Director, Deal Desk and Proposal Strategy

About the role

The Director of Deal Desk and Proposal Strategy is responsible for the overall strategy, execution, and success of the deal desk and proposal strategy functions. This role involves overseeing the design, development, and implementation of deal desk initiatives and processes that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the sales force and deal velocity. The Director leads the strategy and delivery of high-quality, persuasive proposals and Request for Proposal (RFP) submissions, fosters the completion of security assessments and other deliverables in support of deal flow and customer compliance, and implements a centralized, scalable deal desk.

As a strategic partner to sales leadership, the Director collaborates closely with key stakeholders across sales, marketing, product, and revenue operations to ensure alignment with the company’s business objectives. Reporting to executive leadership, the Director manages the Proposal Team, which includes three Proposal Specialists, ensuring alignment with organizational growth objectives and strategic business development initiatives. This role drives continuous improvement in deal desk and proposal processes while fostering cross-departmental collaboration to deliver exceptional, customer-focused proposals and deal cycle efficiency.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive deal desk strategy and workflow that aligns with the company’s overall business objectives and drives improved deal velocity and revenue growth.
• Assess the needs of the sales team and implement targeted communication and process improvements to address those needs.
• Leverage tools and processes around opportunity management to ensure continuity and collaboration across stakeholders and deal contributors.
• Develop methods and systems to monitor and analyze deal progress for continuous improvement, deal enablement, and leadership visibility.
• Oversee the proposal development function, providing strategic direction and ensuring alignment with corporate objectives and business growth goals.
• Manage, mentor, and develop Proposal Specialists to foster a high-performing and collaborative team culture.
• Collaborate closely with senior leadership, marketing, and sales teams to understand customer needs, market trends, and company capabilities, driving the proposal strategy to support winning proposals.
• Ensure the delivery of compelling, competitive, and compliant proposals that address customer goals, differentiators, and requirements while maintaining brand consistency.
• Direct the efficiency of the proposal process lifecycle, from opportunity identification and capture strategy through proposal submission, ensuring alignment with deadlines, quality standards, and customer requirements.
• Engage with cross-functional leaders, including discipline heads, legal, and finance teams, to ensure proposals are technically sound, financially feasible, and legally compliant.
• Drive continuous improvement of proposal processes, tools, and content management systems to increase efficiency, reduce turnaround times, and improve win rates.
• Oversee the quality control process for all proposal submissions, ensuring thorough review, editing, and adherence to client requirements and expectations.
• Delegate efforts to capture and repurpose content from past submissions, maintaining a repository of reusable content and enhancing proposal process efficiency.
• Represent the proposal development team in executive meetings, providing updates on strategic opportunities, team performance, and proposal outcomes.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in proposal development, management, and strategy, preferably in a director or senior management role.
• Proven experience in deal desk management, sales, or a related field, with a history of developing and implementing efficient processes and strategies.
• Strong leadership and team-building skills, with experience managing teams of diverse talent.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-disciplinary proposals in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage and influence senior leadership and key stakeholders.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to align proposal efforts with company-wide business development goals and market trends.
• Proficiency in MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Salesforce, Sales Enablement tools, and proposal management tools.
• Familiarity with business-to-business (B2B) large-scale proposal processes, including RFPs, RFIs, and RFQs.
• Demonstrated history of driving process improvements and implementing best practices in deal desk and proposal development.
• Strong attention to detail, with a focus on delivering high-quality, customer-centric proposals that position the company for success.

Pay

The base salary for this position is $125,000–$140,000 with On Target Earnings (OTE) of $150,000–$165,000. Compensation depends on geographic location, required skills, experience, complexity, travel, and market rate. Base pay is one component of the total compensation package, with other rewards varying by position and location.