K-12 Proposal Writer & Strategy Lead

Cengage Group; Kansas City (MO); On-site; USD 67,000 - 87,000; Full time

Job summary

Cengage Group is seeking a Proposal Writer to manage the RFP process for the K-12 learning market, coordinating with sales, marketing, and product teams to craft compelling proposals. You will ensure timely, high-quality responses aligned with client needs and internal standards.

The role reports to the Manager, Sales Operations and Support, with responsibilities spanning content library development, template optimization, and cross-team collaboration to drive winning proposals.

Qualifications

• A minimum of 2 years experience in proposal management with sales support or writing.
• BA/BS in writing, communications, marketing, or related field.
• Ability to serve as team mentor to coordinate proposal efforts simultaneously within tight timeframes.
• Prior success in developing, implementing, and evaluating proposals that balance user needs with business requirements.
• Strong interpersonal skills: the ability to empathize, support, and anticipate the needs of external customers and internal teammates/departments.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to influence and align stakeholders while driving for results.
• Able to remain agile while successfully project managing a high volume of work in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.
• Understanding of emerging proposal trends, technologies, and integration strategies.
• Provide value to each proposal being developed as a knowledgeable resource and strategic problem solver.
• Proficient with MS Office suite and Adobe Suite

Responsibilities

• Support all aspects of the RFP process from start to finish, including RFP vetting, strategy calls, content collaboration, editing, and proposal preparation.
• Analyze RFP bid to determine compliant response structure and format.
• Generate detailed response plans, schedules, and technical elements in the development of proposals in accordance with proposal specifications.
• Delegate tasks to team members as appropriate.
• Partner with the Sales team to create innovative approaches and deliverables to differentiate proposals to assure a winning first impression.
• Identify gaps in the current RFP response model strategy, then propose new insights and secure support from internal partners to implement improvements within the processes, systems, and/or templates.
• Track, evaluate, and improve RFP responses based on customer feedback, sales needs, and market research.
• Complete other duties as assigned to meet company goals.

Job description

Cengage Group is seeking a Proposal Writer to manage the RFP process for the K-12 learning market, coordinating with sales, marketing, and product teams to craft compelling proposals. You will ensure timely, high-quality responses aligned with client needs and internal standards.

The role reports to the Manager, Sales Operations and Support, with responsibilities spanning content library development, template optimization, and cross-team collaboration to drive winning proposals.