Proposal Manager - Construction

Director of Proposal Strategy & Presentations At Wharton-Smith, proposals and presentations are not administrative deliverables — they are strategic business development tools that directly influence growth, client trust, and market positioning. We are seeking a Director of Proposal Strategy & Presentations to lead and elevate how the company competes, communicates, and wins. This role is designed for a senior construction marketing and pursuit professional who understands the full lifecycle of strategic pursuits — from market intelligence and capture planning through proposal development, shortlist presentations, and executive-level interview coaching. The ideal candidate brings both strategic leadership and hands-on execution, with deep expertise in construction procurement, alternative delivery, storytelling, and team leadership. The Director will shape pursuit strategy across commercial construction and infrastructure markets, partnering directly with executives, operations leaders, estimators, project managers, and business development teams to position Wharton-Smith as the contractor of choice. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for building pursuit excellence, elevating presentation strategy, mentoring marketing professionals, and continuously improving win performance across the organization. Key Responsibilities Strategic Pursuit Leadership Lead the strategy and execution of high-profile proposals, qualifications packages, shortlist presentations, and interview pursuits across commercial construction, infrastructure, and water/wastewater markets. Drive pursuit strategy from pre-positioning and Go/No-Go through proposal submission, interview preparation, and final closeout. Facilitate capture planning and strategic positioning sessions with operations, business development, and executive leadership teams. Analyze procurement documents, owner priorities, evaluation criteria, and competitive landscapes to shape winning pursuit strategies. Develop compelling win themes, executive messaging, differentiators, and storytelling frameworks aligned with client priorities and project realities. Translate complex technical, operational, and construction concepts into persuasive, owner-focused narratives that clearly communicate value, execution confidence, and risk mitigation. Presentation & Interview Excellence Lead the development of executive-level shortlist presentations and formal interviews for major pursuits. Direct interview strategy, messaging architecture, presentation flow, rehearsal planning, and Q&A preparation. Facilitate intensive interview workshops and “war room” sessions focused on content refinement, delivery coaching, and team alignment. Coach technical professionals and executives on presentation presence, conversational delivery, message discipline, and audience engagement. Prepare teams for anticipated client dynamics, panel behaviors, and scenario-based questioning to ensure confident, polished delivery. Market Intelligence & Business Planning Support regional and enterprise-level business planning initiatives through market analysis, client intelligence, and pursuit forecasting. Analyze Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs), procurement trends, market conditions, and competitive data to identify strategic opportunities. Partner with business development leaders to align pursuit investments with long-term growth objectives and client relationship strategies. Lead quarterly pursuit and planning reviews to evaluate pipeline health, strategic priorities, and resource alignment. Brand, Messaging & Quality Leadership Serve as a steward of the Wharton-Smith brand, ensuring consistency, professionalism, and strategic clarity across all pursuit materials. Oversee proposal quality control, compliance reviews, visual standards, and messaging consistency. Collaborate with graphic designers, photographers, and external consultants to create elevated, visually compelling deliverables. Lead the evolution of proposal, presentation, and interview standards that differentiate the company in highly competitive markets. Team Leadership & Organizational Development Lead, mentor, and develop proposal and marketing professionals across the organization. Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, creativity, and strategic thinking within the pursuit team. Establish scalable processes, templates, content systems, and best practices that improve efficiency and win performance. Manage pursuit workloads, staffing priorities, and deadline-driven production schedules across multiple concurrent pursuits. Foster continuous learning and professional growth through coaching, training, and development initiatives. Continuous Improvement & Performance Strategy Lead pursuit debriefs, win/loss evaluations, and after-action reviews to identify trends and improve future performance. Develop metrics, reporting tools, and strategic insights that support pursuit effectiveness and organizational decision-making. Maintain and evolve pursuit libraries, CRM systems, project data, resumes, and strategic content repositories. Identify opportunities to modernize pursuit strategy through technology, data insights, presentation innovation, and process refinement. What Sets You Apart Required Experience 10+ years of experience leading strategic proposals, presentations, and pursuits within the construction, engineering, or infrastructure industries. Demonstrated success managing complex, high-value pursuits from capture planning through interview and award. Strong experience supporting CMAR, Design-Build, Progressive Design-Build, or alternative delivery pursuits. Proven ability to lead interview strategy, executive presentation coaching, and shortlist preparation for competitive procurements. Experience leading or mentoring proposal, marketing, or business development professionals. Strategic & Technical Expertise Expert-level proposal writing, editing, storyboarding, and compliance management skills. Strong understanding of construction delivery methods, owner procurement processes, and public-sector evaluation dynamics. Experience with capture planning, market intelligence, CRM management, and pursuit analytics. Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop). Ability to work seamlessly with executives, operations teams, estimators, engineers, and client-facing leadership. Leadership & Executive Presence Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and a growth-oriented mindset. Exceptional communication and facilitation skills with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization. High emotional intelligence and the ability to lead through trust, credibility, and collaboration. Comfortable operating in fast-paced, high-pressure pursuit environments while maintaining composure and quality. Proactive, disciplined, and highly accountable with a strong sense of ownership. Education & Additional Requirements Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, English, Business, Construction Management, or related field (or equivalent experience). Ability to travel up to 20% for interviews, strategic planning sessions, and industry events. Authorized to work in the United States. Why Wharton-Smith Pursuits are viewed as a strategic growth function with executive visibility and influence. Opportunity to shape the future of proposal strategy, presentation excellence, and competitive positioning across the organization. Work alongside respected builders, operational leaders, and technical experts who value preparation, expertise, and collaboration. A culture that rewards accountability, innovation, professionalism, and high performance. Ability to directly impact company growth, client relationships, and long-term market presence.   Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disability Wharton-Smith provides equal opportunity to qualified disabled veterans, Pre-JVA special disabled veterans and individuals with disabilities to online application systems by making reasonable accommodation to ensure equal access for submitting to job openings.  (i.e., wheelchair accessibility, website accessibility, etc).   Our recruiting process is centralized and is handled by our HR Department. If we are sent unsolicited resumes from recruiters, we will not pay any recruiting fees. Unsolicited resumes are any resumes sent to us by a recruiter who has not been pre-approved by HR, has not signed our contract, and has not been requested by our HR Department to search for a specific position.