Senior Proposal Specialist

GFT; Raleigh (NC); Hybrid; USD 75,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work environment

Wellness programs

Pet insurance

Tuition reimbursement

401(k) savings plan

PTO accrual

Job summary

GFT is seeking a Senior Proposal Specialist to join our Raleigh hybrid team. This role centers on managing complex proposals for transportation and infrastructure projects, providing capture support, and coordinating cross-functional input with the strategic growth office.

The ideal candidate has notable proposal experience in the AEC sector, strong writing/editing skills, and the ability to lead interviews and manage CRM opportunities.

Qualifications

• Normally a 4-year degree required in English, marketing, journalism, communications, or applicable field.
• Experience leading and coordinating multi-disciplinary proposal teams.
• Strong writing and editing skills with the ability to develop win themes and executive summaries.

Responsibilities

• Lead 1 complex proposal while coordinating smaller proposals.
• Coordinate interview teams and prepare content.
• Provide strategic writing and editing support for qualifications and resumes.

Skills

Proposal experience

Capture planning

CRM usage

Interpersonal skills

Independent work

Education

Bachelor's degree in English/Marketing/Journalism/Communications

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

What You Will Do

GFT is seeking a Senior Proposal Specialist to join our Raleigh team! This role will follow a hybrid work model.

Experience preparing proposals for NCDOT and North Carolina local government proposal experience, is a must for this role.

At GFT, we’re not just pursuing projects—we’re strategically capturing opportunities that shape our communities. The Strategic Growth Office is the engine behind GFT’s enterprise-wide growth. It fuels our most significant pursuits by aligning talent, insights, and strategy to win complex, high-impact projects. From vision through delivery, we partner across all Business Groups to develop compelling, competitive proposals that reflect our core values and technical excellence.

What You’ll Be Challenged To Do

The Senior Proposal Specialist manages proposals and presentations, provides capture support, and may assist with client management support. The position supports one or more regional business lines or a global business line.

In this capacity, the successful candidate will be responsible for the following:

Proposals

• Able to lead 1 complex proposal concurrent with other smaller proposal
• May Lead Sections for complex proposal
• Able to organize and coordinate interview team to prepare the content
• Work is regularly monitored and overseen by Manager for messaging and quality
• Compiles and distributes meeting notes, action items, and review comments from all proposal meetings
• Performs detailed analysis of SOQ and RFP requirements; prepares compliance matrices/outlines and schedules according to corporate proposal best practices
• Organizes and coordinates proposal resources (project management/technical team input, proposal support, subconsultant input, and graphics/print teams)
• Ensures completion of all assignments, review of all work, and adherence to internal best practices and quality control objectives
• Provides strategic writing and editing support for: all general qualifications; executive summaries; win themes; personnel resumes, project descriptions, summary paragraphs, action captions, and benefit statements
• Enters and tracks opportunities and proposals in CRM
• Supports sales interview teams, schedules/facilitates kick-off meeting and rehearsals, and prepares presentation and supporting materials

Capture Planning

• Facilitate capture plan support for short- to- medium length capture phase/simple pursuits with close oversight/participation by manager for assurance of best practice implementation
• Liaise with respective MARCOM staff during capture planning to coordinate early input, as required
• No authority to flex within the framework of best practices
• Keeps all CRM documentation updated

Client Management

• Coordinates client management team activities for Tier 2 clients
• Participates in Tier 1 client management activities/ and or coordinates closely with Tier 1 client manager to assure the scheduling and note-taking of client management team meetings
• Coordinate with respective MARCOM to define needs for support
• Requires oversight, participation, feedback, and input from Manager/senior level BD
• Provides research support, scheduling, and organization of information to other Tier 1 clients
• Formats/edits client management plans in accordance with company templates and standards
• Other duties as assigned.

Education | Experience:

• Normally a 4-year degree required in English, marketing, journalism, communications, or applicable field is required

What You Will Bring To Our Firm

• Normally a 4-year degree required in English, marketing, journalism, communications, or applicable field is required

What We Prefer You Bring

• Normally a minimum of 5 years of combined prior proposal experience is required and in the AEC industry leading, coordinating, planning, and developing architectural-engineering-construction proposals and qualifications, including section writing experience
• Will have demonstrated a progressively increasing level of responsibility during the past 1 year (minimum)
• Excellent inter-personal and communication skills
• Able to work with some degree of independence to execute proposal lifecycle

Compensation

The salary range for this role is $75,000 - $95,000. Salary is dependent upon experience and geographic location.

Featured Benefits

• Hybrid work environment.
• Comprehensive benefits package including wellness programs, parental leave, and pet insurance, in addition to medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance.
• Tax-deferred 401(k) savings plan.
• Competitive paid-time-off (PTO) accrual.
• Tuition reimbursement for continued education.
• Commitment to professional development, access to internal and external training programs, and support of active participation in professional organizations
• Incentive compensation for eligible positions.

Company Overview

At GFT, a privately held AEC firm, we innovate where transportation, water, power, and buildings converge. We call this the Infrastructure of Life. We measure our success by the strength of our relationships – that’s why we’re the employer of choice for 5,000+ of the industry’s brightest engineers, planners, architects, inspectors, designers, and more.

Our clients choose us for our expertise and prefer us for our nimble approach, creativity, and personal touch. Backed by over a century’s experience, together we’re building a lasting legacy for future generations: stronger communities, a healthier planet, and better lives.

GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives™ is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans’ status or other characteristics protected by law.

Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.

GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.

Location: Raleigh

Core Business Hours: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

Employment Status: Full-Time