Proposal Manager

About the Role

Na Aliʻi is seeking a Proposal Manager to support the growth of the Nakupuna Companies by leading the development and submission of complex proposals in response to Requests for Information (RFI), Sources Sought, Requests for Proposal (RFP), and other related customer response deliverables for Federal government agencies and partners. The successful candidate will manage the entire proposal process, from strategy development to post-submission activities, and will be eager to learn and adopt AI tools within the proposal process.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end proposal response development process and manage multiple responses simultaneously.
• Analyze and understand RFP requirements, determine proposal strategy, and develop a proposal plan.
• Collaborate with Business Development/Capture Manager to develop solutions, win strategies, cohesive proposal themes, and potential discriminators during Capture development.
• Use Microsoft Word to create response shells to guide proposal writers in developing content according to compliance requirements, evaluation criteria, and win themes.
• Develop a compliance matrix, initiate a proposal preparation/review plan of action and milestones (POA&M), ensure compliance across the proposal at each development stage, and drive teams to meet proposal schedule deadlines and deliverables.
• Facilitate and lead proposal-related meetings such as solutioning sessions, kickoff meetings, team touchpoints, and Pink, Red, and Gold proposal reviews.
• Consolidate and edit writing inputs from multiple authors and subject matter experts (SMEs) – including subcontractors – into compelling, compliant, and submission-worthy documents that read with one voice.
• Coordinate and/or write past performance and coordinate Past Performance Questionnaires (PPQs) if required by the solicitation.
• Evaluate proposals for compliance according to Section L and Section M, ensuring proposals present the best approach to compliance and tell a coherent story.
• Finalize all RFI and proposal documents before submission, scrubbing them for typos, poor grammar, and formatting errors.
• Coordinate with contracts and legal teams to ensure all proposal documents comply with federal contracting regulations, including FAR and DFARS.
• Document and update BD processes and support the creation and update of document templates in Word and PowerPoint.
• Maintain data repositories to help Nakupuna staff locate relevant templates, reference documents, solicitations, and proposals.
• Participate in post-submission activities, such as debriefs and lessons learned sessions, to improve the proposal process for future opportunities.
• Learn and incorporate AI platforms into proposal writing and management processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of five (5) years of professional experience with Federal proposal coordination or management.
• Deep experience in managing and winning large ($25M+), complex, competitive proposals for major Federal customers (e.g., DOW, DOS, DHS, DOJ).
• Advanced knowledge of federal proposal best practices, industry standards, and experience working within federal procurement regulations, including FAR and DFARS.
• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to write and edit technical and non-technical content.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple federal proposals simultaneously.
• Experience with proposal development tools (e.g., awarded.ai and similar).
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and proposal publishing software, such as Adobe Acrobat.
• Willingness to flex work schedule to meet proposal objectives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in the Defense and/or Civilian Agencies markets.
• Experience managing large subcontractor teams in a prime contractor role.
• Experience supporting the development of an oral presentation or demonstration.
• Familiarity with the SBA 8(a) Program and the structure of Native Hawaiian Organization (NHO) entities.
• Shipley and/or APMP training or certification.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to perform repetitive motions with the hands, wrists, and fingers.
• Ability to engage in and follow audible communications in emergency situations.
• Ability to sit for prolonged periods at a desk and working on a computer.

Pay

The projected compensation range for this position is $95,000.00 to $150,000.00 (annualized USD). The salary range represents the typical salary range for this position and is one component of Nakupuna Companies' total compensation package for employees.