Director of Proposal Management

Location

Reston, VA or Remote (U.S.-based required)

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Director of Proposal Management to lead and execute strategic proposal efforts that drive company growth. This is a senior individual contributor role responsible for managing complex pursuits from pre-RFP planning through proposal submission while partnering closely with business development, capture, solutions, and executive leadership teams.

The ideal candidate brings a demonstrated and quantifiable history of proposal wins within high-growth Government Contracting (GovCon) environments and has successfully led proposal efforts across a broad spectrum of opportunities, including services, products, and technology solutions. This individual will serve as a hands-on proposal leader, driving proposal strategy, compliance, messaging, and execution while helping mature and scale proposal operations to support continued growth.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the full proposal lifecycle from opportunity qualification through submission for strategic federal pursuits.
• Develop proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, storyboards, and production plans.
• Serve as the primary proposal manager for high-priority and high-value opportunities.
• Partner with key stakeholders to develop winning proposal strategies and compelling win themes.
• Drive proposal reviews, incorporating executive, technical, and customer-focused feedback.
• Ensure compliance with solicitation requirements while maximizing responsiveness and competitiveness.
• Manage multiple concurrent proposals across varying agencies, contract vehicles, and procurement types.
• Develop and refine proposal processes, templates, tools, and best practices to support organizational growth and increased win rates.
• Contribute to bid/no-bid decisions and opportunity assessments.
• Track proposal metrics, lessons learned, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Coordinate external proposal consultants, writers, graphic designers, and reviewers as needed.

Required Qualifications

Education

Bachelor's degree required (STEM Degree Preferred)

Experience

Minimum of 10 years of federal Government Contracting (GovCon) proposal management experience.

• Demonstrated and measurable history of proposal wins and revenue growth contributions.
• Proven success supporting rapidly growing government contractors.
• Extensive experience managing proposals for:
• Professional Services
• Technical Services
• Product Offerings
• Integrated Solutions and Technology Programs
• Experience managing complex proposals from kickoff through submission with minimal oversight.
• Strong understanding of federal acquisition processes and competitive proposal strategies.
• Due to the nature of the work, US Citizenship is required, with the ability to obtain a Top Secret Clearance.

Contract Vehicle Experience

Experience developing proposals across a diverse range of federal procurement vehicles, including:

• Full and open competitions
• Small business set-asides
• Standalone contracts
• GWACs
• IDIQs and task orders
• Large strategic contract vehicles
• Commercial Solutions Openings (CSOs)
• Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs)
• SBIR/STTR opportunities
• Multi-award contract environments

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in organizations undergoing rapid growth and expansion.

Familiarity with proposal automation, AI-enabled proposal development tools, and knowledge management systems.

What Success Looks Like

• Consistently delivering compliant, high-quality proposals on schedule.
• Increasing proposal win rates and contract awards through effective proposal leadership.
• Providing strategic proposal expertise that strengthens capture efforts and corporate growth initiatives.
• Serving as a trusted advisor to business development and executive leadership teams during pursuit planning and execution.

This role is ideal for a senior proposal professional who enjoys owning strategic pursuits, influencing growth outcomes, and remaining directly engaged in proposal development rather than managing a large team.

Salary

Salary range for the position is $140,000 - $190,000 per year. Specific compensation will be determined by several factors including experience, education, skills, and knowledge. We also offer medical/dental/vision benefits and 401k contribution.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Blue Sky Innovators, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. If you are a qualified job seeker with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access http://www.blueskyinnovators.com as a result of your disability. To request an accommodation, please email us at careers@blueskyinnovators.com and provide your name and contact information. Please note: this is only for job seekers with disabilities requesting an accommodation.