Water Proposal Lead: Capture, Storytelling & Win Strategy

HDR; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 103,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

Life insurance

Employee assistance

Paid time off

Parental leave

Paid holidays

401(k) with match

Referral bonus

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

HDR is seeking a Proposal Manager in California to lead pursuit execution from planning through final delivery. You will work with business development, project managers, and technical experts to craft compelling, client-focused narratives and win strategies.

Ideal candidates have strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience in proposal development, cross-functional coordination, and branding alignment.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years relevant industry experience.
• Self-starter with limited oversight.
• Experience in sales and win strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficient in Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint; Adobe InDesign.

Responsibilities

• Lead pursuit teams through capture planning and proposal development.
• Create persuasive client-focused materials with consistent messaging.
• Develop proposals, work plans, and schedules; ensure RFP/RFQ compliance.
• Write and edit non-technical content; translate complex concepts clearly.
• Coordinate layouts aligning with HDR brand standards.
• Lead proposal reviews (Blue, Red, QC) and revisions.
• Prepare and coach interview teams for storyboarding and delivery.
• Engage technical staff, marketing partners, and subconsultants to keep pursuits moving.
• Maintain pursuit information in HDR systems and debrief for lessons learned.

Skills

Proposal writing

Storytelling

Time management

Client communication

Multi-project management

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

MS Office

InDesign

Job description

HDR is seeking a Proposal Manager in California to lead pursuit execution from planning through final delivery. You will work with business development, project managers, and technical experts to craft compelling, client-focused narratives and win strategies.

Ideal candidates have strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience in proposal development, cross-functional coordination, and branding alignment.