Senior Proposal Manager

Sentar

$100K — $120K *
Education, Government & Non-Profit
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree (Master's preferred)
  • 7+ years of federal proposal management experience
  • Strong grasp of FAR and compliance standards
  • Ability to handle multiple proposals with tight deadlines
  • Experience in cybersecurity or technical domains for government agencies
  • Exceptional writing and communication skills
  • Proficiency in MS Office Suite, SharePoint, and Adobe Acrobat

Responsibilities

  • Lead full-lifecycle government proposals for cybersecurity contracts.
  • Create compliant proposal artifacts from RFP documents.
  • Act as Proposal Lead for complex bids, including IDIQs and GWACs.
  • Oversee and mentor a small proposal team.
  • Facilitate all proposal development activities, ensuring quality and compliance.
  • Prepare and finalize proposal documents for reviews and submission.
  • Collaborate with business development and technical teams to enhance proposal effectiveness.

Benefits

  • Voluntary Medical, Dental, Vision plans with HSA or FSA options
  • Life, Critical Illness, Accident, and Long Term Care insurance options
  • Group Term Life and Short/Long Term Disability coverage
  • Generous 401(k) matching program
  • Rapidly increasing PTO with years of service
  • Mental health awareness and support programs
  • Tuition and professional development reimbursement
  • Recognition and awards programs
Full Job Description
Sentar is seeking a Senior Proposal Manager in Huntsville, AL!

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 Huntsville, AL 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

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