Senior Proposal Lead, Space Systems

Rocket Lab; Long Beach (CA); On-site; USD 94,000 - 144,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity grant

Stock purchase program

Medical plans

Dental and vision

Paid time off

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA seeks a Senior Proposal Manager I to create compliant, compelling proposals for US and international customers, focusing on Space Systems opportunities. You will develop proposal plans, coordinate with engineering, finance, legal, and other teams, and manage content from kickoff to submission.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in proposal management, strong technical writing, and proven ability to lead cross-functional teams to win high-value

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in technical, management, or business discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in proposal management.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance.
• Demonstrated success leading proposals with values greater than $100 million.
• Technical writing expertise, translating complex technical information into clear, concise, persuasive language.
• Project management experience coordinating multiple projects and meeting deadlines.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams to achieve proposal objectives.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute proposal plans, including analyzing RFPs, outlines, and compliance matrices.
• Collaborate with BD Manager/Director to craft winning strategies and messaging.
• Write and manage compliant, high-quality proposals addressing RFP requirements.
• Take responsibility for volumes of proposals, ensuring quality and alignment with strategy.
• Lead proposal kick-off meetings and regular check-ins to meet timelines.
• Coordinate with internal teams (engineering, finance, legal) to refine content.
• Create and manage proposal templates, reusable content, and visuals (charts, tables, infographics).
• Conduct quality assurance reviews for grammar, consistency, and formatting.
• Oversee final production and submission to meet customer requirements.
• Document lessons learned and suggest process improvements for future proposals.
• Support travel as needed (~10%).

Skills

Proposal management

Technical writing

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Microsoft Word

Excel

Salesforce

SharePoint

Job description

Rocket Lab in Long Beach, CA seeks a Senior Proposal Manager I to create compliant, compelling proposals for US and international customers, focusing on Space Systems opportunities. You will develop proposal plans, coordinate with engineering, finance, legal, and other teams, and manage content from kickoff to submission.

The ideal candidate has a bachelor’s degree and 5+ years in proposal management, strong technical writing, and proven ability to lead cross-functional teams to win high-value