Project Manager – Technical Proposals & Cross‑Functional Coordination

GEA Group; Janesville (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) employer match

Tuition reimbursement

Paid holidays and PTO

Wellness incentive program

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

GEA Group is seeking a Project Manager – Technical Offer Management (TOM) to coordinate cross-functional sales support activities. You will drive opportunity intake, quotation package completion, and stakeholder alignment to meet deadlines and improve proposal quality.

The role emphasizes process discipline, risk awareness, and continuous improvement within the TOM function. 10% travel to US/Canada required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, project management, or a related field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in project coordination, sales support, commercial operations, proposal management, or a related business function.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional workstreams and managing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supporting quotations, bids, proposals, customer deliverables, or commercial processes is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work with commercial terms, proposal assumptions, and internal approval processes with a high degree of accuracy.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate cross-functional inputs from sales, process engineering, application engineering, procurement, workshop, finance, contract management and other stakeholders to develop complete quotation packages.
• Build and maintain project timelines for proposal development, ensuring milestones, reviews, approvals, and customer due dates are achieved.
• Facilitate kickoff meetings, status reviews, and follow-up actions to keep proposal teams aligned on scope, assumptions, deliverables, and responsibilities.
• Monitor proposal progress, identify risks to schedule or content quality, and escalate issues proactively to support on-time completion.
• Lead assigned proposal efforts through influence, accountability, and effective stakeholder management without direct line authority.
• Lead and/or self-perform the execution and implementation of continuous improvement projects for the TOM department as directed

Skills

Project management

Communication

Problem solving

Attention to detail

Stakeholder management

English communication

MS Office

Travel coordination

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related field

Tools

Proposal management tools

MS Office

Job description

GEA Group, founded in Germany in 1881, is a global leader in engineering solutions, serving industries such as food and beverage, pharma, dairy, and more. With over 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA combines the heritage of a well-established company with the innovation of a forward-thinking industry leader. At GEA, we’re not just building equipment, we’re building lasting careers with an average employee tenure range from 8 + years, reflecting the strong culture, growth opportunities, and support we provide.

Your responsibilities and tasks

Start strong – Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day

Recharge and refresh – Enjoy 12 paid holidays, including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of PTO to relax or explore

Invest in your future – A 7% 401(k) employer match helps grow your retirement savings faster

Keep learning – Take advantage of tuition reimbursement to further your education or skillset

Live well – Our wellness incentive program rewards healthy habits

Get support when you need it – Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program for personal or professional guidance

Save smart – Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts to manage out-of-pocket expenses

The typical base pay range for this position at the start of employment is expected to be between TBA per year. GEA Group has different base pay ranges for different work locations within the United States.

The pay range is not guaranteed compensation or salary. The estimated range is the budgeted amount for the position. Final offers are based on various factors, including skill set, experience, location, qualifications, and other job-related reasons. You may be eligible for additional rewards, such as a discretionary bonus (based on eligibility) and/or equity awards.

Job Summary:

Responsible for generating new and custom plant business related to equipment offered by GEA in the Dairy application market area. Develops relationships in a consultative selling role. Identifies qualifies and pursues leads. Gathers market intelligence. Thoroughly communicates customer requirements within the company.

Coordinates the sales effort with other functions within the company. Manages the flow of information between the company and our customers.

The Project Manager – Technical Offer Management (TOM) is responsible for coordinating commercial and technical sales support activities that enable timely, accurate, and competitive customer proposals. This role leads cross-functional workflow from opportunity intake through quotation package completion, aligning sales, process engineering, application engineering, automation procurement, finance, and other stakeholders to meet deadlines, improve proposal quality, and support order conversion. The role emphasizes project coordination, process discipline, stakeholder communication, risk awareness, and continuous improvement within the technical offer management support function.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• No direct supervisory responsibility; provides project coordination and matrix leadership across cross-functional teams.
• Manage sales support projects (usually > $7M & multiple technologies) and proposal workflows from request intake through final submission.
• Coordinate cross-functional inputs from sales, process engineering, application engineering, procurement, workshop, finance, contract management and other stakeholders to develop complete quotation packages.
• Build and maintain project timelines for proposal development, ensuring milestones, reviews, approvals, and customer due dates are achieved.
• Facilitate kickoff meetings, status reviews, and follow-up actions to keep proposal teams aligned on scope, assumptions, deliverables, and responsibilities.
• Monitor proposal progress, identify risks to schedule or content quality, and escalate issues proactively to support on-time completion.
• Ensure quotations and supporting documents are accurate, complete, and aligned with customer requirements, internal standards, compliance with company policies and approved commercial terms.
• Track open opportunities, proposal status, and turnaround times, providing clear updates and reporting to sales leadership and key stakeholders.
• Standardize and improve sales support processes, tools, templates, and communication methods to increase efficiency and proposal consistency.
• Maintain documentation of assumptions, clarifications, deviations, approvals, and revision history for each assigned opportunity.
• Support internal and external communications related to proposals, including clarifications, follow-up items, and coordination of customer deliverables.
• Prepare and present proposals to senior leadership and internal stakeholders as part of phase gate review process
• Coordinate change requests, revised pricing activities, and commercial updates during the proposal cycle while maintaining version control.
• Analyze process bottlenecks and recommend improvements that enhance responsiveness, quality, and conversion support for the commercial organization.
• Capture lessons learned from completed bids and support continuous improvement of future sales support execution.
• Maintain strong working knowledge of internal systems, proposal tools, and commercial processes to support reliable execution and reporting.
• Lead assigned proposal efforts through influence, accountability, and effective stakeholder management without direct line authority.
• Lead and/or self-perform the execution and implementation of continuous improvement projects for the TOM department as directed
• Self-perform other tasks as required to support TOM department

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong project management, prioritization, and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines simultaneously.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to understand how proposal quality, responsiveness, and risk management affect order conversion.
• Ability to analyze complex requests, identify gaps, and drive resolution through structured problem solving.
• High attention to detail with a commitment to accuracy, completeness, and follow-through.
• Excellent interpersonal, facilitation, and communication skills across technical and commercial audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to influence cross-functional teams, manage competing priorities, and maintain momentum in a matrixed environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and common business systems; strong written and verbal English communication skills required.
• Business Travel 10% (US and Canada)

Your profile and qualifications

• Bachelor's degree engineering, project management, or a related field preferred.
• 3+ years of experience in project coordination, sales support, commercial operations, proposal management, or a related business function.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional workstreams and managing deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Experience supporting quotations, bids, proposals, customer deliverables, or commercial processes is strongly preferred.
• Ability to work with commercial terms, proposal assumptions, and internal approval processes with a high degree of accuracy.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to resolve conflicts and align teams around deadlines.
• Demonstrated success improving process execution, supporting business goals, and meeting time-sensitive deliverables.
• Project management certification or training is a plus.

At GEA, we don’t just offer jobs, we offer opportunities to thrive, grow, and make an impact.

Please note: This position is based in the United States and does not offer visa or work sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future sponsorship.

GEA Group is committed to fostering an inclusive work environment where all clients and employees feel welcomed, accepted, and valued.We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.

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About GEA

GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food and beverage processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. Approximately 18,000 employees in more than 60 countries contribute significantly to GEA’s success – come and join them! We offer interesting and challenging tasks, a positive working environment in international teams and opportunities for personal development and growth in a global company.

GEA is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will therefore receive consideration for employment without regard to age, sex, race, color, religion, world view, national origin, genetics, disability, gender identity, marital status, sexual orientation, veteran status or any other protected characteristic required by applicable law. Applicants with disabilities are welcome and will be given special consideration if they are equally qualified.

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