Senior Proposal Manager

Sentar

$90K — $120K *
Business Services
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 7+ years of progressive experience in federal proposal management, especially on complex bids.
  • Strong understanding of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and compliance standards.
  • Ability to manage multiple proposals with tight deadlines.
  • Experience in cybersecurity or related fields supporting federal agencies.
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and communication skills.
  • Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, proposal software, and Adobe Acrobat.

Responsibilities

  • Lead and manage full-lifecycle proposal efforts for federal cybersecurity contracts.
  • Review RFP documents to create compliance artifacts for proposal development.
  • Act as Proposal Lead on complex bids, including IDIQ and GWAC contracts.
  • Facilitate proposal development activities like kick-off meetings and writing assignments.
  • Prepare documents for reviews and final proposal production.
  • Coordinate with contracts and pricing teams to create proposal content.
  • Monitor industry trends and provide competitive intelligence.

Benefits

  • Voluntary Medical, Dental, Vision insurance with flexible spending options.
  • Life, critical illness, and long-term care insurance options.
  • Group Term Life and Disability insurance provided to employees.
  • Generous 401(k) matching program.
  • Competitive PTO that increases with service.
  • Tuition and professional development reimbursement options.
  • Recognition and awards programs promoting employee contributions.
Full Job Description
Sentar is seeking a Senior Proposal Manager in N Charleston, SC!

Role Description:

We are seeking a seasoned Senior Proposal Manager to lead and support high-priority proposal efforts across our cybersecurity-focused portfolio. This position requires a highly organized, detail-oriented professional with strong leadership skills and deep experience navigating the full lifecycle of government proposals.

As a critical member of our Growth Team, the Senior Proposal Manager will be expected to demonstrate sound judgment, strong communication with executive leadership, and the ability to coordinate with a small proposal team while maintaining hands-on responsibility for proposal execution.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Lead and manage full-lifecycle proposal efforts (RFIs, RFPs, Task Orders, etc.) in support of federal cybersecurity contracts.
  • Review and understand Preliminary, Draft, and Final RFP documents to create compliant artifacts for proposal development. (Capabilities matrices, compliance checklists, storyboards, volume templates.)
  • Act as Proposal Lead on complex bids, including IDIQs, GWACs, and agency-specific contracts.
  • Step into a supervisory role for the Proposal Team (3-4 staff) as needed, including team assignment coordination and reporting to upper leadership.
  • Facilitate all proposal development activities, including kick-off meetings, compliance matrix development, storyboarding, writing assignments, color team reviews, and final production.
  • Prepare documents for all reviews, and final production. Strong MS Word skills required.
  • Coordinate with Contracts Manager and Pricing Manager to build contracts and pricing narrative documents, often providing baseline content for fillings (SF33, Section K, OCI, Pricing/accounting systems supporting documentation)
  • Work closely with business development, capture, technical SMEs, pricing, and contracts to produce compelling, compliant proposals.
  • Develop and refine schedules, and management tools to improve efficiency and quality.
  • Monitor industry trends, evaluate competitor strategies, and provide competitive intelligence input to inform win themes and value propositions.
  • Mentor junior proposal staff and foster a high-performance team culture.
  • Serve as a thought leader in advancing proposal processes, technology, and collaboration tools.
  • Strong focus on continuous process improvement

Qualifications:

Clearance Level: Secret or ability to obtain a Secret clearance

Education: Bachelor's degree (Masters preferred)

Experience:
  • 7+ years of progressive experience in federal proposal management, including lead roles on complex, multi-volume bids.
  • Strong understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and proposal compliance standards.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage multiple simultaneous proposals with aggressive deadlines.
  • Experience in cybersecurity or other technical domains supporting the Department of Defense, Intelligence Community, or Civilian agencies.
  • Strong critical thinking and analytical skills with the ability to quickly understand technical solutions and articulate customer benefits.
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and communication skills.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, SharePoint, Adobe Acrobat, and proposal collaboration tools (e.g., Proposal Automation tools)
  • Extensive Microsoft Word experience with style sheets, templates, outlines, placing graphics, and embedding Adobe Acrobat material is required,

Preferred Qualifications
  • Familiarity with secure proposal environments and CUI handling.
  • Experience supervising or mentoring a small team of proposal professionals.
  • Experience with Meridian RFP Analysis software is a plus.
  • Shipley and/or APMP training is a plus.
  • APMP Certification is a plus.

Work Environment
  • Hybrid work schedule with a minimum of two days per week onsite in the North Charleston, SC office.
  • Fast-paced, collaborative environment with aggressive growth targets.
  • Flexibility required for deadline-driven work, including occasional evening or weekend support.

Benefits at Sentar:

Our unique ownership model attracts top talent, giving employees the freedom to take initiative and drive meaningful improvements. In addition to cultivating a thriving and inclusive work environment, Sentar offers an extensive benefits package designed to support the well-being of employees and their families. Employee ownership is the foundation of our culture, promoting participation, teamwork, and accountability while ensuring long-term financial security and a commitment to excellence.
  • Voluntary Medical, Dental, Vision, with Health Savings or Flexible Spending Plan options
  • Voluntary Life, Critical Illness, Accident, and Long Term Care insurance options
  • Group Term Life, Short-Term and Long-Term Disability is provided by Sentar to all qualifying employees
  • Generous 401(k) match
  • Competitive PTO plan that graduates quickly with years of service
  • Other leave programs; holiday schedule along with bereavement, maternity, jury and military duty
  • Mental health awareness programs
  • Tuition reimbursement
  • Professional development reimbursement
  • Recognition and Awards programs

If you are not ready to apply for this position, submit your resume here to join our talent community. We'll keep you updated occasionally on new job opportunities.

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