The Proposal Operations Manager oversees the operational backbone of the proposal development process-intake, pipeline management, content governance, quality assurance, and cross-functional coordination. This role ensures proposals are completed on time, meet quality standards, and follow established processes.
The Manager directly leads Proposal Writers, ensuring workload balance, consistent execution, and adherence to best practices. This role partners closely with Sales, Underwriting, Pricing, Clinical, Legal, and Marketing teams to ensure seamless coordination and successful bid delivery.
This is a 5 days a week in office role - Monday-Friday 8:30am-5:00pm
Key ResponsibilitiesProposal Operations Management- Manage proposal intake, ensuring completeness (Order Worksheet and Salesforce strategy)
- Oversee pipeline accuracy and visibility for leadership reporting
- Maintain and enforce proposal workflows, timelines, and SLA adherence across teams
- Ensure proposals progress efficiently from intake to submission
- Track and resolve risks, delays, or conflicts in the proposal process
People Leadership & Team Management- Directly manage Proposal Writers (workload, priorities, performance, coaching)
- Lead daily team huddles, Sales Strategy, and Sales Roundtable meetings
- Conduct weekly 1:1s focused on performance, blockers, and development
- Develop onboarding and ongoing training programs in partnership with SMEs
- Forecast team capacity vs. pipeline demand and adjust resources accordingly
- Step in to lead high-priority proposals or provide coverage during peak periods
Content Management & Quality Assurance- Own Loopio as the single source of truth for proposal content
- Ensure content is accurate, compliant, consistent, and up to date
- Establish and enforce QA standards and processes
- Ensure all proposals undergo peer review and final QA prior to submission
- Act as final quality checkpoint before proposals are delivered
Pipeline, SLA & Workflow Governance- Maintain strict SLA adherence across cross-functional partners
- Track deliverables from Underwriting, Pricing, Clinical, Legal, and Marketing
- Document SLA performance and drive remediation when needed
- Ensure proposal timelines align with calendar-driven milestones
Cross-Functional Coordination- Partner with Sales, Underwriting, Pricing, Clinical, Legal, and Marketing to align on deliverables and timelines
- Ensure all proposal components (documents, pricing, attachments) are complete and accessible
- Escalate risks and issues to leadership appropriately
- Serve as the central coordination point for proposal-related activities
Reporting & Communication- Deliver daily reporting on proposal status, risks, deadlines, and wins
- Ensure pipeline data is accurate and available for leadership visibility
- Compile quarterly reporting, including performance metrics and training logs
- Maintain centralized documentation, artifacts, and process records
Continuous Improvement- Maintain ongoing team training cadence and identify knowledge gaps
- Conduct proposal reviews (win/loss analysis) to improve future performance
- Optimize templates, Loopio content, and workflows based on insights
- Drive process improvements to increase efficiency, accuracy, and scalability
Qualifications- 3-6 years of experience in proposal/bid management or related operations roles, with exposure to regulated or highly structured industries (e.g., healthcare, finance)
- Proven project and team management skills, with the ability to lead cross-functional initiatives in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments
- Strong organizational, problem-solving, and multitasking abilities, with experience managing multiple priorities and SLA-driven workflows
- Proficiency with CRM and proposal management tools (e.g., Salesforce, Loopio), along with experience in pipeline tracking and reporting
- Excellent written communication, attention to detail, and data analysis capabilities to support high-quality proposals and performance insights
