Proposal Specialist

CDW; Pennsylvania; On-site; USD 67,000 - 97,000; Full time

Job summary

CDW is seeking a Proposal Specialist with Graphic Design expertise to craft visually compelling, compliant proposal responses that clearly communicate value and align with brand standards. The role blends proposal writing with advanced graphic design to produce high-quality customer-facing documents.

When not supporting proposals, you will partner with team members to create graphics or post-submission collateral such as customer presentations, infographics, and data visuals, maintaining

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in relevant field or equivalent experience.
• 3+ years of experience in proposal development, technical writing, or coordination.
• Experience producing professional graphics for proposals or client-facing documents.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) or equivalent tools.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines.
• Experience with formal RFP responses is a plus; familiarity with Shipley/APMP practices is beneficial.
• Experience with proposal automation tools is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support end-to-end proposal development for RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, and proactive proposals.
• Collaborate with proposal managers, sales teams, SMEs, pricing, and leadership to gather content.
• Ensure proposals are compliant with customer instructions, evaluation criteria, and deadlines.
• Edit, proofread, and format proposal content for clarity, consistency, and accuracy.
• Manage multiple deadlines in fast-paced environments.
• Incorporate feedback from proposal reviews and post-submission lessons learned.
• Design and produce proposal graphics, including infographics, diagrams, workflows, timelines, process maps, charts, tables, data visualizations, cover designs, section dividers, and callout elements.
• Apply visual storytelling principles to translate complex technical or business concepts into clear, compelling visuals.
• Ensure all visuals align with corporate branding, accessibility standards, and proposal best practices.
• Optimize layouts for readability and evaluator experience.
• Leverage proposal automation and document tools (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, InDesign, proposal software platforms).
• Ensure consistent branding, typography, color usage, and formatting across all deliverables.
• Stay current on proposal design trends, visual communication best practices, and accessibility guidelines.

Skills

Proposal writing

Coordination

Graphic design

Visual storytelling

Brand standards

Accessibility guidelines

Attention to detail

Deadline management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Marketing, English, or related field

Tools

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

InDesign

Illustrator

Photoshop

QorusDocs

Loopio

RFPIO

Job description

Job Summary

The Proposal Specialist with Graphic Design expertise is responsible for developing visually compelling, compliant, and persuasive proposal responses in support of sales efforts. This role blends strong proposal writing and coordination skills with advanced graphic design capabilities to produce high-quality, customer-facing documents that clearly communicate value, differentiate solutions, and align with brand standards. When the Proposal Specialist is not supporting proposals, they will partner with team members to create graphics and/or post-submission collateral like customer presentations.

Description

The Proposal Specialist with Graphic Design expertise is responsible for developing visually compelling, compliant, and persuasive proposal responses in support of sales efforts. This role blends strong proposal writing and coordination skills with advanced graphic design capabilities to produce high-quality, customer-facing documents that clearly communicate value, differentiate solutions, and align with brand standards. When the Proposal Specialist is not supporting proposals, they will partner with team members to create graphics and/or post-submission collateral like customer presentations.

What You Will Do

• Support end-to-end proposal development for RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, and proactive proposals
• Collaborate with proposal managers, sales teams, SMEs, pricing, and leadership to gather content
• Ensure proposals are compliant with customer instructions, evaluation criteria, and deadlines
• Edit, proofread, and format proposal content for clarity, consistency, and accuracy
• Manage multiple deadlines in fast-paced environments
• Incorporate feedback from proposal reviews and post-submission lessons learned
• Design and produce proposal graphics, including infographics, diagrams, workflows, timelines, process maps, charts, tables, data visualizations, cover designs, section dividers, and callout elements
• Apply visual storytelling principles to translate complex technical or business concepts into clear, compelling visuals
• Ensure all visuals align with corporate branding, accessibility standards, and proposal best practices
• Optimize layouts for readability and evaluator experience
• Leverage proposal automation and document tools (e.g., Word, PowerPoint, InDesign, proposal software platforms)
• Ensure consistent branding, typography, color usage, and formatting across all deliverables
• Stay current on proposal design trends, visual communication best practices, and accessibility guidelines

What We Expect Of You

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Graphic Design, Marketing, English, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• 3+ years of experience in proposal development, technical writing, or proposal coordination
• Demonstrated experience producing professional graphics for proposals or client-facing documents
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint
• Advanced proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) or equivalent tools
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work under tight deadlines
• Experience supporting formal RFP responses in a corporate or government environment, is a plus
• Familiarity with proposal methodologies (e.g., Shipley, APMP best practices), is a plus
• Experience with proposal automation tools (e.g., QorusDocs, Loopio, RFPIO), is a plus
• Understanding of accessibility standards (Section 508 / WCAG), is a plus
• APMP certification (Foundation or Practitioner), is a plus

Pay range: $67,000 - $97,200 depending on experience and skill set

Annual bonus target of 5% subject to terms and conditions of plan

Benefits overview: https://cdw.benefit-info.com/

Salary ranges may be subject to geographic differentials

CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization

We're looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner's mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances—not replaces—human creativity and decision-making. You don't need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work.

Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that's curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what's possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.

About Us

CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what's possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn't just what we do—it's how we do it. At CDW we act as one—building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win—focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward—staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That's why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees—working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities.

As a full‑stack, full‑lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what's next.

Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do.

Together, we Make Amazing Happen.

CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.