Proposal Manager

Schnabel is an employee-owned, professional engineering and consulting firm that focuses on solving problems related to the earth and environment through specialization in geotechnical, geostructural, tunnel, and dam engineering. Schnabel’s high standards for quality, business ethics, and concern for the communities in which we live are a vital part of who we are. Schnabel is an ENR Top 500 Design Firm with 700+ employees in 31 offices throughout the United States.

Recognized by CE News as one of the Best Engineering Firms to Work for, Schnabel provides employees with a competitive benefits package including maternity leave, tuition reimbursement for continuing education, health, dental, life and disability insurance and a wellness program. As an employee-owned company, through the Employee Stock Ownership Plan, Schnabel employees directly benefit from the success of our growing firm.

Benefit options include:

• Medical insurance


• Dental insurance


• Flexible spending accounts


• Employee life & ADD insurance (100% company-paid)


• Short-term disability (100% company-paid)


• Long-term disability


• Supplemental life insurance


• 401(k) and profit-sharing plan


• Employee stock ownership plan (ESOP)


• Bonus program


• Paid time off


• 9 Paid Holidays


• Wellness program


• Professional development and tuition reimbursement

Job Description:

The Proposal Manager supports the BD Services team with development of qualifications materials, including proposals, SOQs, presentations and other materials necessary to secure new client and project opportunities. This position reports to the BD Services Manager and works closely with key members of each business unit who are responsible for business development, proposal development, strategy implementation, and client management. This position also provides training and mentoring to Proposal Coordinators, Proposal Assistants and BD Services Assistants within the respective business unit and works closely with the Creative Services Team and Prequalifications to ensure alignment with brand standards and firm wide messaging themes. The ideal candidate will be in the Pacific Northwest area. Other locations will be considered.

Job Responsibilities:

• Manage the entire proposal/SOQ lifecycle, including go/no go, planning, strategy development, content development, and submission.


• Create schedules, compliance matrices, and development workbooks; lead proposal kick-off calls and color team reviews.


• Mentor and train junior proposal staff.


• Work directly with prime contractors and subcontractors in preparation and submitting proposal materials. Serves as the primary point of contact for clients during the proposal process.


• Work within the framework/templates developed by Creative Services.


• Manage the allocation of resources, including team members and materials, to meet deadlines.


• Develop marketing materials such as flatsheets, pitch pieces, etc.


• Develop boilerplate materials, project lists, resumes and project profiles for use in proposal and qualifications submittals.


• Proofreads proposals and other marketing related documents.


• Support development and editing of presentations for shortlist interviews.


• Support the maintenance of business development information in Deltek Vantagepoint.


• Support the review and development of new and existing procedures.


• Support other BD related tasks as needed.

Required Skills/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in liberal arts, communications, or marketing preferred.


• 6+ years of experience in proposal development required, preferably in the AEC industry.


• Federal government proposal management experience, including the SF 330 form, desired.


• Strong written and verbal communication.


• Excellent organizational skills to manage timelines, resources and multiple tasks.


• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.


• Capability to analyze solicitation documents and RFPs and develop strategic responses.


• Proficiency in Adobe InDesign/Adobe Creative Suite and MS Office.


• Exceptional understanding of database management. Deltek Vantagepoint experience preferred.


• Willingness to work extra hours to meet deadlines.


• Willingness to travel for meetings.

Other Requirements:

• Ability to pass a background check which may include criminal history, motor vehicle record, credit check.


• Ability to pass a pre-employment drug screening

The compensation range for this position is between $85,000 to $105,000. Compensation for this position may vary based on geographic location and other factors. We remain committed to providing competitive and equitable compensation to all employees, regardless of their location.