Proposal Specialist

Location: Hybrid – 1-2 days/week in our Minneapolis office, on site.

About the Role

Join our growing Business Development team! This role will report to the Proposal Manager. The Business Development team works to acquire projects and funding to support agile and strategic organizational growth aligned with our mission and vision. This position supports business development and sales across departments to secure funding for existing programs, pilot projects, and new business lines. The Proposal Specialist manages the end-to-end development, coordination, and submission of competitive proposals in response to RFx and other opportunities to win new work and funding. Additionally, the position will be responsible for opportunity tracking, cross-team collaboration, appeal strategy development, task assignments, writing, editing, and compliance reviews. This position has no direct reports.

About Us

Center for Energy and Environment (CEE) is a clean energy nonprofit with offices in the North Loop of Minneapolis and Roseville, MN. We provide practical energy solutions for homes, businesses, and communities to cut energy waste and harmful emissions. We collaborate regularly with field peers and partners, and we employ curious people who enjoy learning and contributing to the Midwest’s quality of life and economy. Recognized as one of Minnesota's top 200 workplaces by the Star Tribune, CEE is known for its open communication, respect for diverse perspectives, and commitment to work-life balance.

Responsibilities

• Lead RFx responses and pitch development:
  • Manage the proposal lifecycle from initial kickoff meetings through final packaging and submission.
  • Lead discussions and collaboration with internal stakeholders and external partners regarding opportunity requirements and resources to support a submission.
  • Outline writing approaches for subject matter experts to ensure compliance with technical requirements.
  • Write compelling, accurate, and high-quality proposals, pitches, presentations, and other required materials.
  • Use approved templates and boilerplate responses to incorporate opportunity-specific win themes and customized submissions.
  • Synthesize technical inputs into a single, cohesive voice and narrative.
  • When CEE is joining a proposal team, help deliver required content, reviews, and documentation by the lead partner’s deadline.
  • Collaborate with graphic designers to create visually engaging layouts that bring our written strategies to life.
  • Coach subject matter experts through interviews and other funder follow-up requests.
• Process Champion:
  • Build working relationships across the organization to understand department expertise and support efficient proposal development opportunities based on department nuances.
  • Maintain tools, templates, and workflows that support consistent, high-quality proposal processes to improve efficiency, quality, and collaboration.
  • Maintain proposal content library records and assist with proposal software.
  • Adhere to procedures around review cycles, version control, and document organization.
  • Provide regular proposal status updates.
• Advance Business Development:
  • Support market intelligence.
  • Use CRM and related systems to support proposal tracking, market research, and relationship management.
  • Develop understanding of CEE’s expertise, research, and strategic direction to support opportunity identification and content development.
• All other business development duties as assigned or apparent.

Requirements

• Three to five years of experience managing proposal development workflows and developing successful proposal materials or similar experience.
• Propensity for problem-solving and research.
• Strong writing and editing skills, including working knowledge of grammar, punctuation, and usage aligned with Chicago Manual of Style and in-house style guides.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-departmental projects, including managing and motivating peers to complete quality deliverables on deadline.
• Clear and sophisticated written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong time management, organizational, and prioritization skills.
• Attention to detail and commitment to accuracy.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently on assigned tasks and comfortable asking for clarification when needed.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Four-year degree in communications, English, journalism, or a field of study that developed critical thinking and analytical skills, or equivalent years of experience (eight years).
• Exposure to or experience with formal project coordination or project management practices.
• Experience with technical writing, grant writing, proposal writing, or content development.
• Comfort presenting information on internal communications and facilitating small-group discussions.
• Experience in providing strategic input to business development, funding strategy, or sales support activities.
• Interest or experience in energy, engineering, sustainability, research, science, technical, or related fields.
• Familiarity with local, state, and federal agencies, utilities, and/or organizations delivering energy efficiency solutions.
• Experience with SharePoint, QorusDocs, Salesforce, Adobe InDesign, or similar tools.

Benefits

• Insurance Coverage Options: Medical Insurance, Dental Insurance, Health Savings Account, and Flexible Spending Accounts.
• Impact: Contribute to making the world a better and more energy-efficient place.
• Future Planning: Retirement savings program with immediate vesting and company contribution.
• Work/Life Balance: Generous Paid Time Off (PTO), paid parental leave, and salary continuation for major medical events.
• Holidays: Nine paid holidays each year.
• Growth: Professional development opportunities and education assistance.
• Championing DEI: Committed DEI Committee promoting a diverse and inclusive work environment.

Pay

Dependent on qualifications and experience, the pay range upon hire for this position will be $65,000 - $70,000 annually.