Proposal Manager

Arkeus; Stafford (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Arkeus is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to own and run bids for US defence contracts. You will translate engineering content into persuasive, compliant proposals and coordinate with engineering, finance and executives to scale the bidding function.

The role involves DoD solicitations, fast acquisition routes (OTAs/SBIR) and international markets, with a strong emphasis on ITAR/EAR compliance and potential US security clearance.

Qualifications

• 7+ years writing or managing US government proposals.
• Heads-on experience with DoD solicitations, Section L/M and compliance matrices.
• Experience with fast acquisition routes: OTAs, DIU, SBIR/STTR.
• Bid experience in at least one non-US defence market.
• Technical fluency in uncrewed systems and related domains.
• Experience under ITAR/EAR controls and eligibility for US clearance.

Responsibilities

• Lead bids end-to-end from RFP release to submission with reviews.
• Write and edit technical, management and past performance volumes into a compliant response.

Skills

Proposal management

DoD solicitations

APMP certification

OTAs & SBIR

International defence bids

UAS familiarity

ITAR/EAR compliance

US security clearance eligibility

Job description

Arkeus builds AI-powered sensing systems that help autonomous platforms detect, track and understand what's happening in the most complex and contested environments. Our technology is deployed across defence and national security applications — already protecting lives and strengthening security across the U.S. and allied markets.

Backed by QIC, Main Sequence, R+VC, Salus Ventures, Folklore Ventures, DYNE Ventures and Beaten Zone Venture Partners, Arkeus is entering a major growth phase. We are a small, fast-moving company with the energy and ambition of a start-up and the technical credibility of a world-class defence technology provider.

We work at the intersection of optics, autonomy, robotics and real-time AI and we deploy what we build. If you want to ship technology that matters, not technology that ships decks, this is where you belong.

We have developed an inclusive, transparent and engaging culture that focuses on building a diverse workforce — realising that to attract the very best, we need to ensure our culture is ready to welcome people from all ages, genders and backgrounds.

About the role

As Proposal Manager at Arkeus, you will own how we win new defence business. You will lead bids from the release of an RFP or solicitation through to submission, turning our engineering capability into compliant, persuasive proposals that evaluators score highly.

Reporting to the VP of Growth, you will run proposals across traditional FAR/DFARS procurements and faster acquisition routes such as OTAs, DIU Commercial Solutions Openings and SBIR/STTR, and adapt our bids for Australian, UK, NATO and other allied buyers. You will work hand in hand with business development on capture and with finance on pricing.

This is a senior, hands‑on role. You will write as well as manage, working directly with engineers, program leads and executives to produce each response. As our pipeline grows, you will build the processes, content library and resourcing needed to scale the proposal function.

About you

You are an experienced proposal manager and writer with a track record of winning US government contracts. You know DoD solicitations inside out — from Section L/M analysis and compliance matrices to colour‑team reviews — and you can run a disciplined bid without a large proposal team behind you.

You are comfortable with technical subject matter in uncrewed systems, autonomy, EO/IR payloads or counter‑UAS, and can turn engineering content into clear, evaluator‑focused language. You are at home on a fast‑turnaround OTA or SBIR submission as on a large traditional program bid, and you have bid in at least one non‑US defence market.

You are organised, calm under deadline pressure and credible with engineers, executives and customers. You hold contributors to schedule, give direct editorial feedback and protect compliance with ITAR/EAR and CUI requirements. Ideally, you are eligible to obtain a US security clearance.

Key responsibilities

• Run Proposals from Start to Finish: Lead each bid from release of the RFP or solicitation through to submission. That includes requirements analysis, the compliance matrix, the schedule, win themes and Pink, Red and Gold team reviews.
• Write and Edit All Proposal Volumes: Write technical, management and past performance volumes, and edit material from subject‑matter experts into one consistent, persuasive and compliant response.

US and International Contract Routes:

• Cover All US Contract Routes: Prepare bids for FAR/DFARS procurements and for faster routes: OTAs, DIU Commercial Solutions Openings, SBIR/STTR, AFWERX and Army xTech.
• Adapt Bids for International Markets: Rework proposals for Australian Defence (ASDEFCON), UK MOD, NATO/NSPA and allied buyers, managing differences in format, evaluation criteria and sovereignty requirements.

Capture, Compliance & Content:

• Coordinate Capture and Pricing: Work with business development on capture strategy, gate reviews and competitor analysis, and with finance on pricing volumes and basis‑of‑estimate narratives.
• Keep Proposals Compliant and Build a Reusable Library: Make sure proposals meet ITAR/EAR, CUI marking and DISP/CMMC requirements. Build an approved content library (past performance, resumes, boilerplate) to cut the cost of each new bid.

Your experience and skills

• Proposal Track Record: At least 7 years writing or managing proposals, with a track record of won US government contracts worth more than US$5M.
• DoD Solicitations: Hands‑on experience with Section L/M analysis, compliance matrices and colour‑team reviews. Shipley training or APMP certification (Practitioner or Professional) is strongly preferred.
• Fast Acquisition Routes: Experience with fast acquisition routes (OTAs, DIU, SBIR/STTR, Replicator‑style programs), not only traditional large‑program bids.
• International Defence Markets: Experience bidding in at least one non‑US defence market, preferably Australia, the UK or NATO.
• Uncrewed Systems Fluency: Technical fluency in uncrewed systems (UAS/UAV, autonomy, EO/IR payloads or counter‑UAS), with the ability to turn engineering content into language evaluators respond to.
• Export Controls & Security: Experience working under ITAR/EAR controls and, ideally, eligibility for a US security clearance.

Why Join Arkeus

• You will work on the hardest problems in deep‑tech — optics, autonomy, real‑time AI and hardware‑software integration in a single product. The gap between what you build and where it ends up is almost nonexistent.
• You will collaborate with exceptional leaders who have decades of combined experience in AI, optics and defence. You will be learning from — and contributing to — the best in the field.
• You will become part of a close‑knit, ego‑free team where ideas compete on merit, not seniority. Low politics, high trust. The kind of team you will still be talking about in ten years.
• You will work hard and be expected to bring your best — and in return you will grow faster than you ever would at a large organisation.
• You will work on technology that is already deployed in real environments — protecting lives and strengthening security across defence and national security applications.
• You will receive a competitive, market‑benchmarked salary, structured career pathways built to grow with you, and the opportunity to participate in our Employee Share Option Plan (ESOP).
• You will build the proposal function of a growing defence technology company while directly shaping the contracts that put our products in the hands of US and allied customers.