[Hiring] Senior Proposal Specialist @CDW

Role Description

The Senior Proposal Specialist is a seasoned proposal leader who owns the largest, most complex, high-value pursuits (RFPs, RFIs, RFQs and similar solicitations) from assignment through submission and post-submission. As the "quarterback" of each pursuit, the role coordinates all resources across sales, technical, pricing, contracts, legal, program management, partners and vendors with a high degree of independence.

An expert persuasive writer and disciplined project manager, the Senior Proposal Specialist uses the content library and company-approved generative AI tools to produce compliant, win-focused responses efficiently. The role also serves as a coach, mentor and process leader for the department, with the goal of increasing win rates and revenue.

What You Will Do

• Opportunity Assessment & Planning
  • Lead the largest, most complex and high-value pursuits, including multi-volume and high-dollar bids.
  • Analyze requirements, evaluation criteria and risks; build compliance matrices mapping each to an owner.
  • Research the customer, incumbent and competition, and inform sales-led bid/no-bid decisions.
• Proposal Leadership & Project Management
  • Run the kickoff, build the schedule backward from the due date, define roles and track risks and actions.
  • Manage many concurrent proposals with little oversight; hold contributors accountable without authority.
  • Serve as the escalation point for difficult pursuits and their schedule, resource and compliance issues.
• Color Team Review Process
  • Lead Kickoff, Pink, Red, Gold and White reviews; coordinate Green (pricing), owned by sales or technical leads.
  • Drive reviewer comments to closure and serve as expert reviewer on other team members' pursuits.
• Strategy, Win Themes & Writing
  • Shape win strategy, themes, discriminators and value propositions with the opportunity team.
  • Write executive summaries and advise sales leadership on win themes and proposal strength.
  • Write persuasive, accurate, compliant content in one voice, aligned to evaluation criteria for easy scoring.
• AI & Content Library
  • Use approved generative AI tools to analyze solicitations, draft and refine content and speed up reviews.
  • Verify AI output, protect confidential data, champion AI adoption and grow the content library.
• Compliance, Production & Submission
  • Ensure compliance with forms, certifications and page limits; manage final assembly, QC and on-time submission.
• Post-Submission Support
  • Lead debriefs and lessons-learned sessions and share findings with the team.
  • Play a stronger supporting role in clarifications, Q&A, orals, BAFOs, protests, award transition and close-out.
• Coaching, Mentoring & Team Development
  • Coach and mentor Proposal Specialists and junior staff, modeling best practices as a go-to expert.
  • Have new hires shadow live pursuits; shadow junior members and review and edit their work.
  • Support onboarding and training for new team members.
• Department Initiatives & Process Improvement
  • Lead or contribute to initiatives improving processes, templates, checklists, standards and the content library.
  • Develop and deliver training; attend industry days, pre-proposal conferences and professional development.
  • Analyze lessons learned and win/loss trends, recommend improvements and share best practices.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent relevant work experience.
• Five or more years of proposal writing or proposal management experience, including leading complex responses.
• Excellent writing, editing and verbal communication skills, including strengthening others' work.
• Proven project management skills; able to lead large cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Ability to manage multiple complex, deadline-driven projects at once with little oversight.
• Strong attention to detail and a focus on compliance.
• Proficiency with generative AI tools and the ability to help others adopt them.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint) and Adobe Acrobat.
• Sound judgment, composure under pressure and executive-level communication that influences senior leaders.
• Proven ability to coach and mentor others.

Requirements

• Public sector procurement expertise, including contracts, terms and conditions and purchasing requirements.
• General knowledge of IT products, services and solutions.
• Experience with proposal content/RFP response platforms and structured color team reviews (e.g., Shipley).
• APMP (Practitioner or Professional) or PMI (PMP) certification.

Benefits

• Pay range: $90,000 - $126,200 depending on experience and skill set.
• Annual bonus target of 5% subject to terms and conditions of plan.
• Benefits overview: https://cdw.benefit-info.com/
• Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials.