Pursuit & Proposals Specialist

Cooley LLP; Reston (VA); Hybrid; USD 45,000 - 66,000; Full time

Job summary

Cooley LLP is seeking a Pursuit & Proposals Specialist to join the Marketing and Client Development team. You will coordinate high-priority pursuits, manage timelines, and tailor content to client needs, ensuring materials reflect win strategies and quality standards.

Ideal candidates have 3+ years in pursuits/ proposals, experience writing/editing proposals, and proficiency with Microsoft Office, iManage, and pursuit tools like Templify/Foundation. Hybrid schedule offered.

Qualifications

• 3+ years of marketing or business development experience in pursuits and proposals.
• Experience writing and editing proposals.
• Experience with pursuit technologies such as Templify and Foundation.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and iManage.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on coordination for high-priority pursuits and proposals.
• Manage pursuit workflows and timelines across the firm.
• Tailor content to client needs and ensure alignment with win strategies.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams to support submissions.
• Maintain standardized pursuit tools and templates for efficiency.

Skills

Proposal writing

Proposal editing

Attention to detail

Digital-first mindset

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Office suite

iManage

Templify

Foundation

Job description

Pursuit & Proposals Specialist

Location: New York, Santa Monica, Los Angeles, Palo Alto, Chicago, Washington DC, Boston, Colorado, Seattle, San Francisco, San Diego, Reston

Time Type: Full time

Job Description

Pursuit & Proposals Specialist

Cooley is seeking a Pursuit & Proposals Specialist to join the Marketing and Client Development team.

About Cooley: Cooley is a global law firm with an expansive practice and more than 3,000 employees and partners worldwide. We value and celebrate diverse perspectives and strive to create a workplace where every individual can thrive. At the core of Cooley’s success is the exceptional talent and unwavering spirit of our people. We embrace individuality while fostering a ‘one-firm’ culture where collaboration and creativity thrive. Our people are the foundation of our success and the driving force behind everything we do.

Hybrid Schedule Philosophy: As part of the Cooley culture, we recognize and appreciate the value of being together, in person, to build comradery with others in the office and to be a contributing member of the Cooley office. However, we also appreciate the benefits and flexibility that come from remote working. As such, the default assumption for employees and partners is a hybrid schedule: some in-office presence and some work from home days absent certain essential in-office roles that require five (5) days/week in-office.

Position summary: This role is part of the Pursuit and Proposals Team, which supports pursuit, pitch, and proposal execution for priority opportunities, while also helping shape win strategy, coach teams, and build a more consistent and scalable pursuit model. Responsible for providing hands-on coordination and execution for strategic opportunities, managing pursuit workflows, tracking timelines, tailoring content to client needs, and ensuring materials align with established win strategies, messaging, and quality standards. Specific duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

Position responsibilities:

• Proposal & Pitch Production: Support the development of high-impact proposals and pitch materials, ensuring all content is clear, compelling, well-structured, and delivered on time for high-priority opportunities.
• Tactical Workflow Coordination: Manage the daily workflow of pursuit tasks to ensure the necessary support and materials are provided for opportunities across the firm.
• Win Strategy Support: Assist in the practical application of win themes, positioning, and messaging, ensuring materials reflect the firm’s differentiators as defined for each opportunity.
• Client-Specific Content Alignment: Work with teams to tailor pursuit materials to specific client needs, ensuring the firm’s value proposition is accurately reflected and relevant to the target audience.
• High-Importance Pursuit Execution: Provide direct, hands‑on support for the firm’s largest or most significant pursuits, focusing on the tactical execution and quality control required for success.
• Pursuit Project Coordination: Support the project management of large or cross‑functional pursuits by tracking timelines, workstreams, and inputs to keep key opportunities moving forward.
• Operational Support & Tool Utilization: Utilize and maintain standardized pursuit tools, templates, and playbooks to increase efficiency and support a scalable model for proposal development.
• Process Compliance & Best Practices: Follow a consistent approach to how pursuits are managed, ensuring that standard best practices and firm-wide templates are applied to every project.
• All other duties as assigned or required

Skills and experience:

Required:

• After orientation at Cooley LLP, exhibit proficiency in the Microsoft Office suite, iManage and other firm applications
• Available to work overtime, as required
• 3+ years applicable experience in the field (e.g., marketing or business development, preferably with an emphasis working in a pursuits and proposals function)
• Experience writing and editing proposals
• Working knowledge of pursuit technologies (e.g., Templify and Foundation)

Preferred:

Bachelor’s degree

• Prior legal industry or professional services experience

Competencies:

• Excellent attention to detail
• Approaches tasks through a lens of quality and consistency
• Approaches tasks through a digital first lens
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Ability to organize, prioritize and coordinate multiple activities
• Works with team to set goals, drive projects, and achieve outcomes
• Strong judgment
• Team‑player with collaborative spirit
• Unwavering ability to handle and maintain confidentiality regarding firm information, projects, client data
• High level of professionalism at all times

Cooley offers a competitive compensation and excellent benefits package and is committed to fair and equitable employment practices. EOE.

The expected hourly pay range for this position with a work schedule of 40 hours per week is $33.00 - $48.00 ($68,640.00 - $99,840.00 annually). Please note that final offer amount will be dependent on geographic location, applicable experience and skillset of the candidate.

We offer a full range of elective benefits including medical, health savings account (with applicable medical plan), dental, vision, health and/or dependent care flexible spending accounts, pre-tax commuter benefits, life insurance, AD&D, long-term care coverage, backup care for children and/or adults and other parental support benefits. In addition to elective benefit options, benefited employees receive firm-paid life insurance, AD&D, LTD, short term medical benefits as well as 20 days of Paid Time Off (“PTO”) and 10 paid holidays each year. We provide generous parental leave and fertility benefits. New employees will attend a detailed benefit orientation to learn more about our many benefits and resources.