North Carolina Water Business Group Proposal Manager

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

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Proposal Manager to lead capture and pursuit efforts, developing compelling proposals and coordinating cross-functional teams in North Carolina. The role emphasizes strong writing, coordination, and strategic messaging to win opportunities.

Ideal candidates will have at least five years in related industries, demonstrate self-starting initiative, and be comfortable traveling up to 25% to engage with clients and teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years relevant industry experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and Adobe InDesign.

Responsibilities

• Support pursuit teams with win strategies and capture planning.
• Develop persuasive proposal and interview materials.
• Manage proposal schedules and ensure compliance.
• Engage marketing services resources for pursuits.
• Lead quality reviews of proposal and interview materials.
• Train and mentor employees on business development and marketing best practices.
• Articulate HDR's capabilities and competitive advantages.
• Deconstruct and file proposal materials after submittal.

Skills

Sales experience

Written communication

Verbal communication

Self-starter

Willingness to travel

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office

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.