Director of Proposal Operations

JCS Solutions LLC; Fairfax (VA); On-site; USD 130,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Paid time off

401k with employer match

Professional development reimbursement

Job summary

JCS Solutions LLC is seeking a Director of Proposal Operations to lead the end-to-end federal proposal function, building scalable processes and high-performance teams for sustained growth in the federal market.

The role requires deep federal procurement expertise, hands-on leadership, and the ability to translate complex technical solutions into compelling, compliant proposals while partnering with Growth, Contracts, Pricing, and executive leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience in business, communications, English, technology, or management.
• 10+ years of federal government contracting proposal experience.
• 3–5 years leading proposal teams or major federal proposals.
• Experience with federal RFPs, RFQs, task orders, IDIQs/GWACs, BPAs.
• Strong knowledge of federal acquisition processes and evaluation criteria.
• APMP certification or significant experience with Shipley or comparable methodologies.
• Excellent writing, editing, organizational, and quality-control skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end federal proposal lifecycle including RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, task orders, and BPAs.
• Develop and manage proposal strategies, schedules, compliance matrices, and submission activities.
• Direct proposal teams through kickoff, reviews, and final submissions with accountability and on-time delivery.
• Build scalable proposal governance, templates, and quality standards to support growth.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to ensure compliant, compelling proposals.

Skills

Proposal leadership

Executive presence

Team leadership

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

APMP certification

Shipley methodology

Microsoft 365

Job description

Job Summary

JCS Solutions is seeking a Director of Proposal Operations to lead end-to-end federal proposal function and is responsible for creating a disciplined, scalable, and high-performing proposal operation that supports sustained growth across the federal market. This leader partners closely with Growth and Capture, Contracts, Pricing, Technical Leadership, Operations, and executive leadership to translate capture strategies and technical solutions into compelling, compliant, and differentiated proposals. The ideal candidate combines deep federal acquisition and proposal expertise with exceptional operational discipline and thrives in a hands‑on leadership role, establishing proposal infrastructure, processes, and standards while personally leading strategic and complex pursuits when needed. JCS Solutions delivers mission‑focused capabilities in cybersecurity, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, data and decision intelligence, secure modernization, and insider threat mitigation for federal customers.

What’s in it for you:

• Join a premier technology firm specializing in innovative solutions.
• Be part of a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative work culture.
• Enjoy tremendous growth potential in a high‑performing team environment.
• A robust benefits package:
  • Health, dental, and vision insurance
  • Life insurance
  • Short-and-long term disability
  • Paid time off (PTO)
  • 401k retirement plan with employer match
  • Annual Professional Development Reimbursement Program
  • And more!

What you will do:

Proposal Leadership & Execution

• Lead the end-to-end proposal lifecycle for federal opportunities, including RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, task orders, IDIQ/GWAC competitions, BPAs, and other acquisition responses.
• Develop and manage proposal strategies, schedules, compliance matrices, reviews, and submission activities to ensure high‑quality, compliant, and compelling proposals.
• Direct proposal teams through kickoff, review, and final submission processes, ensuring clear accountability, operational excellence, and on‑time delivery.

Proposal Operations

• Build and oversee a scalable proposal management framework, including governance, processes, templates, quality standards, and best practices to support organizational growth.
• Manage multiple concurrent proposal efforts, prioritizing resources and workload based on strategic objectives, opportunity complexity, and probability of win.
• Establish repeatable and compliant proposal processes, including document management, version control, configuration management, and submission procedures to ensure efficiency and quality.

Proposal Strategy & Content Development

• Partner with Capture and Growth leaders to ensure proposals clearly reflect the approved win strategy, customer priorities, discriminators, competitive positioning, and value proposition.
• Work with technical and operational leaders to turn complex concepts into clear and compelling proposal narratives.
• Support development of solution themes and differentiators.
• Ensure proposals communicate measurable mission outcomes rather than simply describing corporate capabilities.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Serve as the proposal organization's authority for solicitation compliance.
• Ensure proposal claims, past‑performance information, resumes, certifications, metrics, and corporate representations are accurate and supportable.
• Coordinate with Contracts, Pricing, Security, Human Resources, Finance, and other functional teams to validate proposal information before submission.
• Maintain disciplined review and approval processes for corporate commitments made through proposals.

