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Proposal Manager, Strategic Pursuits
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HDR HDR is seeking a highly motivated individual to partner with our Transportation Business Group Strategic Pursuit Leaders. Your primary responsibilities will be to support highly visible, complex and game changing opportunities by producing winning, professional, competitive proposals. Responsibilities
Foster a self-directed, accountable team culture by delivering high-quality, review- and client-ready materials. Lead the full proposal lifecycle, from kickoff through final production and interview, owning all deliverables and driving a smooth, efficient process. Develop and manage pursuit organization tools, including schedules, compliance matrices, templates, and assignment dashboards, using collaborative online platforms. Includes capturing meeting notes and action items, translating key themes and client priorities into a focused capture plan. Review and interpret RFPs to create clear, actionable compliance matrices that guide proposal development. Coordinate input from internal teams and external subconsultants, maintaining alignment and clear communication throughout. Track and communicate progress, manage deadlines, and adjust priorities to keep the team and deliverables on schedule. Support content development by preparing early drafts, capturing meeting notes, and distilling key themes and differentiators into a focused capture plan. Proactively communicate workload needs and availability. Content Development, Quality & Visuals
Write, edit, and format non-technical proposal content to ensure clarity and consistency. Work closely with specialized experts to write and visualize technical approaches and project understanding information. Develop qualifications, bios, data, forms, and terms to be accurate and compliant. Support the creation of storyboarding, benefit statements, message development, project profiles, and additional data to demonstrate aligned qualifications and differentiators. Research project background and tailor content accordingly. Author and review draft proposal text for consistency, brand voice, and grammar to remove errors and redundancy. Translate risks/issues into PSOE (problem, solution, outcome, evidence) tables and collaborate with graphic designers to present visuals clearly. Identify gaps in draft proposal text based on capture planning, PSOE exercises, and RFP requirements. Visual & Layout
Format documents with reader-friendly layouts; maintain intermediate InDesign skills with opportunity to advance. Collaborate with marketing resources, graphic designers, data keepers, and layout artists; communicate progress with the Strategic Pursuit Leader. Develop draft presentation materials and coordinate with designers to transform technical content into clear visuals. Provide clear direction and timely communication to achieve high-quality deliverables. Develop materials such as interactive presentations and leave-behinds to communicate key messages and differentiators. Quality Control, Compliance & Process
Plan reviews of content and graphics; monitor progress to meet internal deadlines and quality standards. Work with Strategic Pursuit leaders to meet expectations for quality-driven materials, including graphics and format. Perform or arrange technical editing and compliance reviews to ensure grammatical accuracy and alignment with RFP requirements. Continuously improve processes for producing high-quality materials. Pre-positioning & Collateral
Research project background and collect data, keeping it organized in collaborative platforms. Gather and refine resumes, project information, histories, photographs, and other data to support key differentiating sections of the proposal. Develop materials such as interactive presentations and brand-specific deliverables to communicate key messages. Coordinate with leadership to analyze marketplace, client, and project-specific research. Partner with marketing to develop sector qualifications and collateral ahead of an RFP release. Continuous Improvement & AI Tools
Learn, use, and teach others current AI tools to improve efficiency and quality. Support proposal quality by adhering to best practices and industry standards. Contribute to debriefs and apply lessons learned to future pursuits. Interpersonal & Technical Skills
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects. Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure; strong written and verbal communication skills. Attention to detail and alignment with HDR brand guidelines. Self-starter, team-oriented, adaptable to different personalities, and able to work independently or with cross-functional teams. Excellent problem-solving approach and sound professional judgment. Ability to build strong working relationships across the team and contribute to high-quality proposals. Interest in the transportation business environment and terminology. Technology & Tools
Advanced: Word, PowerPoint, Teams/SharePoint, OneNote Intermediate with growth intent: InDesign, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce, Oscar, Watson, Proposal Development Marketing System) and new collaborative tools as they are released Position & Travel
Anticipated travel: approximately 10-20% Reports to the Strategic Pursuits Proposal Manager Team Lead Required Qualifications
Minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience Self-starter with a track record of completing projects with limited oversight Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies Excellent written and verbal communication skills Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign Equity & Commitment
HDR is committed to employment equity and is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories. We do not discriminate in hiring on any basis protected by law. Our eight Employee Network Groups support belonging and engagement for all employees. We provide a comprehensive benefits package for employee ownership and success, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, EAP, paid time away, holidays, retirement savings with employer match, and tuition reimbursement. Compensation varies by location and experience. Primary Location: United States-Colorado-Denver. Other Locations: United States multiple locations as listed in the original posting. #J-18808-Ljbffr
