Manager of Inside Sales and Bids & Proposals

About the Company

Crane Aerospace & Electronics supplies critical systems and components to the aerospace and defense markets. You’ll find Crane Aerospace & Electronics in some of the toughest environments: from engines to landing gear; from satellites to medical implants and from missiles to unmanned aerial systems (UAS). From supplying microwave products for GPS satellites to integrated assemblies for the latest innovative defense platforms, you’ll join an industry-leading aerospace & defense manufacturer based in Chandler, Arizona.

You’ll work shoulder-to-shoulder with prime OEMs and help develop state-of-the-art solutions in a family-first community with top-rated schools and an abundance of recreational activities.

About the Role

The Manager of Inside Sales and Bids & Proposals (ISBP Manager) is responsible for leading the coordination and execution of sales support, bid, proposal, and tender activities across the opportunity lifecycle. Acting as the central operational hub for all customer response processes, the ISBP Manager works closely with the Regional Sales Managers (RSM) and drives cross-functional alignment, manages internal deliverables, and ensures high-quality, compliant, and timely customer submissions.

The position owns the end-to-end coordination of proposal development and bid management activities, maintaining visibility across stakeholders, managing governance requirements, and ensuring execution excellence from opportunity identification through submission. The Regional Sales Manager (RSM) retains ownership of account strategy, customer relationships, opportunity qualification, and definition of the win strategy, while the ISBP Manager owns the internal coordination, process management, and execution required to support successful outcomes.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the end-to-end bid, proposal, and tender coordination process, ensuring completeness, consistency, compliance, and on-time delivery of all customer submissions.
• Serve as the primary internal coordinator for sales opportunities, driving alignment across engineering, finance, operations, legal, compliance, and other stakeholders.
• Screen and coordinate incoming customer requests, supporting early opportunity assessment and routing while ensuring timely engagement of appropriate stakeholders.
• Lead the collection, consolidation, and management of all inputs required for customer responses, proposals, and business cases.
• Coordinate customer information requests and requirements gathering activities necessary for bid and proposal development.
• Own the preparation, coordination, and submission of TINA proposals, ensuring adherence to internal governance and approval requirements.
• Coordinate and manage proposal development schedules, deliverables, review cycles, and approval workflows.
• Prepare required Business Case Review (BCR) decks: gather inputs needed and align on deck content with each functional owner (Sales, Engineering, Program, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance) to ensure completion of management-ready materials.
• Work with executive assistants to schedule management BCR reviews in a timely manner.
• Maintain full visibility of proposal, bid, and approval status, proactively communicating progress, actions, and deadlines to stakeholders.
• Identify risks, gaps, resource constraints, and schedule impacts, driving mitigation actions and escalating where necessary.
• Ensure accurate documentation, reporting, and maintenance of opportunity, bid, and proposal records within CRM and internal systems.
• Continuously improve bid management processes, tools, and coordination practices to enhance efficiency and submission quality.

Requirements

• 7+ years of related experience.
• Demonstrated experience in at least three of the following areas: Business/Strategic Planning, Technical Sales, Aerospace/Defense Contract Management, Marketing Communications.
• Advanced knowledge of the Defense/Aerospace business as demonstrated through at least 2-5 years of previous work experience in a sales, marketing, or contract administration capacity.
• 2 years of supervisory experience.
• Demonstrated experience with relevant standards and practices.
• Demonstrated strong customer orientation.
• Familiarity with a variety of the field's concepts, practices, and procedures.
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering (BSEE) or related field.

Skills

• Demonstrated ability to plan and accomplish goals based on extensive experience and judgment.
• Advanced skills in employee development, team building, business acumen, continuous improvement, systems and tools, project management, and communication (written and verbal).

Eligibility

This position may require access to Controlled Data or Information. Only US Persons will be considered. As a US Department of Defense contractor, we are bound by International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). Applicants selected could be subject to a Government security investigation and must meet the eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Working Conditions

• Standard office environment with substantial visual concentration on detail.
• Normal conditions for a manufacturing environment; may require the use of safety equipment such as eye safety glasses, gowning, masks, hearing protectors, heel/wrist straps, and any other required PPE.
• May be exposed to unusual environmental conditions such as loud noises, cold temperatures, confined spaces, dust, or fumes.
• Approximate physical demands:
  • Standing: 10%
  • Sitting: 90%
  • Lifting: up to 20 pounds
  • Pushing: up to 20 pounds
• Mental/Visual: Use of computer, calculator, etc.
• Workspace: Office.