Role OverviewThe Proposal & Commercial Operations Manager is responsible for leading the company's proposal development, quotation process, and commercial execution infrastructure supporting the defense and maritime markets. This role serves as the central coordination point between Sales, Engineering, Operations, and Customer Service to ensure timely, accurate, and competitive responses to customer inquiries, RFQs, and RFPs.
The position will manage the company's proposal process from opportunity identification through submission, while also overseeing core commercial operations including pricing coordination, quotation management, and order flow support. This role plays a critical part in enabling growth across the company's elastomer, composite, and syntactic foam product lines supporting naval and maritime applications.
Key ResponsibilitiesProposal & RFP Management
- Lead the end-to-end development of customer proposals and RFP responses.
- Coordinate cross-functional inputs from Sales, Engineering, Quality, and Operations.
- Manage proposal schedules to ensure timely submissions.
- Ensure compliance with customer specifications and contractual requirements.
- Develop and maintain standardized proposal templates, compliance matrices, and response libraries.
Quotation & Pricing Coordination
- Manage the internal quotation process for customer RFQs.
- Coordinate with Engineering and Operations to develop accurate cost estimates and pricing strategies.
- Ensure technical and commercial alignment within quotations.
- Maintain pricing tools, quote tracking, and proposal documentation.
Commercial Operations Leadership
- Oversee day-to-day commercial support activities including quotation management and order intake processes.
- Support the transition of awarded contracts into order management and production planning.
- Ensure consistency and discipline in commercial documentation and customer communication.
Customer Service & Order Management Oversight
- Supervise customer service and order entry personnel supporting the business.
- Ensure accurate entry and processing of customer purchase orders.
- Maintain visibility into backlog and order status.
- Support communication with customers regarding order execution and delivery timelines.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Serve as the primary commercial interface between Sales, Engineering, and Operations.
- Support Sales and Business Development in preparing technical and commercial responses to customer inquiries.
- Work closely with program and project management to ensure alignment between proposals and execution.
Process Improvement
- Improve efficiency and consistency of proposal and quoting processes.
- Implement tools and workflows that enhance visibility into opportunity pipelines and proposal status.
- Develop metrics and reporting for proposal activity, win rates, and quote turnaround times.
Leadership Responsibilities
- Manage customer service and commercial support personnel.
- Establish clear processes for proposal development and commercial operations.
Provide guidance to sales and engineering teams on proposal structure and requirements
Education:- Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or related field required.
Qualifications:Experience
- 8+ years of experience in proposals, sales operations, commercial operations, or program support within manufacturing, defense, aerospace, or maritime industries.
- Experience managing complex RFQs/RFPs and technical proposals.
- Experience coordinating cross-functional teams in a technical manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with government and defense contracting environments is strongly preferred.
Skills
- Strong project management and organizational skills.
- Ability to manage multiple proposals and priorities simultaneously.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
- Strong analytical and pricing coordination capabilities.
- Proficiency with ERP, CRM, and proposal management tools.
Key Attributes
- Highly organized and detail-oriented.
- Comfortable operating in a fast-paced, technical environment.
- Able to drive cross-functional collaboration across engineering, operations, and sales teams.
Strong sense of accountability and ownership for proposal outcomes.
Base Salary Range: $115,000- $120,000
Work Authorization/ Security Clearance:- Due to the nature of the work we perform, U.S. Citizenship is required.
- U.S. Government Security Clearance at the appropriate level.
