Lead Proposal Specialist

Forvis Mazars US; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Forvis Mazars US is seeking a Lead Proposal Specialist to guide pursuit strategy and content development for strategic opportunities. You will work with partners, sector leaders, and the National Proposal Team to shape client-centric materials reflecting our Unmatched Client Experience.

You will manage planning, strategy, and workflow for assigned pursuits, coordinating across proposal content teams and reviewers to ensure high-quality deliverables and timely delivery in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant area.
• 3-5 years of proposal management or related field.
• Proven proposal writing, editing, storytelling, and strategy skills.
• Executive presence and communication skills to lead kickoff calls and strategy discussions.
• Experience with proposal automation and Microsoft Office applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead assigned RFPs and proposals from planning through final delivery.
• Guide teams on client needs, win themes, and evaluation criteria.
• Serve as pod lead coordinating proposal activity with sector leaders and reviewers.
• Translate priorities into proposal-ready guidance and reusable language.
• Partner with specialists to coordinate deliverables and ensure consistency.
• Identify reusable content and refresh service descriptions for proposals.
• Utilize approved templates and AI-enabled tools to boost speed and quality.
• Share pod insights with National Proposal Team leadership.

Skills

Proposal management

Strategic writing

Stakeholder leadership

Content strategy

AI-enabled drafting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Proposal automation

AI drafting tools

MS Office

Content management systems

Job description

Description & Requirements

The Lead Proposal Specialist plays a key role in helping Forvis Mazars pursue and win strategic opportunities. Working closely with partners, senior client service professionals, sector and industry leaders, and the National Proposal Team, this role manages proposal planning, strategy, content development, and workflow for assigned pursuits. The Lead Proposal Specialist helps shape clear, concise, client-centered materials that reflect the firm's commitment to an Unmatched Client Experience.

What You Will Do

• Lead assigned RFPs, proactive proposals, oral presentations, and other pursuit deliverables from planning through final delivery, including kickoff, strategy, timeline management, draft development, reviews, and stakeholder coordination.
• Evaluate proposal requirements and guide teams in focusing on the client's needs, opportunity drivers, evaluation criteria, differentiators, win themes, content requirements, and required subject matter professional involvement.
• Serve as a sector and industry pod lead for assigned areas by coordinating proposal activity, monitoring recurring needs and trends, and helping align proposal support with national sector leaders, industry leaders, marketing professionals, and client service stakeholders.
• Translate sector and industry priorities into proposal‑ready guidance, including positioning themes, client pain points, differentiators, related service opportunities, and reusable language that can be tailored across pursuits.
• Partner with proposal specialists, production specialists, designers, content team members, and internal reviewers to coordinate deliverables and improve consistency across assigned opportunities and pod priorities.
• Collaborate with the proposal content team to identify reusable content, harvest strong language from completed proposals, refresh existing service descriptions, reduce duplication, and support consistent use of approved content across proposal tools and libraries
• Use approved templates, content management tools, AI‑enabled proposal resources, and firm guidance safely and effectively to improve speed, quality, and consistency while maintaining appropriate risk, legal, brand, confidentiality, and Words to Watch standards.
• Share pod‑level insights with National Proposal Team leadership and sector stakeholders, including proposal activity, win/loss themes, debrief feedback, content gaps, risks, accomplishments, future priorities, and process improvement opportunities.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in relevant area
• 3-5 years of relevant experience in proposal management, pursuit strategy, marketing or business development, professional services, sector or industry marketing, content strategy, or a related field
• Demonstrated proposal writing, editing, storytelling, and strategy skills, including the ability to turn client needs, sector priorities, and technical information into clear, client‑centered language.
• Executive presence and communication skills needed to lead kickoff calls, facilitate strategy discussions, and work confidently with partners, senior leaders, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of proposal and pursuit best practices, including RFP analysis, proactive proposal development, win theme development, differentiator development, content reuse, compliance review, and draft management.
• Practical understanding of sector and industry nuances, including client pain points, buying triggers, and opportunity‑specific messaging shape proposal strategy.
• Sound judgment, critical thinking, and attention to detail, with the ability to identify risks, gaps, inconsistencies, escalation needs, and opportunities to improve proposal positioning or process.
• Proven capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment while balancing urgent proposal deadlines with longer‑term pod, content, and process improvement priorities.
• Proficiency with proposal automation, content management, AI‑enabled drafting and review tools, Microsoft Office applications, and related workflow platforms, with the ability to use them safely and effectively to improve efficiency, consistency, and quality.
• Collaborative working style, with the ability to mentor and guide others without direct supervisory responsibility and reinforce UCX principles throughout proposal strategy, content, process, and stakeholder interactions.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5-9 years of relevant experience in proposal management, pursuit strategy, marketing or business development, professional services, sector or industry marketing, content strategy, or a related field
• APMP certification

About Forvis Mazars, LLP

Forvis Mazars, LLP is an independent member of Forvis Mazars Global, a leading global professional services network. Ranked among the largest public accounting firms in the United States, our 7,000+ team members deliver assurance, tax, and consulting services to clients in all 50 states and internationally.

With a legacy spanning more than 100 years, we're building something different. We are guided by a shared promise: Together, we create extraordinary experiences. That means delivering an Unmatched Client Experience® while creating a workplace where relationships matter, learning fuels growth, and every person feels valued and supported to thrive.

What We Offer

Our robust total rewards program and flexible work environment reflect our commitment to people, careers, and well‑being-empowering our team to grow and thrive while delivering exceptional service. To explore what makes working at Forvis Mazars special, visit www.forvismazars.us/careers.

Legal Notice

Forvis Mazars, LLP is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer in accordance with applicable law. Employment selection and related decisions are made without regard to age, race, color, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, genetic information, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity, or other protected classifications.

It is Forvis Mazars, LLP standard policy not to accept unsolicited referrals or resumes from any source other than directly from candidates.

Forvis Mazars, LLP expressly reserves the right not to consider any unsolicited referrals, resumes or CVs from vendors including and without limitation, search firms, staffing agencies, fee‑based referral services, and recruiting agencies.

Forvis Mazars, LLP further reserves the right not to pay a fee to a recruiter or recruiting agency unless such recruiter or recruiting agency has a signed vendor agreement with Forvis Mazars, LLP. Any resume(s) or CV(s) submitted to anyone working for Forvis Mazars, LLP, or submitted to a Forvis Mazars, LLP general email, without having a Forvis Mazars, LLP vendor agreement in place, will be considered the property of Forvis Mazars, LLP.

Virginia Wage Transparency

Pursuant to Virginia's Equal Pay Law, the salary range displayed is for the Virginia market. The salary for this role will be based on the experience, education, and skill set of the individual for the position. Positions that are non‑exempt will be eligible for overtime pay compensable at a rate of one and a half times the hourly rate for any hours worked over 40 in a work week. Benefits are eligibility‑based and could include group health plan benefits, 401(K), profit‑sharing contributions, flexible time off, and parental leave. Forvis Mazars reserves the right to make changes to the salary range based on business needs.

VA Minimum Salary ( USD)

$ 47900

VA Maximum Salary (USD)

$ 79900