Director of Proposals

Tri Star Engineering, Inc.; Bloomington (IN); On-site; USD 130,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

Tri Star Engineering, Inc. is seeking a Director of Proposals to lead the full lifecycle of federal proposal development. You will guide a high-performing team of proposal managers, graphic designers, and technical writers to align with capture plans and market intelligence.

This remote role with occasional travel to Bloomington, IN supports DoD opportunities and requires expertise in FAR/DFARS, strong leadership, and a focus on continuous improvement in processes and win strategies.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or communications or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience in federal proposal development.
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing proposal teams.
• Deep understanding of FAR/DFARS and government procurement processes.
• U.S. Citizen required; ability to obtain/maintain clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, scheduling, and execution of compliant, compelling proposals for DoD customers.
• Oversee color team reviews, outlines, and compliance matrices; manage final production.
• Ensure adherence to internal and external solicitation requirements (RFPs, RFQs, BAAs).
• Integrate competitive/market intelligence into proposal strategy and positioning.
• Collaborate with capture managers to refine win themes and discriminators.

Skills

Leadership

Time management

Analytical skills

Interpersonal skills

Adaptability

Delegation

Problem solving

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or communications

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

We are seeking a skilled and dedicated Director of Proposals to join our dynamic team. The Director of Proposals leads and manages the full lifecycle of proposal development in support of federal government contracting opportunities. This individual is responsible for identifying the requirements for and staffing/overseeing a high-performing team of proposal managers, graphic designers, and technical writers, and ensuring alignment with capture plans and market intelligence. The role includes leadership of business development knowledge management and supports continuous improvement in proposal processes and win strategies. This is a remote position; occasional travel to corporate (Bloomington, IN) may be required.

Supervisory responsibilities

• Recruits, interviews, hires, and trains new staff in the department.
• Sources qualified independent contractors when needed to augment TRISTAR capabilities and capacity.
• Oversees the daily workflow of the department.
• Provides constructive and timely performance evaluations.
• Handles discipline and termination of employees in accordance with company policy.

Essential Functions and Duties

• Lead the planning, scheduling, and execution of compliant, compelling, and responsive proposals for DoD customers.
• Oversee color team reviews, proposal outlines, compliance matrices, and final production.
• Verify adherence to internal proposal development processes and external solicitation requirements (e.g., RFPs, RFQs, BAAs, task orders).
• Integrate competitive and market intelligence into proposal strategy and positioning.
• Collaborate with capture managers to refine win themes and discriminators.
• Evaluate lessons learned and competitor feedback to inform future submissions.
• Maintain and enhance the corporate proposal knowledge base, boilerplate content, past performance library, and graphics repository.
• Continuously evaluate and refine proposal processes, tools, and templates.
• Lead training and development initiatives for BD and proposal staff.
• Develops and implements departmental budget.
• Performs other duties as required.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business or communications, or equivalent professional experience.
• 10+ years of experience in federal proposal development.
• 5+ years in a leadership role managing proposal teams.
• Deep understanding of federal acquisition regulations (FAR/DFARS) and government procurement processes.
• Excellent interpersonal and negotiation skills.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong supervisory and leadership skills.
• Ability to adapt to the needs of the organization and employees.
• Ability to prioritize tasks and to delegate them when appropriate.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite or related software.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a secret/top secret clearance.
• Must be a U.S. Citizen.

Working Conditions

• Primarily works in an office environment with frequent use of computers.
• May require occasional travel for company meetings, proposal activities, conferences.
• Flexibility to work outside of regular business hours when necessary to accommodate time-sensitive matters.

About TRISTAR

TRISTAR is an SBA certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned professional services company supporting the U.S. Department of War programs. Our core competencies include Electronic Warfare, Enterprise Management, Full Spectrum Cybersecurity, Information Technology, Digital Transformation, Software Engineering and Development, Maritime Modernization and Engineering, and Technical Solutions.

TRISTAR was founded in March 1995 and has built an employee-focused collaborative environment which enables our team of professionals to create and deliver customized solutions to meet our customers’ mission critical challenges.

TRISTAR’s core capabilities support customers with end-to-end solutions. For over 30 years, TRISTAR has demonstrated and perfected our ability to successfully manage any task, small or large no matter how difficult or complex.

TRISTAR is proud to serve the Department of War and other Federal Agencies.

TRISTAR provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.