Senior Proposal Manager

ARETUM

. Manage proposals for federal opportunities from kickoff through submission, including RFIs, sources sought, task orders, and full-and-open competitions .

Posted 10/28/2026full-timeVienna • Virginia • United StatesSenior💰 $120,000 - $150,000 per yearWebsite

Core Competencies

Role fit

Core Competencies

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Demonstrates extensive experience in federal proposal management, including leading complex proposals and managing multi-volume responses. Proficient in compliance analysis, proposal strategy development, and cross-functional team leadership under tight deadlines.

Highest-signal resume keywords

Federal Proposal ManagementFAR KnowledgeProposal Strategy DevelopmentCross-Functional Team LeadershipAPMP Certification

ATS Keywords

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Applicant Tracking System Keywords

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Hard Skills

Proposal ManagementCompliance AnalysisWriting and EditingContent DevelopmentProposal Automation

Soft Skills

MentoringCollaborationCommunication

Tools & Technologies

Microsoft WordMicrosoft ExcelMicrosoft PowerPointMicrosoft SharePointGovWinSAM.gov

Certifications & Qualifications

APMP Foundation CertificationAPMP Practitioner Certification

Industry Keywords

DoD ProposalsDHS ProposalsCivilian Agency ProposalsIDIQsGWACsControlled Unclassified Information

About the role

Key responsibilities & impact

Manage proposals for federal opportunities from kickoff through submission, including RFIs, sources sought, task orders, and full-and-open competitions
Analyze RFPs and build compliance matrices, annotated outlines, and response templates mapped to Sections L and M or equivalent
Set and enforce schedules, assign volume and section owners, and keep writers, SMEs, and partners on track to deadlines
Coordinate with pricing and contracts so the technical, management, past performance, and price volumes tell one consistent story
Partner with capture managers to turn win themes, discriminators, and customer insight into proposal strategy
Lead Blue, Pink, Red, and Gold color team reviews, resolve feedback, and own final compliance and quality checks
Support orals preparation and responses to evaluation notices, discussions, and final proposal revisions
Maintain and grow a library of reusable content, past performance write-ups, résumés, and templates
Run lessons-learned sessions after every submission and improve proposal processes over time
Mentor proposal coordinators and writers, and stay current on FAR/DFARS changes and evaluation trends
Handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with applicable safeguarding requirements
Report to the Director of Proposals

Requirements

What you’ll need

10+ years of federal proposal management experience, including at least 5 years leading complex proposals as the proposal manager
Track record managing proposals for DoD, DHS, or civilian agencies, including multi-volume responses and teaming arrangements
Working knowledge of the FAR, contract types, and federal acquisition processes, including IDIQs, GWACs, and task order competitions
Strong writing and editing skills, and the ability to turn input from technical SMEs into clear, persuasive content
Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams under tight deadlines, often across several pursuits at once
Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and SharePoint
Bachelor’s degree, or equivalent proposal experience
U.S. work authorization; sponsorship is not available
Experience with Shipley or a similar capture and proposal methodology
APMP Foundation or Practitioner certification
Experience with tools such as GovWin, SAM.gov, or proposal automation platforms
Active security clearance, or eligibility to obtain one

Benefits

Comp & perks

Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
Retirement Plan (401k)
Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
Paid Time Off
Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
Short Term & Long-Term Disability
Training & Development
Equal Opportunity Employer
Veterans and military families support
Reasonable accommodation during the hiring process
No sponsorship; full-time U.S. work authorization required