Capture & Proposal Manager

Electra.aero; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 150,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

STD/LTD/Life insurance

Generous PTO

Paid winter break

401(k) with immediate vesting

Free catered lunches and beverages

Free on-site parking

Job summary

Electra seeks a Capture & Proposal Manager to turn government opportunities into winning proposals for the EL9 program. Reporting to the VP of Electra Defense, you will steer capture planning, write technical content with engineers, and manage submissions across SBIR, STTR, OTA, and CRADA.

You’ll own the proposal process end-to-end, including outlines, compliance, and reviews, building a robust proposal library for faster, stronger future submissions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years of government proposal development experience, ideally in aerospace or defense.
• Strong track record writing and submitting winning proposals end-to-end (SBIR/STTR, OTA, CRADA).
• Experience managing tight deadlines with cross‑functional teams and engineers.

Responsibilities

• Own capture strategy and drive alignment; act as the primary voice of the customer.
• Build capture plans, win themes, and proposal approaches for each pursuit.
• Write, manage, and submit proposals across SBIR, STTR, OTA, and CRADA; maintain schedules and compliance.
• Collaborate with engineers to translate technical content into compelling proposals.
• Lead outline development, compliance matrices, section assignments, and internal reviews.
• Develop and maintain proposal library, templates, and past performance content.
• Advise leadership on bid/no-bid decisions, pricing inputs, and competitiveness.
• Track pursuit milestones, dependencies, and MOUs/teaming agreements with Legal.

Job description

About Electra

Air travel is about to become something more: more direct, more accessible, and more connected to the places where people live, work and want to be. Every day in the U.S., people make 35 million trips of 50–500 miles, stuck in traffic or routed through crowded hubs. Chances are, you've been one of them. At Electra, we're changing that with the EL9, a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric aircraft that takes off and lands in just 150 feet. Our Ultra Short technology opens up thousands of new places to fly, beyond conventional runways, congested airports and long drives. We're backed by Lockheed Martin, Honeywell and Safran. Operators worldwide have signed intent-to-purchase agreements for the first 2,200 aircraft we produce, and we're moving toward first test flights in 2027.

Getting a new kind of aircraft airborne takes more than ambition. It takes our kind of bold: people who think big while working in the real world. Who move ideas into action and collaborate without silos. Who put people first and make room at the table for everyone. Who challenge one another without diminishing one another.

Sound like you? Then look beyond what you thought were your own limits, and help us take flight beyond runways.

The Role

Electra is seeking a Capture & Proposal Manager to turn government opportunities into winning proposals for Electra Defense. Reporting to the VP and General Manager of Electra Defense, you’ll take the opportunities identified and shaped by Electra Defense leadership and carry them through capture planning, proposal writing, and submission across SBIR, STTR, OTA, and CRADA vehicles. You’ll work closely with engineering to build technical content for the EL9 Ultra Short aircraft, and you’ll set the standard for how Electra writes and submits government proposals.

What You’ll Do

• Own the capture strategy for Electra Defense, define the team’s priorities, drive alignment, and be the lead voice of the customer.
• Identify and evaluate relevant opportunities, build the capture plan, win themes, and proposal approach for each pursuit.
• Write and manage proposals across SBIR, STTR, OTA, and CRADA vehicles, owning the schedule, compliance, and final submission.
• Work with engineers to turn technical approaches and the roadmap into clear, compliant, and compelling proposal content.
• Run the proposal process, including outlines, compliance matrices, section assignments, and internal reviews, and drive contributors to deadlines.
• Build and maintain Electra’s proposal library, templates, and past performance content so each submission is faster and stronger than the last.
• Advise Electra Defense leadership on bid/no-bid decisions, pricing and cost volume inputs, and what a competitive submission requires.
• Track the pursuit pipeline, milestones, and dependencies across active proposals.
• Draft and manage MOUs and teaming agreements for active pursuits, in partnership with Legal.

What You Bring

• Bachelor’s degree with 8+ years, or Master’s degree with 5+ years, of experience in government proposal development and capture, ideally with aerospace or advanced air mobility customers.
• Hands‑on experience writing and submitting winning proposals, from submission through award, for at least two of the following: SBIR/STTR, OTA, CRADA.
• Experience running a proposal process end to end, including compliance, reviews, and cross‑functional contributors under tight deadlines.
• Ability to write clearly about complex technical work and to work credibly with engineers.
• Comfort with cost volumes and basic proposal pricing inputs.
• U.S. citizenship. Active DoD Secret clearance, or the ability to obtain one.

Bonus Points

• Experience in a startup, growth‑stage company, or aerospace & defense.
• Knowledge of electric propulsion, hybridization, blown lift, or battery systems.
• Active duty service or DoD operations analysis experience.
• Licensed pilot or aviation background.

This range reflects the anticipated hiring range across all eligible locations; actual compensation is determined based on your relevant experience, skills, and geographic location. Total compensation includes performance bonus and comprehensive benefits.

Compensation Range: $150,000 USD - $175,000 USD

What We Offer

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance; STD, LTD, and life insurance
• Generous PTO, sick leave, and company holidays
• Paid winter break
• 401(k) with immediate vestingFree catered lunches, coffee, snacks, and drinks at our Manassas headquarters
• Free on-site parking

Electra is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. This position may be subject to ITAR requirements.