Inside Sales Manager

Blue Signal Search; Chandler (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 175,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Signal Search is recruiting an experienced Inside Sales Manager to drive complex customer opportunities from initial request to final submission. You will partner across sales, engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and leadership to translate requirements into executable proposal plans.

This senior individual contributor role expands into business-case development, internal approvals, and broader commercial execution, influencing multiple stakeholders and schedules.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in inside sales and bid or proposal management.
• Ability to lead complex proposal efforts with multiple contributors, approvals, and deadlines.
• Experience across corporate strategy, solution-based sales, defense/aerospace contracts, and marketing communications.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex bids, proposals, RFIs, and RFPs from initial request through internal approval and customer submission.
• Coordinate inputs across sales, engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and other stakeholders to produce complete, timely response packages.
• Develop and organize business-case and bid-approval materials for leadership evaluation.
• Establish proposal schedules, responsibilities, milestones, review cycles, and approval requirements while meeting customer deadlines.
• Anticipate gaps and risks, driving resolution and escalating issues as needed.
• Serve as a central internal partner translating customer needs into actionable workstreams and coordinated responses.
• Maintain accurate opportunity and proposal information with clear visibility for stakeholders.
• Optimize proposal workflows and internal procedures to improve quality and efficiency.

Skills

Inside sales

Bid / proposal management

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Executive communication

Education

Technical educational background in aerospace/defense/engineering

Tools

PowerPoint

Excel

CRM systems

Proposal management software

Job description

Our client is seeking an experienced Inside Sales Manager to take a highly visible role at the center of complex customer opportunities. This is a senior individual contributor position for someone who knows how to turn customer requirements into coordinated, executable proposal plans. You will partner across sales, engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and leadership to move sophisticated bids from initial request through business-case approval and final submission. For a professional who enjoys combining inside sales, proposal leadership, commercial judgment, and cross-functional influence, this is an opportunity to own work that directly supports major business opportunities.

This Role Offers

• Direct involvement in sophisticated customer opportunities involving technical, commercial, operational, and financial considerations.
• Frequent collaboration with sales leadership, cross-functional partners, and executive teams.
• An opportunity to expand beyond proposal administration into business cases, internal approvals, and broader commercial execution.

Focus

• Lead complex bids, proposals, RFIs, and RFPs from initial request through internal approval and customer submission.
• Coordinate inputs across sales, engineering, operations, supply chain, finance, and other stakeholders to produce complete, timely response packages.
• Develop and organize business-case and bid-approval materials, ensuring leadership has the information needed to evaluate opportunities.
• Establish proposal schedules, responsibilities, milestones, review cycles, and approval requirements while maintaining accountability to customer deadlines.
• Anticipate gaps, resource constraints, and schedule risks, driving resolution and escalating issues when appropriate.
• Serve as a central internal partner to the sales organization, translating customer needs into actionable workstreams and coordinated responses.
• Maintain accurate opportunity and proposal information while providing stakeholders with clear visibility into status, priorities, and next steps.
• Optimize proposal workflows and internal procedures to streamline execution, standardize outputs, and elevate overall deliverable quality.

Skill Set

• 7 or more years of related experience, including hands-on inside sales and bid or proposal management responsibilities.
• Proven ability to lead complex proposal efforts involving multiple contributors, formal approvals, and deadline-driven customer submissions.
• Proven background spanning three or more of these disciplines: corporate strategy and planning, solution-based sales, defense or aerospace contracts, and marketing communications.
• Strong cross-functional project management skills with the ability to influence stakeholders and operate independently without direct authority.
• Strong understanding of the market, engineering, operational, and financial factors that shape proposals and investment decisions.
• Excellent organization, prioritization, written communication, verbal communication, and presentation skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly PowerPoint and Excel, along with experience using CRM or proposal management systems.
• Aerospace, defense, space, electronics, complex engineered-product experience, or a technical educational background is preferred but not required.

About Blue Signal:

Blue Signal is an award-winning, executive search firm specializing in various specialties. Our recruiters have a proven track record of placing top-tier talent across industry verticals, with deep expertise in numerous professional services. Learn more at bit.ly/46Gs4yS