AE Proposal Team Leader

Position Summary

The Architecture + Engineering (AE) Proposal Team Leader is responsible for managing and executing high quality, compliant, and competitive proposal submissions for Bodwé’s Buildings and Infrastructure pursuits. This role leads day-to-day proposal development activities, mentors proposal staff, ensures compliance with federal and other market sector RFP requirements, and collaborates closely with business development, marketing, technical subject matter experts, and branch leadership. 

The AE Proposal Team Leader supports the Capture Director, who leads overall pursuit strategy and interview preparation. This role contributes to these efforts through content development, coordination, and production support—not strategic leadership.  

Success in this role requires a whatever‑it‑takes attitude, as proposal deadlines, marketing efforts, and new opportunities often demand never‑been‑done‑before thinking and extra effort outside of normal business hours. 

Accommodation Requests

We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, contact our HR Director (April Hawkins) at 269-927-0144 or [email protected].

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The following inexhaustive list of duties represents a sample of work routinely performed by this role: 

Team Leadership + Development 

• Supervise and mentor a team of proposal managers and proposal coordinators to assign proposals, tasks, set deadlines, and ensure accountability for quality and timeliness. 

• Mentor team and provide feedback/guidance related to messaging, quality, compliance, and best practices with tailored content to demonstrate value.  

• Manage the workflow and resource allocation of all pursuit efforts. 

• Provide final quality assurance and quality control on all submissions ensuring a tailored, compliant, and personal proposal that demonstrates the Company’s expertise. 

• Liaise with the Capture Director to develop processes and procedures to aid the department in collaborating more effectively and efficiently. 

Lead Proposal Development 

• Lead assigned A+E proposal efforts from solicitation release through submission.   

• Develop proposal content, organize structure, and ensure accuracy, compliance, and strategy alignment. 

• In partnership with marketing, develop qualifications, proposals, and presentation material and qualifications content while adhering to company branding efforts.  

• Conduct final QA/QC to ensure clarity, consistency, and professionalism. 

 Strategy + Relationship Development 

• Work with Executives, Market Leaders, SMEs, and marketing to develop accurate, compelling proposal content.  

• Support transitions from proposal submission to award when needed.  

• Build strong working relationships with internal teams and external partners. 

 Deadline Management + Responsiveness 

• Manage multiple concurrent federal proposals with strong prioritization and organization. 

• Bring initiative, problem‑solving, and adaptability to time‑sensitive requirements. 

• Provide additional effort during surge periods, including work outside standard hours.  

Qualifications and Experience

Education + Degree

• Preferred: Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, or a related field.

Experience, Certification, or Licensure

• 10+ years of relevant federal proposal experience with varied architectural and civil engineering pursuits and projects, including SF330 proposal experience. 
• Preferred: 10+ years of direct AEC experience with experience pursuing federal architectural and civil engineering projects.
• Deep experience leading and managing the federal proposal process from RFP to interview.  
• Thorough understanding of AEC terminology and project delivery methods.
• Experience leading large-scale, complex proposals for various Federal agencies. 

• Desire to assist in mentoring a team and develop standards that ensure consistent quality and deliver successful selections.   
• Experience leading proposal teams, with direct supervisory responsibilities.
• Must have or be able to obtain and maintain a Real ID or Passport in order to undergo commercial airfare travel.
• Must have or be able to obtain and maintain a valid driver's license.

Technical +Professional Skills

• Keen attention to detail with the ability to review, edit, and improve proposal responses including spelling, grammar, and review of technical content.  

• The ability to lay out and design graphic elements of proposal responses including overall format and theme, resumes, project sheets, public presentations, project interviews using InDesign, PowerPoint and other graphic design software as necessary.  

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, organizational abilities, and technical skills.  

• Demonstrated ability to interact in a cooperative and effective manner.  

• Self-motivated, able to multi-task while managing various deadlines.  

• Ability to work independently, take initiative, set priorities, and see projects through to completion.  

• Strong service orientation.  

• Ability to work with technical teams.  

• Proficient in: 

• • Adobe Creative Cloud, specifically InDesign  

• • Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams   

• Preferred: Experience with CRM systems (e.g. Costpoint), GovWin, GovTribe, or asset management tools.
• Preferred: graphic design experience supporting proposals and interviews.

Working Environment

This is a remote position that will require some (≤ 5%) travel to headquarters, client sites, or conferences. If a locally selected candidate is achieved, this role will report to one of our physical office locations 2-3 days a week and can work remotely the remaining days.    

This position operates in a professional office setting. The role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, printers, and photocopiers. The work environment is generally quiet and free from exposure to loud noise, hazardous materials, or heavy machinery. Employees are typically seated for extended periods and may occasionally move about the office to attend meetings or access equipment and supplies.

Physical Demands

Sitting/Standing: This role is generally sedentary, performing sitting work utilizing technological office equipment, including a laptop, mouse, keyboard, computer monitors, telephones, scanners, and copiers.

Walking: This role requires the ability to move about inside the office to access the required technological equipment.

Stooping/Kneeling/Crouching/Crawling: This role may require stooping to reload printer trays with print paper, moving equipment, and managing cords.

Using Hands/Fingers: This role constantly operates technological office equipment such as laptops, mice, keyboards, computer monitors, telephones, scanners, and copiers.

Talking/Hearing: This role requires constant communication with others in the organization to exchange information, review information, and make decisions about information.

Seeing: This role requires seeing, viewing, and distinguishing all aspects of internal and external communications.

Carrying/Lifting: This role requires lifting up to 20lbs to transport technological office equipment to and from various workspaces.   

Equal Employment Opportunity

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Native American Hiring Preference

Our parent company, Mno-Bmadsen, prefers to hire Pokagon citizens who are qualified and suitable for available positions. For purposes of this section, “qualified” means that the applicant meets the technical and experiential needs for employment; and “suitable” means that the candidate appears to be the best fit considering present circumstances and conditions. Targeted preference is in the following order:

• First, to qualified Pokagon Band citizens; and
• Second, to qualified spouses and qualified custodial parents; and
• Third, to other qualified Native Americans; and
• Fourth, to all other qualified applicants

Any determinations as to the applicability of the Pokagon hiring preference are at the discretion of each Company President.