Proposal Manager - Water/Wastewater

About the Role

The Proposal Manager – Water/Wastewater Sector leads the development, coordination, and delivery of high‑quality proposals for municipal and industrial water projects, including desalination, water treatment, pipelines, conveyance, and related infrastructure, serving as a central hub for strategic planning, content development, and multidisciplinary collaboration. In proposal leadership and management, the manager drives end‑to‑end development from pre‑RFP planning through final submission, facilitates strategy discussions, kickoff meetings, and regular check‑ins, and creates schedules, compliance matrices, responsibility assignments, and content plans to meet all requirements while overseeing writing, editing, layout, and production for quality and brand alignment. Collaboration and partnership development involve fostering strong relationships with internal teams, external partners, and subject‑matter experts, promoting a partnership‑oriented environment, and coordinating with joint‑venture partners, subcontractors, and teaming firms to integrate input and maintain alignment. Content strategy and story development translate technical information into clear, compelling narratives, developing win themes, differentiators, key messages, and graphics concepts, while quality assurance ensures all proposal elements meet RFP/RFQ requirements, tracks performance metrics, and maintains libraries of past performance and templates. The role also provides cross‑functional support by assisting business development in pursuit planning and client‑focused messaging, helping technical teams with presentations and interview coaching, and contributing to marketing initiatives such as brochures, case studies, and thought‑leadership content. • Lead end-to-end proposal development for water/wastewater projects, from pre‑RFP planning to final submission. • Facilitate strategy sessions, kickoff meetings, and regular check‑ins to align multidisciplinary teams. • Create schedules, compliance matrices, responsibility assignments, and content plans. • Oversee writing, editing, layout, and production ensuring quality, accuracy, and brand consistency. • Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders, joint‑venture partners, subcontractors, and subject‑matter experts. • Translate technical data into clear win themes, differentiators, key messages, and graphics concepts. • Ensure compliance with RFP/RFQ requirements, track performance metrics, and maintain proposal libraries. • Support business development with pursuit planning, client messaging, presentations, and interview coaching.

Key Responsibilities

• ▸proposal development
• ▸compliance matrix
• ▸schedule planning
• ▸content creation
• ▸stakeholder relations
• ▸performance tracking

What You Bring

Required skills include a bachelor’s degree in Communications, Engineering, Environmental Science, Business, Marketing, or a related field, 5+ years of proposal development experience—preferably in water, environmental, infrastructure, or engineering sectors—and strong writing, editing, storytelling, project management, and organizational abilities. Preferred qualifications comprise experience in water sector pursuits such as desalination, water treatment, distribution, wastewater, or coastal supply projects, familiarity with SOQs, RFQs/RFPs, CMAR, design‑build, and alternative delivery methods, and the ability to develop visual storylines and graphics in collaboration with marketing staff. Key competencies emphasize strategic thinking, exceptional communication, collaborative and diplomatic relationship‑building, creative problem‑solving in fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environments, and a commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and high professional standards. • Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field and 5+ years of proposal development experience in water or infrastructure sectors. • Strong writing, storytelling, project management, and organizational skills. • Familiarity with SOQs, RFQs/RFPs, CMAR, design‑build, and alternative delivery methods. • Ability to develop visual storylines and collaborate with marketing on graphics and layouts.

Requirements

• ▸bachelor's
• ▸5+ years
• ▸proposal development
• ▸rfq/rfp
• ▸design-build
• ▸project management

Benefits

The company offers a competitive salary, relocation assistance where required and approved, a 401(k) retirement plan, medical, dental, vision, life, short‑ and long‑term disability benefits, tuition reimbursement, paid time off, and additional perks. • Competitive salary, relocation assistance, 401(k), medical/dental/vision, life and disability insurance, tuition reimbursement, and paid time off.

Work Environment

Hybrid