Proposals Manager

aijoblist; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 120,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health coverage

Retirement benefits

Learning and development stipend

Generous PTO

Commuter stipend

Job summary

Scale AI, a rapidly growing startup in Washington, is seeking a Proposals Manager for its Public Sector business. This role focuses on delivering AI/ML solutions to the U.S. Federal Government, requiring strong analytical skills and exceptional written communication.

The ideal candidate will manage proposal processes, ensuring compliance while collaborating with cross-functional teams. Compensation includes a salary range of $120,000 - $175,000 USD, alongside benefits like health coverage and PTO.

Qualifications

• 3–6+ years of experience in Federal proposals management, preferably in technology or defense.
• Proven ability to lead complex proposals in compliance with government requirements.
• Demonstrated management of multiple proposals under tight deadlines.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end proposal development process.
• Drive the creation of customer-focused proposal narratives.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to gather technical inputs.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations.

Skills

Proposals management

Analytical skills

Written communication

Project management

Attention to detail

Education

3–6+ years of experience in Federal proposals management

Eligibility for a U.S. Top Secret security clearance

Tools

FAR/DFARS knowledge

Job description

Scale is a rapidly growing venture‑backed startup that is changing the way organizations around the world build AI applications. We are looking for a highly driven and operationally focused Proposals Manager to support our growing Public Sector business, with a particular focus on delivering AI/ML solutions to the U.S. Federal Government.

Proposals Manager (Public Sector)

Scale is at the forefront of enabling the next wave of AI/ML technologies for the U.S. government, and we are expanding our Public Sector Proposals team to help drive this mission. This position requires a self‑motivated, independent operator who is deeply analytical, hands‑on, and able to thrive in a rapidly changing, high‑stakes environment. You must be comfortable taking ownership of your work and driving initiatives forward with exceptional written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end‑to‑end proposal development process for U.S. Federal opportunities, including RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, and unsolicited proposals.
• Drive the creation of compelling, compliant, and customer‑focused proposal narratives that clearly articulate Scale’s technical solutions, differentiators, and value.
• Collaborate with GTM, engineering, product, security, and legal teams to gather technical inputs and translate them into accessible proposal language.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR/DFARS), solicitation requirements, and agency‑specific guidelines.
• Develop and manage proposal schedules, assignments, and workflows to ensure timely submission of high‑quality responses.
• Maintain and expand a reusable library of proposal content, past performance references, resumes, and templates to streamline future responses.
• Coordinate and facilitate color team reviews, compliance checks, and executive approvals.
• Track and analyze win/loss outcomes, capturing lessons learned to improve future proposal strategy and execution.

Requirements

• 3–6+ years of experience in Federal proposals management, ideally with technology, defense, or AI/ML organizations.
• Eligible for a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
• Proven ability to lead complex, deadline‑driven proposals in compliance with government solicitation requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent proposals under tight deadlines with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to simplify complex technical information for diverse audiences.
• Strong knowledge of government contracting processes, FAR/DFARS compliance, and proposal best practices (Shipley or equivalent).
• Experience collaborating cross‑functionally with sales, technical, and executive stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage compliance matrices, checklists, and review cycles.

Nice to have

• Prior experience supporting proposals for AI/ML, data science, cloud, or advanced technology offerings.
• Familiarity with government acquisition pathways such as OTAs, SBIRs, BAAs, and IDIQ task orders.
• Active U.S. security clearance (Secret or higher).
• Experience in a startup or high‑growth environment.

Compensation packages at Scale for eligible roles include base salary, equity, and benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target for new hire salaries for the position and may be inclusive of several career levels at Scale; it will be determined during the interview process based on work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, qualifications, interview performance, and relevant education or training. Scale employees in eligible roles are also granted equity‑based compensation, subject to Board of Director approval. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process, and confirm whether the hired role will be eligible for equity grant. You’ll also receive benefits including, but not limited to: comprehensive health, dental and vision coverage, retirement benefits, a learning and development stipend, and generous PTO. Additionally, this role may be eligible for additional benefits such as a commuter stipend.

Please reference the job posting’s subtitle for where this position will be located. For pay transparency purposes, the base salary range for this full‑time position in the locations of Washington DC and Colorado is:

$120,000 - $175,000 USD

PLEASE NOTE: Our policy requires a 90‑day waiting period before reconsidering candidates for the same role. This allows us to ensure a fair and thorough evaluation of all applicants.

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability status, gender identity or Veteran status.

We are committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to applicants with physical and mental disabilities. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation in the application or recruiting process due to a disability, please contact us at [e-mail]. Please see the United States Department of Labor’s Know Your Rights poster for additional information.

We comply with the United States Department of Labor’s Pay Transparency provision.