Proposal Content & Knowledge Management

• Develop and maintain a centralized, searchable proposal content and knowledge repository.
• Build reusable, validated content covering corporate capabilities, technical approaches, management methodologies, quality, transition, staffing, recruiting, security, risk management, past performance, resumes, case studies, and corporate credentials.
• Develop a structured library of proof points, metrics, customer outcomes, and past‑performance examples that strengthen proposal credibility.

AI-Enabled Proposal Operations

• Leverage AI, automation, and proposal technologies to improve proposal efficiency, content management, compliance, collaboration, and overall submission quality.
• Establish governance and safeguards for the responsible use of generative AI, ensuring protection of proprietary, customer, and sensitive acquisition information.
• Evaluate and implement tools and processes that enhance knowledge management, workflow visibility, and proposal team effectiveness.

Cross-Functional and Team Leadership

• Serve as the principal operational interface between Proposal Operations and Growth, Capture, Business Development, Contracts, Pricing, Finance, Recruiting, Operations, and Technical teams.
• Establish clear proposal‑entry criteria and ensure pursuits are sufficiently mature before significant proposal resources are committed.
• Work closely with Capture leadership before RFP release to understand customer requirements, acquisition strategy, competitive landscape, teaming strategy, discriminators, and likely evaluation factors.
• Partner with Pricing to ensure technical, management, staffing, and pricing strategies remain aligned.
• Coordinate with Recruiting and Operations on staffing strategies, key personnel, resumes, letters of commitment, and transition plans.
• Escalate proposal risks, resource conflicts, unresolved decisions, and compliance issues to leadership early enough for corrective action.
• Establish performance expectations and accountability for proposal quality, timeliness, collaboration, and process compliance.
• Develop a reliable network of proposal consultants and surge resources.

What you will bring:

• Bachelor's degree in business, communications, English, technology, management, or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of federal government contracting proposal experience, including significant responsibility for complex competitive proposals.
• Minimum 3–5 years leading proposal teams, proposal operations, or major federal proposal efforts.
• Demonstrated experience managing federal RFP, RFQ, task-order, IDIQ/GWAC, BPA, and related proposal responses.
• Strong knowledge of federal acquisition processes and the ability to interpret solicitation instructions, evaluation criteria, and contractual requirements.
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent proposals under aggressive deadlines.
• APMP certification or significant experience with Shipley or comparable structured proposal-development methodologies.
• Demonstrated experience developing compliance matrices, proposal schedules, outlines, storyboards, review plans, and production schedules.
• Exceptional writing, editing, organizational, and quality-control skills.
• Strong executive presence and ability to work effectively with technical experts, executives, capture leaders, pricing professionals, contracts professionals, and operational teams.
• Experience establishing or improving proposal processes, templates, repositories, and operating standards.
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft 365 and modern proposal collaboration and document-management tools.

How will you wow us:

• Experience supporting DoD, Intelligence Community, DHS, civilian agencies, or national-security customers.
• Experience developing proposals involving cybersecurity, AI, cloud, DevSecOps, Zero Trust, data analytics, digital modernization, or insider-threat capabilities.
• Experience with large‑business/subcontractor and small‑business/prime contracting environments.
• Experience supporting Best-in-Class GWACs, IDIQs, and high-volume task-order environments.
• Experience implementing AI-enabled proposal tools or knowledge-management platforms.
• Experience supporting oral presentations and technical demonstrations.
• Active or previously held federal security clearance is desirable where relevant to the demonstrate technical credibility, mission understanding, differentiation, and disciplined execution.

JCS Solutions (JCS) is a premier technology firm providing innovative solutions and high‑quality services in defense, national security, and civilian sectors. JCS offers enterprise‑wide solutions including cloud computing, software development, cybersecurity, digital modernization, and management consulting for the federal government. At JCS, we elevate our customers’ mission through the application of technology and professional services. Our commitment to investing in our workforce drives innovation and progress for our clients, employees, and communities.

JCS is both a Great Place to Work and a Top Places to Work certified company.

Our employees embody our core values, and we are looking for others who do too!

• Customer Experience: Strive for excellence and delight our clients
• Innovation: Embrace creative thinking to enable continual growth and powerful solutions
• Accountability: Take ownership of and pride in our actions and service delivery
• Inspire: Be inspired to be your best self and have fun in the process
• Integrity: Do the right thing, the right way, every time!
• Stewardship: The careful and responsible management of something entrusted to our care.

At JCS Solutions, compensation is based on a number of factors such as location, qualifications, and applicable contract terms. The general salary range for this position is as follows: $130,000.00 - $175,000.00

Commitment to Non-Discrimination

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected status protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.