Water Proposal Manager

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

At HDR, our employee-owners are fully engaged in creating a welcoming environment where each of us is valued and respected, a place where everyone is empowered to bring their authentic selves and novel ideas to work every day. As we foster a culture of inclusion throughout our company and within our communities, we constantly ask ourselves: What is our impact on the world?

Watch Our Story: 'https://www.hdrinc.com/our-story'

Each and every role throughout our organization makes a difference in our ability to change the world for the better. Read further to learn how you could help make great things possible not only in your community, but around the world.

We believe water is more than a resource, it's a shared responsibility. As part of our Water Business Group, you’ll help shape how communities manage water for generations to come. From delivering safe drinking water and treating wastewater responsibly to developing sustainable water supplies and protecting lives and property through flood control, your work will directly support public health, environmental sustainability, and infrastructure resilience. We bring together experts across disciplines to solve complex challenges with bold thinking and technical excellence. Whether you're modernizing aging systems or pioneering innovative approaches, your contributions will make a meaningful difference in people’s lives. This isn’t just a job, it's a chance to lead change, drive progress, and leave a lasting legacy.

As a Proposal Manager, you’ll sit at the center of some of our most important pursuits and work with our talented technical teams to turn complex ideas into compelling, client‑focused stories that win work and make a real difference. This role is ideal for someone who thrives in fast‑paced pursuits, enjoys shaping strategy and messaging, and loves bringing structure and momentum to high‑visibility efforts. This role will lead pursuit execution from early planning through final delivery, working closely with business development, project managers, and technical experts. Your impact will be felt across proposals, interviews, and client presentations.

In the role of Water Proposal Manager, we'll count on you to:

• Lead and guide pursuit teams through capture planning and proposal development, creating and implementing effective win strategies
• Facilitate creation of persuasive proposal and interview materials resulting in messaging that is client‑focused, differentiated, and consistent
• Develop and produce proposals, work plans, and schedules and confirm compliance with RFP/RFQ documents
• Write, edit, and refine non‑technical content, translating complex technical concepts into clear, compelling narratives
• Coordinate layouts and graphics in alignment with HDR brand standards and proposal best practices
• Lead proposal reviews (Blue, Red, QC, and final checks), guiding teams through revisions and recovery
• Prepare and coach interview teams, supporting storyboarding, rehearsal, and presentation delivery
• Engage and coordinate technical staff, marketing partners, and subconsultants to keep pursuits moving forward smoothly
• Support client development efforts by aligning proposal execution and messaging with established client strategies
• Maintain accurate pursuit information in HDR business development systems (Oracle/EBS, Oscar)
• Facilitate pursuit debriefs to capture lessons learned and continuously improve competitiveness
• Mentor and support teammates, sharing proposal, marketing, and pursuit best practices
• Other duties as assigned

Keywords: Proposal Manager, marketing, capture planning, proposal development, proposals

Preferred Qualifications

• A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience supporting A/E/C proposals or pursuits
• Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Excellent time management, organizational and strategic marketing communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work under tight deadlines with professionalism and diplomacy
• Willingness to travel within the Southern California Area as needed
• Ability to compose documents onscreen and to communicate graphically
• Interface with people both inside and outside the firm including clients and sub-consultants
• Ability to multi-task, prioritize, and work independently as well as in team environments
• Strength in managing multiple deadlines/multi-tasking skills while providing responsive communication
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills with emphasis on superior persuasive writing, and presentation; Interview coaching ability a plus
• Enjoy working with different personality styles and management levels
• Requires little or no direction in area of specialization
• Positive outlook and attitude
• Experience supporting pursuit planning and proposal development for competitive A/E/C pursuits; Water industry experience a plus
• Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industry's standard approach to procurement of professional services;
• Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience
• Demonstrated "self-starter" with a history of completing projects with limited oversight
• Experience in sales and developing effective win strategies
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign

What We Believe

HDR is our company. Together, we build on each other's life experiences and perspectives to make great things possible every day. This shapes our collaborative culture, encourages organizational trust and connects us closer to the clients and communities we serve.

Our Commitment

As employee owners, we all have a role in creating an inclusive environment where each of us is welcomed, valued, respected and empowered to bring our authentic selves to work every day.

Our eight Employee Network Groups (Asian Pacific, Black, Hispanic/Latino(a), LGBTQ+, People with Disabilities, Veterans, Women, Young Professionals) help create a sense of belonging and foster a supportive environment where everyone is empowered to engage and contribute. Each group has an executive sponsor and is open to all employees.

We provide a comprehensive benefits package that promotes employee ownership, employee health, performance, and success, which includes medical, dental, vision, short and long-term disability, life insurance, an employee assistance program, paid time away, parental leave, paid holidays, a retirement savings plan with employer match, employee referral bonus and tuition reimbursement. The expected compensation range for this position is $103,000 - $140,000 and depends upon skills, experience, education and geographical location. (Stated benefits are for full‑time regular positions. Temporary and part‑time roles eligible for limited benefits.)

Primary Location:United States-California-Irvine Other Locations:United States-California-Long Beach, United States-California-San Diego Industry:Water Schedule:Full-time Employee Status:Regular BusinessClass:Marketing and Admin Job Posting:Sep 8, 2026

At HDR, we are committed to the principles of employment equity. We are an Aff ... https://www.hdrinc.com/equal-employment-opportunity-employer). We consider all qualified applicants, regardless of criminal histories, arrest and conviction records.