Job Title: Proposal Manager Company: AKI
Reports To: CEO Location: Remote
FLSA Status: Exempt Salary: DOE
POSITION SUMMARY
The Proposal Manager is responsible for leading, managing, and coordinating the full proposal lifecycle for Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc. (AKI) and its subsidiaries. This position serves as the primary point of accountability for proposal development and submission and performs both proposal management and hands-on proposal coordination functions.
The Proposal Manager ensures that all proposals are compliant, compelling, accurate, professionally presented, and submitted on time. The position manages solicitation analysis and deconstruction, proposal schedules, compliance requirements, contributor assignments, document control, reviews, production, and final submission while coordinating closely with executive leadership, Business Development, Operations, Finance, Contracts, Human Resources, subject matter experts, teaming partners, and consultants.
The Proposal Manager is expected to be a hands-on contributor who can manage the overall proposal process while also completing the detailed coordination, writing, editing, formatting, tracking, and administrative work necessary to deliver high-quality federal government submissions.
The ideal candidate will have strong federal government proposal experience, excellent writing and interpersonal skills, superior attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines while working effectively with all levels of the organization.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Proposal Management & Coordination
Manage the complete proposal lifecycle from solicitation release through final submission, award/debrief, and lessons learned.
Review and analyze Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotations (RFQs), Requests for Information (RFIs), Sources Sought notices, draft solicitations, amendments, Questions & Answers (Q&As), attachments, exhibits, and other federal procurement documents.
Develop proposal schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, assignments, storyboards, and review plans.
Lead proposal kickoff meetings and establish responsibilities, deadlines, milestones, and expectations for all contributors.
Serve as the central point of coordination for proposal activities across AKI and its subsidiaries.
Maintain proposal calendars and actively track deliverables, action items, and contributor deadlines.
Follow up with owners of proposal action items to ensure tasks are completed on schedule and escalate missed deadlines, compliance concerns, or significant proposal risks to appropriate leadership or Capture Leads.
Manage multiple proposal efforts simultaneously based on established priorities and deadlines.
Coordinate technical, management, staffing, past performance, transition, and cost/price proposal volumes.
Facilitate Pink Team, Red Team, Gold Team, and other proposal reviews as appropriate.
Consolidate and track reviewer comments and coordinate required revisions.
Conduct final compliance and quality-control reviews before submission.
Coordinate final executive approval.
Prepare and submit final proposals in accordance with solicitation requirements.
Confirm successful submission and maintain documentation of final submissions.
Solicitation Deconstruction & Proposal Compliance
Perform comprehensive deconstruction of solicitations and related procurement documentation to identify all requirements, evaluation criteria, dependencies, and submission requirements.
Review and incorporate, as applicable:
Official procurement announcements;
Solicitation documents and all amendments;
Questions and Answers (Q&As);
Attachments, exhibits, and Contract Data Requirements Lists (CDRLs);
Applicable GSA Federal Supply Schedules and Multiple Award Schedules (MAS);
Governmentwide Acquisition Contracts (GWACs);
Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contracts;
Blanket Purchase Agreements (BPAs);
Basic Ordering Agreements (BOAs);
Agency-specific requirements;
Agency procurement portals;
Applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements; and
Relevant secondary procurement research sources.
Develop and maintain detailed proposal compliance matrices or "Proposal Deconstructs" identifying:
Each requirement and its source document, section, and page reference;
Applicable proposal volume or section;
Assigned owner;
Planned response and supporting documentation;
Applicable win themes and discriminators;
Evaluation criteria;
Potential weaknesses, gaps, or compliance risks; and
Completion and review status.
Ensure proposal responses address all solicitation instructions and evaluation criteria, including Sections L and M when applicable.
Verify compliance with page limitations, formatting requirements, file-naming conventions, required forms, submission instructions, due dates, and other solicitation requirements.
Maintain working knowledge of applicable FAR and agency-specific acquisition requirements.
Coordinate with Contracts, Finance, Human Resources, Operations, and leadership to verify proposal commitments, representations, pricing inputs, staffing information, and corporate information are accurate and supportable.
Identify potential compliance concerns early in the proposal process and recommend or coordinate corrective action.
Maintain confidentiality of proprietary, procurement-sensitive, employee, customer, and
partner information.
Proposal Strategy, Writing & Editing
Participate in proposal strategy development, including evaluation of customer requirements, competitive intelligence, customer concerns, key issues, win themes, discriminators, and potential evaluation strengths and weaknesses.
Draft and edit proposal narratives, executive summaries, management approaches, staffing plans, transition plans, corporate experience, past performance, quality approaches, and other proposal content.
Write proposal material from source documentation, interviews, research, and subject matter expert input when required.
Work with technical subject matter experts to transform technical information into clear, concise, compliant, and customer-focused proposal narratives.
Ensure proposal content communicates AKI's capabilities, strengths, experience, and value proposition.
Incorporate established capture strategies, win themes, discriminators, and customer priorities throughout proposal content.
Review proposal content from the perspective of the stated evaluation criteria and identify areas that could be viewed as weaknesses or fail to demonstrate intended strengths.
Edit proposal sections for clarity, consistency, grammar, tone, responsiveness, and persuasiveness.
Ensure consistency of terminology and messaging throughout proposal volumes.
Coordinate graphics, organizational charts, tables, resumes, and other supporting materials.
Proposal Administration & Document Control
Establish and maintain organized electronic proposal files.
Maintain strict version control throughout the proposal process.
Create and maintain proposal templates, trackers, calendars, checklists, compliance tools, and standardized documents.
Collect and organize required proposal documentation, including:
Resumes;
Letters of commitment;
Past performance information;
Corporate experience;
Certifications;
Organizational charts;
Representations;
Teaming partner information;
Subcontractor information; and
Required forms and attachments.
Coordinate document formatting, desktop publishing, and final proposal production.
Maintain complete records of submitted proposals and related correspondence.
Proposal Content Library
Develop and maintain a centralized, current library of reusable AKI and subsidiary proposal materials, including:
Corporate capabilities;
Past performance;
Project descriptions;
Management approaches;
Staffing approaches;
Transition plans;
Quality-control approaches;
Resumes and key personnel biographies;
Organizational charts;
Corporate certifications;
NAICS codes;
Socioeconomic and SBA program information;
Corporate representations;
Standard proposal language; and
Graphics and templates.
Regularly review the proposal content library to ensure information remains accurate, current, organized, and ready for use in future proposals.
Business Development & Capture Support
Support Business Development throughout opportunity identification, qualification, capture, proposal development, and post-submission activities.
Maintain and update the opportunity tracking catalog, including opportunities received, bid/no-bid decisions, reasons for decisions, proposal status, and action items assigned for each opportunity pursued.
Participate in opportunity reviews and bid/no-bid discussions.
Conduct client, agency, opportunity, and competitive research in support of Business Development and capture activities.
Assist with RFIs, Sources Sought responses, capability statements, market research requests, presentations, and other pre-solicitation activities.
Review draft solicitations and provide recommendations regarding proposal requirements and potential risks.
Participate in capture planning and proposal strategy discussions.
Engage senior technical and management staff to obtain necessary information and commitment for specific pursuits.
Coordinate with technical staff to develop, research, track, and follow up on qualified opportunities and leads.
Maintain working knowledge of AKI's subsidiaries, customers, contracts, capabilities, past performance, NAICS codes, and strategic growth priorities.
Coordinate with teaming partners, subcontractors, and consultants regarding proposal requirements, assignments, documentation, and deadlines.
Support oral presentations, clarification requests, discussions, and final proposal revisions when required.
Participate in post-award and unsuccessful-offeror debriefings.
Document lessons learned and incorporate improvements into future proposal processes.
Assist with development of Business Development and marketing materials, including capability statements, presentations, brochures, website content, and other corporate materials as needed.
Participate in industry events, conferences, customer meetings, and other Business Development activities as requested.
Participate in strategic planning efforts to establish company growth targets and performance goals.
Provide Business Development support and proposal subject matter expertise in opportunity development and pursuit activities.
ISO, CMMI & Continuous Improvement
Support applicable ISO and CMMI systems and understand how individual performance and proposal processes contribute to organizational compliance.
Follow established processes, procedures, documentation requirements, and quality standards.
Promptly report issues that may negatively affect quality, process performance, or ISO/CMMI compliance.
Identify and recommend opportunities to improve proposal, Business Development, ISO, and CMMI processes.
Maintain proposal documentation and artifacts necessary to demonstrate compliance with established organizational processes.
PROPOSAL PROCESS OWNERSHIP
The Proposal Manager owns and coordinates AKI's proposal-development process:
Opportunity Identified → Qualification → Bid/No-Bid → Solicitation Review & Deconstruction → Proposal Kickoff → Compliance Matrix → Proposal Schedule → Assignments → Content Development → Reviews → Revisions → Final Compliance Review → Executive Approval → Submission → Award/Debrief → Lessons Learned
The Proposal Manager is responsible for ensuring that each phase moves forward according to schedule, proposal requirements remain visible and controlled throughout the process, and responsible contributors understand and complete their assignments.
PROPOSAL METRICS & REPORTING
The Proposal Manager will maintain and report proposal and Business Development metrics, as applicable, including:
Opportunities received;
Bid/no-bid decisions;
Proposals submitted;
Proposal dollar value;
Proposal status;
Awards and losses;
Win rate;
Submission timeliness;
Proposal workload and pipeline;
Lessons learned; and
Common compliance or process issues.
Provide regular proposal pipeline, workload, risk, and status updates to Business Development and executive leadership.
EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Communications, English, Journalism, Marketing, Government Contracting, or a related field preferred.
Minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in proposal management, proposal coordination, federal government contracting, Business Development, marketing, or technical writing preferred.
Demonstrated experience managing federal government proposals strongly preferred.
Experience analyzing and deconstructing complex federal solicitations and developing detailed compliance matrices strongly preferred.
Experience supporting Alaska Native Corporations (ANCs), Tribal organizations, SBA 8(a) companies, or other federal government contractors preferred.
Experience developing or designing marketing and Business Development materials preferred.
Equivalent combinations of education, training, and relevant experience may be considered.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Embraces and supports the mission of Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc.
Strong understanding of federal government proposal-development and procurement processes.
Strong knowledge of RFPs and the federal proposal process.
Ability to interpret and deconstruct complex government solicitations.
Knowledge of solicitation instructions and evaluation criteria, including Sections L and M when applicable.
Working knowledge of FAR and federal acquisition processes.
Strong project-management and organizational skills.
Excellent business and technical writing skills.
Excellent grammar, spelling, editing, and proofreading skills.
Strong analytical skills and the ability to review, evaluate, organize, and synthesize large amounts of information.
Exceptional attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
Ability to manage multiple concurrent proposals, priorities, and deadlines.
Ability to work effectively under pressure in a deadline-driven environment.
Ability to appropriately hold proposal contributors accountable for assignments and deadlines.
Excellent communication, listening, and interpersonal skills, including the ability to work effectively with board members, executive leadership, managers, technical personnel, program managers, administrative staff, consultants, customers, and external partners.
Strong judgment, integrity, discretion, and tact when handling confidential or procurement-sensitive information.
Ability to work independently, take ownership of assignments, and exercise sound judgment with minimal supervision.
Ability to identify problems, develop solutions, improve processes, and escalate significant risks appropriately.
Superior organizational, information-management, and time-management skills.
Ability to understand and effectively communicate AKI's capabilities, subsidiaries, customers, contracts, and strategic priorities.
Cultural awareness and sensitivity and the ability to demonstrate respect, flexibility, professionalism, and sound work ethics.
TECHNOLOGY SKILLS
Advanced proficiency with or ability to quickly learn:
Microsoft Word;
Microsoft Excel;
Microsoft PowerPoint;
Microsoft Teams;
SharePoint;
Adobe Acrobat;
Adobe Creative Suite, including InDesign;
GovDash or similar proposal-management platforms;
Federal opportunity and procurement research systems, including SAM.gov and similar tools;
Business Development and opportunity-tracking systems; and
Cloud-based document-management systems.
Advanced Microsoft Word skills, including styles, templates, tables, headers and footers, section breaks, page numbering, and management of large and complex proposal documents, are strongly preferred.
Experience with Photoshop, Illustrator, or similar graphic-design tools is a plus.
CORE COMPETENCIES
Accountability
Accuracy
Attention to Detail
Collaboration
Communication
Deadline Management
Initiative
Organization
Problem Solving
Project Management
Proposal Compliance
Quality Control
Strategic Thinking
Technical Writing
Teamwork
PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS
Performance will be evaluated based on factors including:
100% on-time submission of approved proposals.
High level of solicitation compliance.
Accuracy, responsiveness, and overall quality of proposal submissions.
Effective deconstruction and management of solicitation requirements.
Effective management of proposal schedules, action items, and contributors.
Timely identification and escalation of proposal risks.
Reduction of last-minute proposal issues and preventable compliance deficiencies.
Quality and organization of AKI's proposal content library.
Effective communication with leadership and proposal teams.
Continuous improvement of proposal and Business Development processes.
Maintenance of required proposal documentation and process artifacts.
Contribution to increased proposal capacity and competitive win rate.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment and physical demands described below are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
This position primarily operates in a professional office and/or remote work environment. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to communicate verbally and in writing and frequently sits for extended periods while working at a computer. The employee may also be required to stand, walk, reach, bend, and use hands and fingers to operate computers and other standard office equipment.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move items weighing up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required include close vision and the ability to adjust focus when working with computer screens, documents, and other materials.
Due to the deadline-driven nature of federal government proposals, this position may occasionally require work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends, to meet proposal and submission deadlines. Occasional travel may be required for customer meetings, conferences, proposal activities, or other business needs.
OTHER DUTIES AND DISCLAIMER
This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this position. It is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities,
duties, qualifications, or skills required. The employee may be assigned other duties and responsibilities as necessary to meet the needs of the organization.
This job description does not constitute an employment contract and may be modified at the discretion of Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc. based on business and operational needs.
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status, or any other status protected by applicable law.
ALASKA NATIVE HIRING PREFERENCE
Akhiok-Kaguyak, Inc. provides employment preference to qualified Akhiok-Kaguyak Native Corporation shareholders, their descendants and spouses, and shareholders of other corporations organized pursuant to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, as permitted by applicable law, including 43 U.S.C. § 1626(g) and 42 U.S.C. § 2000e
-2(i).