Principal Proposal Manager

ICF International; Reston (VA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

ICF International in Reston, VA is seeking a Principal Proposal Manager to lead the development of high-quality, compliant federal proposals within the DMX Group. You will partner with capture, technical, and business leaders to translate solicitation requirements into clear proposal plans and guide teams from kickoff through submission.

This role blends proposal leadership with hands-on management, coordination, and production, and requires navigating complex requirements while ensuring

Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience managing federal IT proposals valued at $50M+.
• Must reside in the United States and be authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be a US Citizen or Green Card Holder.

Responsibilities

• Lead the entire proposal lifecycle, managing schedules, assignments, risks, and deadlines.
• Partner with capture and technical leads to align content with requirements and win strategies.
• Guide writers and SMEs to develop clear, persuasive content with evidence.
• Organize color team reviews and drive resolution of reviewer feedback.
• Coordinate oral presentations, demonstrations, and technical challenges.
• Use AI tools responsibly to improve productivity while ensuring accuracy and compliance.

Skills

Proposal leadership

Stakeholder collaboration

Risk management

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

SharePoint

Adobe Acrobat

Job description

The Work

ICF is seeking a Principal Proposal Manager to lead the development of high-quality, compelling, and compliant federal proposals focused on technology and experience-driven solutions within the Digital Modernization and Experience (DMX) Group. You will partner with capture, technical, and business leaders to translate solicitation requirements and win strategies into clear proposal plans and guide teams from kickoff through submission. This role combines proposal leadership with hands‑on management, coordination, and production.

Job Location

This position requires that the job be performed in the United States. If you accept this position, you should note that ICF does monitor employee work locations and blocks access from foreign locations/foreign IP addresses, and also prohibits personal VPN connections. You may be asked to travel once a quarter to an office.

What You Will Do

• Lead the entire proposal lifecycle, managing schedules, assignments, risks, and deadlines to deliver compliant, compelling proposals on time.
• Partner with capture and technical leads to align proposal content with solicitation requirements, evaluation criteria, and win strategies.
• Guide proposal writers and subject matter experts in developing clear, responsive content supported by relevant evidence.
• Organize and lead proposal color team reviews and debriefs, and drive resolution of reviewer feedback.
• Lead preparation and coordination for oral presentations, demonstrations, and technical challenges.
• Use approved AI tools responsibly to improve productivity and efficiency across the proposal lifecycle, while protecting sensitive information and applying human judgment to verify accuracy, quality, and compliance.

Basic Qualifications

• 12+ years of experience managing federal IT proposals, including proposals valued at more than $50 million, for a large consulting firm or similar organization
• Candidate must reside in the United States and be authorized to work in the United States.
• Must be a US Citizen or Green Card Holder

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• Experience managing all aspects of proposal preparation, development, and production.
• Experience reviewing and analyzing proposal content for consistency, clarity and compliance and providing sound direction on how to improve.
• Experience partnering with capture and account leads to translate opportunity strategies and proposed solutions into compelling proposal content.
• Ability to lead proposals independently while collaborating with capture, business development and technical teams.
• Experience managing competing priorities and deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience with desktop publishing for proposals, including managing templates, styles, graphics, tables, and formatting to meet solicitation requirements.
• Experience using AI tools responsibly across the proposal lifecycle.
• Experience managing oral presentations, demonstrations, and technical challenges.
• Experience coaching proposal contributors and mentoring less experienced proposal staff.
• Experience facilitating proposal strategy sessions and driving decisions, accountability, and follow-through.

Professional Skills

• Strong proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, SharePoint, and Adobe Acrobat.
• Strong attention to detail and commitment to quality.
• Excellent verbal, interpersonal, and written communication skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.

Working at ICF

ICF is a global advisory and technology services provider, but we're not your typical consultants. We combine unmatched expertise with cutting‑edge technology to help clients solve their most complex challenges, navigate change, and shape the future. We can only solve the world's toughest challenges by building a workplace that allows everyone to thrive. We are an equal opportunity employer. Together, our employees are empowered to share their expertise and collaborate with others to achieve personal and professional goals. For more information, please read our EEO policy. We will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Reasonable Accommodations

Reasonable Accommodations are available, including, but not limited to, for disabled veterans, ind