Senior Proposal Manager

SYSTRA USA; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 135,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

SYSTRA USA is seeking a senior leader to drive strategy and execution of major, high-value pursuits for public rail and transit clients. You will manage end-to-end proposals from capture planning through interview prep, mentor junior staff, and shape winning strategies and messaging.

Based in the NY/NJ region with a hybrid schedule (1 day in office, 4 remote), you will collaborate cross-functionally with technical teams, subconsultants, and procurement partners, ensuring compelling content and

Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience leading proposals for professional services, with a strong background working with public agency procurements.
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with an ability to synthesize technical concepts into compelling prose.
• Strong project management skills with a demonstrated ability to perform under tight deadlines and exercise sound independent judgment.
• Proficiency in Adobe InDesign and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook).

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end pursuit process for major rail/transit projects.
• Mentor proposal managers and coordinators to improve strategies and writing.
• Craft persuasive win themes and differentiators for clients.
• Oversee layout and visual design of proposals and presentations.
• Coach interview preparations and client presentations.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and data management in systems.

Skills

Adobe InDesign

Microsoft Office

Leadership

Proposal management

Communication

Education

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

Tools

Adobe Creative Cloud

Job description

SYSTRA delivers architecture, engineering and construction and program management services to our clients that offer public transportation, public education and public housing to our communities. We partner with public transportation owners and operators of bridges, buses, commuter and intercity, high-speed and light rail, mass rapid transit and tunnels, helping them provide safe, efficient and reliable public transportation. SYSTRA also serves public facility authorities that provide safe, attractive, and environmentally sound public schools and offer affordable housing to communities. Ranked 18th in US mass transit and rail design by Engineering News-Record (ENR), SYSTRA has been a trusted partner to public agencies and operators throughout the US since 1985 and employs nearly 200 personnel nationwide. Part of SYSTRA Group, a world-leading engineering and consulting firm, SYSTRA is supported by the over 10,500 employees worldwide. Using a collaborative approach built on the firm’s value of Connected Teams, we provide our clients and partners access to the best skills worldwide via sharing information, tools, best practices, and processes.

About the Role

In this role, you will lead the strategy and execution of major, high-value pursuits and proposals for key public agencies across the US rail and transit market. As a senior leader within the proposal team, you will not only drive complex, high-stakes proposals from capture planning through interview preparation, but you will also serve as a mentor and guide to junior and mid-level staff leading their own pursuits. Position is full time, and hybrid (1 day a week in office, 4 days remote to start). Offices in NYC, Newark and Bloomfield, NJ.

The ideal candidate is a strategic thinker, highly organized leader, and compelling storyteller with experience navigating public agency procurement. Experience in the rail/transit and A/E/C sectors is a plus.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Pursuit & Leadership

• Major Pursuit Execution: Independently manage the end-to-end pursuit process, from early capture planning and strategy sessions to proposal development and final interview preparation, for major and complex public-sector rail/transit projects.
• Team Mentorship & Guidance: Act as a functional leader and mentor to proposal managers and coordinator, helping elevate pursuit strategies, writing quality, and proposal management practices across the team.
• Win Strategy & Messaging: Facilitate strategy workshops with pursuit teams and technical leads to craft persuasive value propositions, win themes, and key differentiators that showcase SYSTRA’s competitive advantages.

Content Development & Design Management

• Compelling Storytelling & Technical Writing: Translate complex technical/engineering input into crisp, persuasive narratives. Elevate overall writing quality through clear callouts, graphics, and compelling messaging tailored to agency evaluators.
• Visual & Layout Quality: Oversee the conceptualization, layout, and visual design of marketing materials, proposals, and presentations, ensuring alignment with brand standards and maximum readability.
• Presentation & Interview Coaching: Lead interview preparation sessions to deliver impactful, cohesive client presentations.

Process Management & System Oversight

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Serve as a liaison with internal technical staff, corporate leadership, subconsultants, teaming partners, and agency procurement representatives.
• Continuous Improvement: Facilitate structured proposal debriefs to gather lessons learned, refine processes, and track competitiveness.
• System & Data Management: Oversee and implement proposal closeout protocols, ensuring proposal materials, graphics, resumes, and project data are accurately archived in SYSTRA systems.

Qualifications

• Experience: 8+ years of experience leading proposals for professional services sectors, with a strong background working with public agency procurements.
• Leadership & Mentorship: Experience leading pursuit teams and mentoring junior/mid-level proposal staff.
• Technical Communication: Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills, with an ability to synthesize technical concepts into compelling prose.
• Software Proficiency: High proficiency in Adobe Creative Cloud (specifically InDesign) and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook).
• Execution: Strong project management skills with a demonstrated ability to perform under tight deadlines and exercise sound independent judgment.

Preferred Background

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, English, or a related field.
• Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industry's standard approach to procurement of professional services—8+ years of AEC industry experience preferred, ideally Transit / Infrastructure
• Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire proposal team members.
• Ability and desire to travel and engage with clients in-person across the NY/NJ region.
• Preference is given to local candidates.

Pay range and compensation package

Salary Range: $135,000 - $160,000, SYSTRA USA is providing the compensation range that the company believes it might pay and/or offer for this position, based on the successful applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities in addition to internal equity and specific geographic location.

Equal Opportunity Statement

SYSTRA USA is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Sponsorship assistance is not available for this position.