North Carolina Water Business Group Proposal Manager

HDR; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Proposal Manager to lead and optimize pursuit efforts in HDR's Water Business Group. You will guide capture planning, develop persuasive proposals, manage timelines, and coordinate with marketing to showcase HDR's capabilities.

The role requires a minimum of 5 years in the industry, excellent written/verbal communication, and the ability to travel up to 25%. A Bachelor's degree is required, and experience with InDesign is a plus.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience in proposals/sales.
• Proven ability to motivate and collaborate with pursuit teams.
• Willingness to travel roughly 25% as needed.
• Experience writing compelling content from technical staff input.

Responsibilities

• Support pursuit teams with win strategies and capture planning.
• Facilitate creation of persuasive proposal and interview materials.
• Develop and manage project schedules and ensure compliance.
• Coordinate with marketing services for pursuit materials.
• Lead quality reviews of proposals and interview content.
• Conduct debriefs to identify improvements and competitiveness.
• Organize and file proposal materials after submission.
• Mentor staff on business development and marketing best practices.
• Articulate HDR's capabilities and competitive advantages.
• Travel approximately 25% as required.
• Perform other duties as needed.

Skills

Written communication

Self-starter

Team motivation

Travel ability

Sales/proposal experience

Proficiency in MS Office

Adobe Creative Cloud (InDesign)

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Adobe InDesign

Job description

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. This isn’t just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

In the role of Proposal Manager, we'll count on you to:

• Support pursuit teams in creating and implementing effective win strategies (capture planning)
• Facilitate pursuit teams to develop persuasive proposal and interview materials
• Develop and manage proposal schedules and confirm compliance
• Engage the appropriate marketing services resources in pursuit teams
• Lead quality reviews of proposal and interview materials
• Facilitate debriefs to identify improvement opportunities and to measure overall competitiveness
• Deconstruct and file proposal and presentation material upon submittal
• Train and mentor employees on business development and marketing best practices
• Articulate HDR's capabilities and competitive advantages
• Ability to travel approximately 25% of the time (valid driver's license required)
• Perform other duties as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a related field
• Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industry's standard approach to procurement of professional services
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire others
• Ability and desire to travel and engage with others in-person
• Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience
• Demonstrated "self-starter" with a history of completing projects with limited oversight
• Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skillsProficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

Primary Location: United States-North Carolina-Raleigh Other Locations: United States-North Carolina-Winston-Salem, United States-North Carolina-Charlotte Industry: Water Schedule: Full-time Employee Status: Regular BusinessClass: Water Treatment Job Posting: Aug 19, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Affluent Action and Equal Opportunity Employer (https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.