Proposal Manager

McElhanney; Calgary; Hybrid; CAD 70,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in Calgary is seeking a Proposal Specialist to manage the proposal process and create client-focused proposals. The ideal candidate should have a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience and strong writing, critical thinking, and communication skills. The role offers flexibility of hybrid or fully in-office work, competitive compensation, and a supportive work culture focused on diversity and inclusion.

Benefits

Maternity leave top-up and parental leave

Extended health and dental coverage

Employee & Family assistance program

Qualifications

• Minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in proposal, communications, marketing, or business writing.
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills are required.
• Ability to turn conversations into client-focused content.

Responsibilities

• Manage the proposal process from start to proposal delivery.
• Draft content and collaborate with colleagues at all levels.
• Produce final print and digital documents.

Skills

Writing skills

Critical thinking

Communication skills

Time management

Organizational skills

Education

Undergraduate degree in communications, marketing, or business

Tools

Microsoft Office

Adobe InDesign

Adobe Illustrator

Photoshop

Job description

Posted Monday, July 28, 2025 at 10:00 AM

Based in Western Canada for over 110 years, McElhanney offers innovative and practical engineering, surveying, mapping, planning, landscape architecture, and environmental services. As a 100% employee-owned and operated firm, with over 1,400 staff members in 33 locations, we are proud to offer qualified staffwith shareholding options in our company. At McElhanney, we work in teams to build strong connections with our staff, clients, and local communities. Our employees enjoy working here because of our varied projects, high levels of autonomy, opportunities for career development, excellent total compensation and benefits package, and collaborating with a team of great professionals.

The Opportunity:

A t McElhanney, our Proposal Team thrives on creativity, curiosity, and commitment to excellence. We translate our colleagues’ passion for their work into stories that engage clients, build trust and understanding, and help us to win projects across a wide range of services.

We’re looking for a candidate who shares these values and has a passion for turning technical content into compelling, eye-catching, and client-focused proposals. In this role, you’ll apply your strong writing, critical thinking, and communication skills to guide teams through the proposal process and develop strategic messaging for sales and marketing material.

The ideal candidate enjoys a fast-paced environment, collaborating with subject matter experts at all levels, and consistently producing high-quality proposals that resonate with clients. From RFP release to final production, you’ll own the proposal process.

This position is based out of our Calgary office and offers the flexibility of hybrid or fully in-office work.

What You'll be doing:

• Manage the proposal process from start to proposal delivery, including working with teams to develop win themes, facilitating kickoff and review meetings, writing and editing, and overseeing proposal production
• Prepare compliant, compelling proposals from outline through finishing touches
• Draft content using a mix of existing material and insights gathered through conversations with subject matter experts
• Collaborate with colleagues at all levels of the organization to gather input for proposals
• Synthesize content from various contributors into a cohesive document
• Apply your creative skills to format and develop visually appealing layouts
• Proofread documents for consistency, grammar, and key messaging
• Produce final print and digital documents and arrange for on-time delivery
• Conduct research on industry trends and client priorities to inform proposal strategy
• Apply marketing and communications skills to other functions of the business (e.g., report preparation, content marketing, internal communications)
• Collaborate with a dynamic marketing and proposal team to drive departmental goals and business development strategy forward

What You’ll Bring to the Team:

• A minimum of 3 years of relevant experience in proposal, communications, marketing, or business writing
• Excellent writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Excellent time management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple proposals in a fast-paced environment and deal with changing priorities
• Ability to turn conversations with subject matter experts into client-focused content
• Ability to critically analyze written content against requirements to create compliant and responsive proposals
• Clear and professional communication within all levels of an organization, both in person and remotely
• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office
• Familiarity with proposal management tools or content libraries
• A proactive, solutions-oriented mindset with a passion for continuous improvement and learning
• Ability to work independently while contributing to a collaborative team environment

Bonus Points For:

• An undergraduate degree or diploma in communications, marketing, or business-related field
• Experience in the consulting engineering or geomatics fields
• Experience using AI and automation to prepare proposals or related communications
• Familiarity using Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and/or Photoshop

What We Can Offer You:

• Maternity leave top-up and parental leave
• Extended health and dental coverage, healthcare spending account, and RRSP matching
• Employee & Family assistance program, which offers 24/7 support online or over the phone
• A workplace culture that is characterized by respect and inclusion for all
• Competitive salary, participation in our generous performance bonus plan, and opportunity to join an employee-owned firm with potential share ownership.
• Continuous support for your growth through professional development reimbursement, mentorship programs, and opportunity to join numerous internal committees.
• Salary Range: The salary range for this position is $70,000-$85,000 per annum. McElhanney offers fair compensation that is commensurate with the individual’s education, experience, skills, and professional qualifications. The posted base salary range is representative of the required level of qualifications and experience for the position as noted in the job posting. The salary offered will be based on the experience and qualifications of the successful candidate.

Our Commitment to Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

At McElhanney, our unwavering commitment lies in cultivating a culture that aligns with our core values and fosters diversity, equity, and inclusion. We celebrate the collective achievements of a team rich in expertise, experiences, and perspectives, and welcome applications from individuals of diverse ethnicities, religions, backgrounds, genders, sexual orientations, gender identities, aboriginal statuses, various age groups, and those with disabilities. Requests for accommodations can be made at any stage of the selection process. If this job description resonates with you, we encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet all of the requirements outlined. We’re interested in getting to know you and explore the unique contributions you can bring to McElhanney!

If this is the opportunity for you, apply now o r visit www.mcelhanney.com/careers to learn more. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

To learn more about our recognition as Canada's Top 100 Employers (2025), visit Top Employer: McElhanney Ltd. (canadastop100.com).

Visit us on Glassdoor to learn more about our employee experience.

Our Purpose: Amaze our clients. Care for our communities. Empower our people.

McElhanney is aware of activities where individuals have received fraudulent job offers. Please be advised that McElhanney will not ask applicants for any form of monetary exchange at any point in the recruitment process. To learn more visit: www.mcelhanney.com/careers/fraud-warning . The disclosure of your information in accordance with this Policy and applicable law, including to third party service providers may result in your personal information being transferred outside of Canada, including to the United States. Such transferred personal information may be subject to the laws of these other countries and the laws of other countries regarding the collection, use, and disclosure of personal information may be different from the laws of Canada.