Pursuit & Proposal Manager

Socket.dev; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 95,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Healthcare coverage

HSA with employer match

FSA program

Life Insurance

Long-term disability

PTO & holidays

Retirement plan

Licensure assistance

Job summary

CPL is seeking a Pursuit & Proposal Manager in the United States to lead the pursuit lifecycle. You will partner with Principals and marketing to develop compelling narratives, drive proposal quality, and mentor a team of coordinators. You will manage workloads, debriefs, and continuous improvement initiatives to win bids.

The role emphasizes strategy, storytelling, and collaboration across practice groups, with responsibility for on-time, on-brand submissions and a culture of excellence.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in proposal management, pursuits, or AEC marketing.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience crafting technical proposals and leading pursuits, driving a compelling narrative.
• Experience leading, coaching, and mentoring junior proposal team members.
• Experience in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Lead and continuously improve pursuit, proposal, and interview preparation processes across the firm.
• Partner with Principals and practice leaders to evaluate opportunities, shape go/no-go decisions, and develop winning pursuit strategies.
• Facilitate proposal kickoff and strategy sessions that set teams up for success from day one.
• Ensure proposals and presentations are delivered on time, on brand, and with exceptional quality.
• Mentor and develop Marketing Coordinators, strengthening proposal writing, quality assurance, organization, and pursuit management capabilities.
• Manage proposal workloads and team capacity to support efficient delivery and resource planning.
• Conduct proposal and interview debriefs, capturing lessons learned and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership, coaching, performance feedback, and career development support to team members.
• Help foster a culture of collaboration, learning, accountability, and pursuit of excellence.

Skills

Proposal management

Leadership

Storytelling

Cross-functional collaboration

Mentoring

Job description

Why This Role Matters:

As Pursuit & Proposal Manager at CPL you will be passionate about transforming opportunities into wins, thrive at the intersection of strategy, storytelling, and business development and lead our pursuit process

In this highly visible leadership role, you'll partner with Principals, practice leaders, and marketing professionals across the firm to develop compelling pursuits, strengthen proposal performance, and mentor a talented team of coordinators.

What You Will Do:

• Lead and continuously improve pursuit, proposal, and interview preparation processes across the firm.
• Partner with Principals and practice leaders to evaluate opportunities, shape go/no-go decisions, and develop winning pursuit strategies.
• Facilitate proposal kickoff and strategy sessions that set teams up for success from day one.
• Ensure proposals and presentations are delivered on time, on brand, and with exceptional quality.
• Mentor and develop Marketing Coordinators, strengthening proposal writing, quality assurance, organization, and pursuit management capabilities.
• Manage proposal workloads and team capacity to support efficient delivery and resource planning.
• Conduct proposal and interview debriefs, capturing lessons learned and identifying opportunities for continuous improvement.
• Provide leadership, coaching, performance feedback, and career development support to team members.
• Help foster a culture of collaboration, learning, accountability, and pursuit of excellence.

What You Bring:

• 7+ years of experience in proposal management, pursuits, or AEC marketing.
• Proven ability to communicate effectively with leadership, Principals, and cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience crafting technical proposals and leading pursuits, driving a compelling and engaging narrative.
• Experience leading, coaching, and mentoring junior proposal team members.
• Experience working successfully in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments.
• Exceptional organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

What We Offer:

Benefits for Regular Full-Time & Part-Time Employees Working 30+ Hours/Week

• Healthcare for you and your family: Medical, Dental & Vision insurance
  • Single HDHP Medical plan with 100% paid premium
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with employer match
• Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• FREE Life Insurance and AD&D Insurance
• Voluntary Life Insurance for you and your family
• FREE Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance
• PTO + Sick Time + 8 Holidays per year
• Retirement Savings Plan with contribution from CPL to grow your retirement funds
• Internal Mobility & Career Advancement
• Licensure Assistance

Additional benefits available to FT Employees Working 40+ Hours/Week

• Tuition Assistance: You may be eligible for continuing education assistance
• Student Loan Assistance Program: CPL will contribute up to $100/month for 5 years ($6,000 total) toward student loan debt

What Does It Look Like Working Here?

We believe that building a strong community is about establishing a prevailing sense of fellowship among our team members, friends, and neighbors.

• Collaboration– working with others towards the best solution, placing great emphasis on the collective wisdom of our internal teams.
• Family–celebrating others’ successes, genuinely caring about the happiness and well-being of our team members and recognizing their own families as extensions of the CPL family.
• Fun– not taking one's too seriously, fully understanding that fun at work is conducive to productivity.
• Inspiration– contributing to an uplifting workplace that facilitates growth and success by maintaining a positive, upbeatattitude.
• Integrity– doing what is ethically right and providing reliable follow-through oncommitments.
• Ingenuity– seeking new opportunities and consistently identifying unexpected and practical ways to solveproblems.

The rate for this position generally ranges between $95,000 to $120,000 annually. This range is a good faith estimate provided pursuant to the New York Pay Transparency Law. It is based on what a successful New York applicant might be paid and assumes that the successful candidate will be in New York or perform the position from New York. Similar positions located outside of New York will not necessarily receive the same compensation. Actual pay rates may vary from the range, as permitted by New York Equal Pay Transparency Law. Compensation offers will be based on various factors, including operational needs, individual education, qualifications and experience, work location and comparison to employees already in the role, as well as other considerations permitted by law. A potential new employee's pay history will not be used in compensation decisions.

CPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and as such affirms the right of every person to participate in all aspects of employment without regard to gender, race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, sexual orientation, pregnancy, disability, citizenship, military or veteran status, gender expression and/or identity, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law