Manager - Request for Proposal (RFP)

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan; Detroit, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is seeking a senior proposals leader responsible for end-to-end ownership of RFP and RFI outcomes, including prioritization, development, review, approval, and on-time submission. You will supervise the proposal team to ensure quality, compliance, and timely delivery.

You will partner with Sales, Legal, Compliance, and SMEs to align messaging, govern templates, mitigate risks, and raise performance of the team on complex, jumbo, and high-profile opportunities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Public Relations, Creative Writing, Journalism, Professional and Technical Writing or related field.
• Minimum five (5) years proposal writing experience required.
• Comprehensive knowledge and experience working in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Snagit, and Proposal Tech, Adobe Pro, Responsive, and Visio.
• Excellent analytical, decision-making, organizational, planning, verbal and written communications skills.
• Possess tact and resourcefulness in establishing and maintaining effective internal and external working relationships.
• Highly organized with strong attention to detail/consistency.
• Experience with AI and prompting.

Responsibilities

• Provide end-to-end ownership of all project responses, ensuring proposals are accurate, compliant, strategically positioned, and submitted on time.
• Serve as the reviewer and approver of proposal content prior to market submission, with accountability for quality, consistency, and adherence to Blue Cross template standards.
• Oversee proposal template governance across all responses. Establishing and enforcing standardized processes, templates, review checkpoints, and quality controls.
• Identify and mitigate risks related to compliance, accuracy, and submission readiness, escalating high risk or non-standard items as appropriate.
• Manage workload strategy and prioritization across the proposal team, assigning and reassigning work to balance capacity, meet deadlines, and support high value or time sensitive opportunities.
• Maintain visibility to pipeline volume and complexity to ensure sustainable execution.
• Lead and develop a team of Proposal Writers, providing direction, coaching, and performance oversight to ensure accountability for deliverables, quality standards, and deadlines.
• Address performance issues and supports skill development aligned to business needs.
• Serve as subject matter expert on complex, jumbo or high-profile projects where strategic positioning is critical.
• Partner cross functionally with Sales, Legal, Compliance, and subject matter experts to resolve issues, align messaging, and ensure proposal content meets requirements.

Skills

Proposal writing

Leadership

Project management

Communication skills

AI and prompting

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in English/PR/Writing/Journaling or related field

Master’s degree preferred

5+ years proposal writing experience

Tools

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Snagit

Proposal Tech

Adobe Pro

Responsive

Visio

Job description

SUMMARY

Responsible for end-to-end ownership of RFP and RFI outcomes, including prioritization, development, review, approval, and on time submission of all proposal responses. Provides leadership and performance management for the proposal team, ensuring accountability for overall proposal quality, compliance, and deadline adherence. Oversees workload balancing, process governance, and final approvals while serving as a senior subject matter expert on complex, jumbo, and high-profile proposals.

ESSENTIALDUTIESANDRESPONSIBILITIESincludethefollowing.Otherdutiesmaybe

1. Provide end-to-end ownership of all project responses, ensuring proposals are accurate, compliant, strategically positioned, and submitted on time.

2. Serve as the reviewer and approver of proposal content prior to market submission, with accountability for quality, consistency, and adherence to Blue Cross template standards.

3. Oversee proposal template governance across all responses. Establishing and enforcing standardized processes, templates, review checkpoints, and quality controls.

4. Identify and mitigate risks related to compliance, accuracy, and submission readiness, escalating high risk or non-standard items as appropriate.

5. Manage workload strategy and prioritization across the proposal team, assigning and reassigning work to balance capacity, meet deadlines, and support high value or time sensitive opportunities.

6. Maintain visibility to pipeline volume and complexity to ensure sustainable execution.

7. Lead and develop a team of Proposal Writers, providing direction, coaching, and performance oversight to ensure accountability for deliverables, quality standards, and deadlines.

8. Address performance issues and supports skill development aligned to business needs.

9. Serve as subject matter expert on complex, jumbo or high-profile projects where strategic positioning is critical.

10. Partner cross functionally with Sales, Legal, Compliance, and subject matter experts to resolve issues, align messaging, and ensure proposal content meets requirements.

SUPERVISOR RESPONSIBILITIES

Manages departmental subordinate supervisors who supervise departmental employees as shown on the organizational chart. Is responsible for the overall direction, coordination, and evaluation of this unit. Also directly supervises departmental non-supervisory employees.Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws.Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.

EDUCATION

1. Bachelor’s degree in English, Public Relations, Creative Writing, Journalism, Professional and Technical Writing or related field. Master’s degree preferred.

2. Minimum five (5) years proposal writing experience required.

3. Comprehensive knowledge and experience working in Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Snagit, and Proposal Tech, Adobe Pro, Responsive, and Visio.

4. Excellent analytical, decision-making, organizational, planning, verbal and written communications skills.

5. Possess tact and resourcefulness in establishing and maintaining effective internal and external working relationships.

6. Highly organized with strong attention to detail/consistency.

7. Experience with AI and prompting.