Proposal Manager: Starting a Career in Procurement

proposal-manager-career

So you’d like to start a career as a Proposal Manager but not sure what’s involved. This role is actively involved across the Proposal development lifecycle. You need good Project Management skills and knowledge of how Request For Proposals are written, evaluated, and awarded. And the pay is very good!

Proposal Manager’s Role in Proposal Planning Development

If you’d want to know what Proposal Managers (aka Bid Managers) do, then this tutorial will help.

The Proposal Manager works like a Project Manager in that they organize all aspects of the response to the Request For Proposal and ensure that it is submitted on time. To do this, they are responsible for the following:

Proposal Planning

  • Directing proposal team and all individuals involved in sharing information
  • Coordinating proposal activities, such as printing, production, and delivery
  • Controlling proposal development process so that all bids are entered into the IT system and tracked as they are accepted, written, and evaluated
  • Ensure bid is compliant with Request For Proposal guidelines
  • Increase Proposal win ratio, i.e. number of bids you win

Proposal Manager Tasks

Depending on the size of the firm, the Proposal Manager may be involved in the following steps:

  • Conducts proposal cost kick-off meetings
  • Leads team through the proposal writing process
  • Conducts proposal reviews
  • Obtains management signoffs
  • Overseas the submission of the proposal
  • Gets the proposal submitted on time

This also includes teaming decisions, process refinement, developing bid theme, and making bid/no-bid decisions.

Proposal Manager Responsibilities

The Proposal Manager will also provide status reports and other communications to the project stakeholders.

This means they may also be involved in:

  • Creating proposal management processes
  • Implementing proposal preparation methodologies
  • Assisting the technical staff in the production of proposals
  • Managing the writing, editing, graphics, and production resources for all bids
  • Participate in the writing and editing of proposals where necessary

About the Author: Ivan Walsh provides business proposal writing tips, tutorials, and templates on the Proposal Writing Course every week. Get his free proposal writing newsletter here.

Free and Premium MS Word, Excel and Apple iWork Templates

Acceptance Test Plan

Contingency Plan

Software Development Templates

Acquisition Plan

Conversion Plan

Software Requirements Specification

Action Plan

Cost Benefit Analysis

Software Testing

API Documentation

Database Design

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Audience Analysis

Datasheet

Statement of Work

Availability Plan

Deployment Plan

System Administration Guide

Bill of Materials

Design Document

System Boundary

Business Case

Disaster Recovery Plan

System Design Document

Business Continuity

Disposition Plan

System Specifications

Business Plan

Documentation Plan

Technical Writing Templates

Business Process

Employee Handbook

Test Plan

Business Requirements

Error Message Guide

Training Plan

Business Rules

Expression of Interest

Transition Plan

Capacity Plan

Fact Sheet

Troubleshooting Guide

Case Study

Feasibility Study

Use Case

Change Management Plan

Functional Requirements

User Guide

Communication Plan

Grant Proposal

Verification and Validation Plan

Concept of Operations

Implementation Plan

White Papers

Concept Proposal

Installation Plan

Work Instructions

Configuration Management Plan

Interface Control Document

Software Development Templates

Acceptance Test Plan

Maintenance Plan

Software Requirements Specification

Acquisition Plan

Market Research

Software Testing

Action Plan

Marketing Plan

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

API Documentation

Needs Statement

Statement of Work

Audience Analysis

Operations Guide

System Administration Guide

Availability Plan

Policy Manual

System Boundary

Bill of Materials

Project Plan

System Design Document

Business Case

Proposal Manager Templates

System Specifications

Business Continuity

Proposal Template

Technical Writing Templates

Business Plan

Quality Assurance Plan

Test Plan

Business Process

Release Notes

Training Plan

Business Requirements

Request for Proposal

Transition Plan

Business Rules

Risk Management Plan

Troubleshooting Guide

Capacity Plan

Scope of Work

Use Case

Case Study

Security Plan

User Guide

Change Management Plan

Service Level Agreement (SLA)

Verification and Validation Plan

Communication Plan

Setup Guide

White Papers

Concept of Operations

Social Media Policy

Work Instructions

Concept Proposal

Contingency Plan

 

Configuration Management Plan

Conversion Plan