Sr. Proposal Writer

Senior Proposal Writer Location: Houston, TX | Hybrid Compensation: Based on experience and qualifications; please include your salary expectations with your application. Build the Proposals That Help Drive Our Growth CenTrio is looking for an experienced Senior Proposal Writer to lead the development of high-quality, compelling proposals that support our growth and business development efforts nationwide. This is more than a writing role. As our Senior Proposal Writer, you will own the proposal process from start to finish, from RFP/RFQ intake and pursuit strategy through final submission, post-award analysis, and continuous improvement. You'll work closely with teams across operations, engineering, finance, and business development to turn complex technical information into clear, persuasive, client-focused proposals that differentiate CenTrio in competitive pursuits. The ideal candidate is an exceptional writer and editor who is equally comfortable managing deadlines, coordinating multiple stakeholders, creating structure, and driving a proposal from concept to submission . What You'll Do Lead the Proposal Lifecycle Own the end-to-end development of proposals, including RFPs, RFQs, and other competitive solicitations. Develop proposal strategies, schedules, compliance matrices, submission plans, and internal deadlines. Review solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria to ensure responses are complete, compliant, and competitive. Coordinate proposal development from initial intake through submission and post-award review. Identify risks, gaps, and opportunities early and proactively drive them toward resolution. Write & Develop Winning Content Write and edit sophisticated technical and narrative proposal content that is clear, persuasive, and client-focused. Translate complex engineering, operational, and financial information into compelling business narratives. Develop and incorporate win themes, differentiators, and value propositions into proposals. Ensure proposals consistently meet CenTrio's standards for quality, grammar, formatting, tone, and brand. Lead final reviews and quality-control processes before submission. Coordinate Cross-Functional Teams Partner with operations, engineering, finance, business development, and other subject matter experts to gather and develop proposal content. Facilitate proposal kickoff meetings, working sessions, reviews, and alignment meetings. Provide structure and direction to contributors who may be balancing proposal work with other priorities. Track deliverables and hold stakeholders accountable to established deadlines. Manage multiple complex pursuits simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. Strengthen Our Proposal Process Develop, standardize, and maintain proposal templates and content libraries. Maintain repositories of case studies, boilerplate content, credentials, and other proposal collateral. Establish best practices for content organization, version control, and document management. Lead lessons-learned and post-submission reviews to identify opportunities for continuous improvement. Track proposal outcomes and success metrics to help improve future pursuits. What We're Looking For Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in English, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field. Significant experience developing and managing competitive proposals, including RFPs, RFQs, and tenders. Demonstrated experience managing the full proposal lifecycle, from strategy and intake through submission and post-award analysis. Strong understanding of proposal compliance, evaluation criteria, and submission requirements. Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and quality-control skills. Ability to translate complex technical and operational information into clear, compelling content. Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and meet demanding deadlines. Strong project management and organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to influence and coordinate cross-functional teams without direct authority. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and SharePoint. Preferred Qualifications Experience with proposal management platforms such as Loopio or QorusDocs. Experience with Adobe Creative Suite; InDesign experience is a plus. Experience working in a technical, engineering, energy, infrastructure, utilities, or industrial environment. Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) certification. Experience developing and maintaining content libraries and proposal knowledge management systems. The Kind of Leader We're Looking For This position does not have direct reports, but it requires someone who can lead through influence. You'll be successful in this role if you are someone who: Takes ownership and drives projects forward without needing constant direction. Can confidently establish timelines, expectations, and priorities. Isn't afraid to ask questions, identify gaps, or push for what is needed to meet a deadline. Can bring structure to complex, multi-workstream projects. Builds strong relationships with technical and non-technical stakeholders. Remains calm and organized when deadlines are tight. Knows how to balance speed with quality. Can move comfortably between strategic thinking, project coordination, writing, and detailed editing. Hybrid Work Environment This position offers a hybrid work structure, providing flexibility to work remotely or from the office based on business needs. Because this role involves significant collaboration, in-person work is encouraged when working sessions, meetings, or other activities benefit from being onsite. Office attendance may vary from week to week and will typically range from 2–4 days per week , depending on business needs and project requirements. Why CenTrio? At CenTrio, our work goes beyond traditional energy services. We develop and operate district energy systems that help major institutions and communities operate more efficiently, reliably, and sustainably. As part of our team, you'll have the opportunity to work on complex, high-impact projects while collaborating with professionals across engineering, operations, finance, and business development. The Senior Proposal Writer will play an important role in how we communicate our capabilities, differentiate ourselves in the marketplace, and ultimately win new business. If you're an exceptional writer who also loves strategy, project management, collaboration, and winning, we'd love to hear from you. Health, Safety & Environment Safety is a shared responsibility at CenTrio. Every employee is expected to contribute to a proactive HSE culture by: Maintaining a safe and healthy workplace for themselves and their colleagues. Following applicable health, safety, environmental, and company requirements. Identifying and promptly reporting workplace hazards and concerns. Reporting work-related injuries and illnesses immediately. Supporting solutions and practices that promote a safe, injury-free workplace. Diversity & Inclusion At CenTrio, we know our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where individuals with diverse backgrounds, experiences, perspectives, and abilities are valued and respected. We believe that bringing together different perspectives makes us stronger and helps us better serve our employees, clients, and communities. CenTrio is an equal opportunity employer. Compensation for this position is based on experience and qualifications. Applicants are encouraged to include their salary expectations with their application.