Proposal Manager, Strategic Pursuits
role at
HDR HDR is seeking a highly motivated individual to partner with our Transportation Business Group Strategic Pursuit Leaders. Your primary responsibilities will be to support highly visible, complex and game changing opportunities by producing winning, professional, competitive proposals. Responsibilities
Foster a self-directed, accountable team culture by delivering high-quality, review- and client-ready materials. Lead the full proposal lifecycle, from kickoff through final production and interview, owning all deliverables and driving a smooth, efficient process. Develop and manage pursuit organization tools, including schedules, compliance matrices, templates, and assignment dashboards, using collaborative online platforms. Includes capturing meeting notes and action items, translating key themes and client priorities into a focused capture plan. Review and interpret RFPs to create clear, actionable compliance matrices that guide proposal development. Coordinate input from internal teams and external subconsultants, maintaining alignment and clear communication throughout. Track and communicate progress, manage deadlines, and adjust priorities to keep the team and deliverables on schedule. Support content development by preparing early drafts, capturing meeting notes, and distilling key themes and differentiators into a focused capture plan. Proactively communicate workload needs and availability. Content Development, Quality & Visuals
Write, edit, and format non-technical proposal content to ensure clarity and consistency. Work closely with specialized experts to write and visualize technical approaches and project understanding information. Develop qualifications, bios, data, forms, and terms to be accurate and compliant. Support the creation of storyboarding, benefit statements, message development, project profiles, and additional data to demonstrate aligned qualifications and differentiators. Research project background and tailor content accordingly. Author and review draft proposal text for consistency, brand voice, and grammar to remove errors and redundancy. Translate risks/issues into PSOE (problem, solution, outcome, evidence) tables and collaborate with graphic designers to present visuals clearly. Identify gaps in draft proposal text based on capture planning, PSOE exercises, and RFP requirements. Visual & Layout
Format documents with reader-friendly layouts; maintain intermediate InDesign skills with opportunity to advance. Collaborate with marketing resources, graphic designers, data keepers, and layout artists; communicate progress with the Strategic Pursuit Leader. Develop draft presentation materials and coordinate with designers to transform technical content into clear visuals. Provide clear direction and timely communication to achieve high-quality deliverables. Develop materials such as interactive presentations and leave-behinds to communicate key messages and differentiators. Quality Control, Compliance & Process
Plan reviews of content and graphics; monitor progress to meet internal deadlines and quality standards. Work with Strategic Pursuit leaders to meet expectations for quality-driven materials, including graphics and format. Perform or arrange technical editing and compliance reviews to ensure grammatical accuracy and alignment with RFP requirements. Continuously improve processes for producing high-quality materials. Pre-positioning & Collateral
Research project background and collect data, keeping it organized in collaborative platforms. Gather and refine resumes, project information, histories, photographs, and other data to support key differentiating sections of the proposal. Develop materials such as interactive presentations and brand-specific deliverables to communicate key messages. Coordinate with leadership to analyze marketplace, client, and project-specific research. Partner with marketing to develop sector qualifications and collateral ahead of an RFP release. Continuous Improvement & AI Tools
Learn, use, and teach others current AI tools to improve efficiency and quality. Support proposal quality by adhering to best practices and industry standards. Contribute to debriefs and apply lessons learned to future pursuits. Interpersonal & Technical Skills
Strong organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects. Ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure; strong written and verbal communication skills. Attention to detail and alignment with HDR brand guidelines. Self-starter, team-oriented, adaptable to different personalities, and able to work independently or with cross-functional teams. Excellent problem-solving approach and sound professional judgment. Ability to build strong working relationships across the team and contribute to high-quality proposals. Interest in the transportation business environment and terminology. Technology & Tools
Advanced: Word, PowerPoint, Teams/SharePoint, OneNote Intermediate with growth intent: InDesign, Excel, Photoshop, Illustrator Experience with CRM tools (Salesforce, Oscar, Watson, Proposal Development Marketing System) and new collaborative tools as they are released Position & Travel
Anticipated travel: approximately 10-20% Reports to the Strategic Pursuits Proposal Manager Team Lead Required Qualifications
Minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience Self-starter with a track record of completing projects with limited oversight Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies Excellent written and verbal communication skills Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign Equity & Commitment
HDR is committed to employment equity and is an Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity Employer. We consider all qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories. We do not discriminate in hiring on any basis protected by law. Our eight Employee Network Groups support belonging and engagement for all employees. We provide a comprehensive benefits package for employee ownership and success, including medical, dental, vision, disability, life insurance, EAP, paid time away, holidays, retirement savings with employer match, and tuition reimbursement. Compensation varies by location and experience. Primary Location: United States-Colorado-Denver. Other Locations: United States multiple locations as listed in the original posting. #J-18808-Ljbffr