Lead Proposal Architect, Water & Environment

Ulteig Engineers, Inc.; United States; Hybrid; USD 94,000 - 127,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible Workplace

Employee Ownership

Competitive Pay

Comprehensive Benefits Package

Collaborative Environment

Innovative Culture

Job summary

Ulteig Engineers, Inc. is seeking a Lead Proposal Developer to join our Proposal Department within the Commercialization & Growth unit, supporting Water & Environment LifeLine pursuits.

You will lead complex proposals, manage pursuit teams through the Shipley process, and personally write, edit, and design materials for submissions and interviews. This experienced individual contributor role combines hands-on execution with mentorship, thought leadership, and initiative delivery, with no

Qualifications

• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in communications, English, journalism, marketing, graphic design, technical communication, or a related field.
• At least seven years of progressive proposal development and management experience in the architecture, engineering, and construction industry or a related technical professional services environment, including independently leading complex proposals and interview preparation.
• Demonstrated technical writing, technical editing, proofreading, and graphic design expertise, with the ability to personally develop persuasive content, layouts, presentations, and technical graphics.
• Proficiency in Adobe InDesign, Illustrator, and Acrobat; advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint; and working knowledge of Excel, Teams, and SharePoint.
• Strong command of structured proposal development, compliance, and color reviews, with the ability to apply Ulteig’s Shipley process and guide others in its use.
• Demonstrated success facilitating multidisciplinary teams, influencing senior stakeholders, exercising independent judgment, and resolving competing priorities with limited oversight.
• Experience mentoring colleagues, reviewing others’ work, and leading or materially contributing to process, training, content, or tool improvements.
• Must have authorization to work permanently in the United States.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex proposals and interviews, independently managing RFQ/RFP responses from planning through submission and shortlist interviews.
• Partner with Sales and technical leaders to clarify client priorities, assess competitive positioning, and develop win themes and differentiators with evidence.
• Analyze solicitation requirements and develop compliance matrices, outlines, schedules, and assignments; align effort with needs and resources.
• Facilitate strategy sessions, kickoff and progress meetings, and Shipley reviews; guide teams through decisions and drive action items to resolution.
• Manage concurrent pursuits, coordinate contributors and teaming partners, and anticipate risks; advise leadership when decisions are needed.
• Lead shortlist interview strategy, storyboarding, presentation development, rehearsals, and Q&A sessions; coach presenters on messaging and timing.
• Write original proposal content including executive summaries, cover letters, project descriptions, and technical narratives with SMEs.
• Interview technical staff, identify story gaps, and translate engineering/environmental data into persuasive responses.
• Perform substantive editing and proofreading; challenge unsupported claims and coordinate validation with SMEs.
• Design and produce proposal layouts, interview presentations, and graphics using Adobe CC and Microsoft tools.
• Manage version control, final production, approvals, and submission; ensure materials meet requirements and brand standards.
• Mentor proposal professionals through coaching and reviews; support onboarding and knowledge sharing.

Skills

Technical writing

Editing

Graphic design

Adobe InDesign

Illustrator

Acrobat

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Teams

SharePoint

Proposal development

Mentoring

Education

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree (communications, English, journalism, marketing, graphic design, technical communication)

Tools

CRM systems

Bluebeam/Adobe

Proposal content governance

Automation/AI tools

Job description

Ulteig Engineers, Inc. is seeking a Lead Proposal Developer to join our Proposal Department within the Commercialization & Growth unit, supporting Water & Environment LifeLine pursuits.

You will lead complex proposals, manage pursuit teams through the Shipley process, and personally write, edit, and design materials for submissions and interviews. This experienced individual contributor role combines hands-on execution with mentorship, thought leadership, and initiative delivery, with no