Proposal Manager

UDC - Ultra Defense Corp; Tampa (FL); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Professional Development and Advance-

Job summary

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC) in Tampa, FL is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to lead bids for U.S. Government, commercial, and international opportunities.

You will own end-to-end RFQ/RFP coordination, from interpreting requirements to submission, partnering with leadership and cross-functional teams for timely, compliant, high-quality proposals. Responsibilities include developing schedules, themes, outlines, and editoring, while ensuring consistency across volumes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 3+ years of experience managing large defense proposals.
• Demonstrated experience developing technical and cost proposal volumes.
• Proven ability to manage complex proposals through successful, on-time submission.
• Strong proposal management and RFQ/RFP response-development capabilities.
• Experience interpreting statements of work and complex solicitation requirements.
• Strong technical writing and editing skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to coordinate multiple contributors and priorities while operating under aggressive deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Lead the formulation, organization, and execution of proposals ranging from pricing exercises to large, complex U.S. Government solicitations.
• Develop and manage proposal schedules, compliance matrices, action-item trackers, and other tools necessary to achieve complete and on-time submissions.
• Lead proposal strategy sessions, kick-off meetings, gate reviews, and milestone discussions.
• Develop proposal outlines, themes, storyboards, and written-volume strategies that strengthen clarity, competitiveness, and overall submission quality.
• Direct and monitor writing assignments and serve as the lead editor responsible for integrating technical content and ensuring consistency across proposal volumes.
• Lead cross-functional proposal teams involving Engineering, Contracts, Finance, Supply Chain, Quality, Business Development, and other subject matter experts.
• Partner with executive leadership and Business Development on capture strategy, customer requirements, competitive positioning, price-to-win considerations, and probability-of-win improvement.
• Maintain accountability for RFQ/RFP requirements, proposal quality, deadlines, and successful submission outcomes.

Skills

Proposal management

RFQ/RFP response development

Technical writing

Editing

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

Tools

Microsoft Office

Shipley methodology

Job description

Ultra Defense Corp (UDC) is a privately held defense company headquartered in Tampa, Florida, with domestic manufacturing facilities and operations supporting American national security interests worldwide.

For more than 15 years, UDC has built a stable and mature organization and is now entering a significant period of expansion. With a recently launched product line aligned with Pentagon priorities in advanced technology and domestic manufacturing, UDC offers the opportunity to work in an entrepreneurial environment backed by organizational stability and competitive benefits.

The Opportunity

• UDC is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager to lead and organize bids and proposals for U.S. Government, commercial, and international opportunities.
• This position will own the end-to-end coordination of RFQ and RFP responses—from interpreting requirements and statements of work through proposal strategy, content development, schedules, gate reviews, and final submission.
• Working closely with executive leadership and cross-functional teams, the Proposal Manager will play a critical role in producing compliant, timely, and high-quality proposals that strengthen UDC's competitive position and probability of winning.

What You’ll Do

• Lead the formulation, organization, and execution of proposals ranging from pricing exercises to large, complex U.S. Government solicitations.
• Develop and manage proposal schedules, compliance matrices, action-item trackers, and other tools necessary to achieve complete and on-time submissions.
• Lead proposal strategy sessions, kick-off meetings, gate reviews, and milestone discussions.
• Develop proposal outlines, themes, storyboards, and written-volume strategies that strengthen clarity, competitiveness, and overall submission quality.
• Direct and monitor writing assignments and serve as the lead editor responsible for integrating technical content and ensuring consistency across proposal volumes.
• Lead cross-functional proposal teams involving Engineering, Contracts, Finance, Supply Chain, Quality, Business Development, and other subject matter experts.
• Partner with executive leadership and Business Development on capture strategy, customer requirements, competitive positioning, price-to-win considerations, and probability-of-win improvement.
• Maintain accountability for RFQ/RFP requirements, proposal quality, deadlines, and successful submission outcomes.

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field.
• 3+ years of experience managing large defense proposals.
• Demonstrated experience developing technical and cost proposal volumes.
• Proven ability to manage complex proposals through successful, on-time submission.
• Strong proposal management and RFQ/RFP response-development capabilities.
• Experience interpreting statements of work and complex solicitation requirements.
• Strong technical writing and editing skills.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Ability to coordinate multiple contributors and priorities while operating under aggressive deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience managing or leading proposals for large U.S. Government solicitations.
• Experience leading proposals involving munitions, weapons platforms, or similar Department of Defense products.
• Knowledge of the U.S. Government acquisition process.
• Experience with capture strategy, competitive analysis, and price-to-win concepts.
• Experience with or certification in a structured proposal-management methodology, such as Shipley.

Leadership Profile

The successful candidate will combine advanced proposal-management expertise with strong project leadership and the ability to influence them without formal authority. This role requires someone who can bring together geographically and functionally diverse subject matter experts, create structure around complex pursuits, and drive teams toward common deadlines and high-quality outcomes.

We are particularly interested in candidates who demonstrate:

Proposal Strategy | Technical Writing & Editing | Planning & Deadline Management | Cross Functional Leadership | Strategic Thinking | Influence & Stakeholder Management | Decision Making | Business Acumen | Driving Results

Location & Travel

This position is based in Tampa, Florida and will operate in a hybrid environment, with the expectation that the Proposal Manager will report to the UDC Tampa office as required.

Periodic travel of approximately 25% is expected to UDC production facilities in Kansas City, Missouri and Marshall, Texas, as well as supplier locations and customer meetings. Initial travel to production locations should be expected.

Additional Requirements

• Must be able to work extended hours when necessary to support major proposal deadlines.

Why UDC?

This is an opportunity to join UDC during a period of significant growth and take a key role in shaping competitive proposals that support commercial opportunities and critical U.S. Government and international programs.

What UDC Offers

• Professional Development and Advancement Opportunities

Ultra Defense Corporation is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.