.
- Monitor and report on emerging market trends, client needs, and industry opportunities to support long-term growth.
- Help maintain best practices for pursuit strategy, proposal templates, content libraries, and production standards.
- Proposal & Bid Management:
- Facilitate weekly marketing pursuit meetings with operations and senior leadership.
- Lead and manage the development of competitive proposals, RFQs, and RFPs.
- Collaborate closely with estimating, legal, finance, and operations teams to produce compelling and compliant proposals.
- Ensure adherence to client expectations and procurement requirements.
- Supervise and mentor team members including the Proposal Operations Manager, Proposal Coordinatorsand Technical Writer.
- Client & Stakeholder Engagement:
- Support client engagement efforts and represent the company in client presentations, proposal interviews, and industry events.
- Build and maintain relationships with key external partners including clients, architects, developers, and joint venture teams.
- Serve as a resource to internal stakeholders on client and pursuit strategies.
- Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration:
- Partner with internal teams-including operations, engineering, and finance-to align pursuit strategies with company capabilities and to develop customized proposal content.
- Support pre-construction planning and ensure a smooth handoff from pursuit to execution phases.
- Provide day-to-day leadership and coaching to business development and marketing team members.
- Market & Competitive Analysis:
- Conduct market and competitor research to inform pursuit strategy and improve win rates.
- Leverage data and KPIs to evaluate and enhance pursuit performance.
- Track win/loss metrics and recommend improvements to pursuit approaches and proposal development.
What we are looking for:
- Excellent technical writing, editing, and presentation skills.
- Deep understanding of proposal development and the A/E/C bidding process.
- Familiarity with public and private sector procurement practices.
- Strong communication, leadership, and interpersonal skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency with CRM systems, market research tools, and proposal management platforms.
Your background:
- Bachelor's degree in Liberal Arts, Business Administration, Communications, Engineering, or a related field (Master's degree preferred).
- 10+ years of experience in proposal development, pursuit strategy, or marketing within the A/E/C or professional services industry.
- Demonstrated success in winning significant pursuits in infrastructure, commercial, medical, higher education, or industrial markets.
$141,000 - $214,000 a year
The actual base pay depends upon many factors, such as education, experience, and skills. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
While we provide a range, we'd love to hear from you if you are in or outside of this range as we are always looking to cater roles to the Talent we find!
Milhouse is a pay transparency non-discrimination organization committed to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace. We ensure that all employees are compensated fairly and without bias, in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. In compliance with the Illinois Equal Pay Act, effective January 1, 2025, we include pay scales and benefits in all job postings and ensure that all promotion opportunities are communicated to current employees within 14 days of external postings. Additionally, we participate in E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility and uphold compliance with federal requirements.
Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. was founded in 2001 with the goal of building the best engineering company in the country. It was based on the belief that if we hired great people, fueled their passion while challenging them to excel, and maintained a laser focus on the needs of your clients, success would come- and so it has. Our portfolio of successful projects continues to grow, our family of highly satisfied clients continues to expand, and our staff just gets better and better.
We are a unique, Chicago-based firm whose collective passion, vision and expertise has led to phenomenal growth! With more than 500+ talented professionals and offices across the globe, Milhouse offers a dynamic work environment where there is no limit to what you can achieve if you are willing to go after it.
Our people are the cornerstone of our organization, and key to our success. Join a remarkably talented team that shares a passion for what they do and a vision for improving communities around the world through innovative engineering and construction. Click here to see who we are, and how our people drive our culture each & every day.
Click here to see all of our awards and how many times we've won Chicago's 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For!
Important Notice to US Applicants
Milhouse Engineering and Construction, Inc. is an at-will employer.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Benefits List:
Medical
Dental
Vision
Life Insurance
Short Term Disability Insurance
401(k) Plan
Transit Benefits Program
Paid Time Off (PTO)
Employee Education & Development Program
Paid Holidays
Employee Referral Program
Wellness Program
Employee Recognition Program
Lunch and Learns
Milhouse University Classes (Cross Functional Training)
Higher Level Professional Development/Certification support
Paid Maternity and Paternity leave (plus incentives to support you in your first year of parenthood)