Manager, Proposal Development
Position Summary
The Manager of Proposal Development owns proposal capacity and the proposal standard. This seat answers for whether the proposal function can carry the pipeline: the headcount plan against it, the cost of running the function, the hiring that closes the gap, and the promotion decisions inside it. It also owns the proposal process itself: templates, spec-compliance grids, stage gates and the effort-hour standard behind them. That is the counterpart to what Senior and Principal Engineers own on the technical side.
Character Qualifications
Innovation – We create a culture of relentless improvement of solutions and processes to make every day better.
Integrity – We are open, honest, and committed to giving the straight story every time.
Service – We serve our clients, families, communities, and most importantly our people who are empowered and safe in making decisions and taking actions that dare to make us better.
Ownership – We take full, personal, individual responsibility for our actions and our work.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Own the capacity plan for the function: what the pipeline requires, what can be staffed, and the gap between them.
- Own the function budget and its share of the cost of pursuit, and report both against plan.
- Own hiring for the function: open the reqs, set the bands, and make the selection.
- Make the promotion decision at the level gate, on the method review the Principal Engineer runs.
- Own the proposal process and its standards: templates, spec-compliance grids, stage gates and the effort-hour standard behind them.
- The commercial bid/no-bid decision
- Department strategy, organisation and toolchain investment
- Line management, performance and pay
Working with the Rest of the Team
| Partner | They bring | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Sales Project Manager | What the queue actually needs, week to week | How much capacity exists, and the standard it works to |
| Supervisor, Proposal Development | Day-to-day management of the Offering Managers | Headcount, bands and the capacity plan |
| Manager, Applications Engineering | Engineering capacity on the same pursuits | Proposal capacity and the proposal process |
| Director, Proposal Development | Commercial priorities and the bid/no-bid decision | The function’s ability to deliver against them |
Qualifications
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree, or an equivalent combination of education and experience. An engineering degree is not required.
- 12+ years in proposal, bid or capital-project organisations, including budget and headcount ownership.
- Experience building a hiring plan against a pipeline and been held to it.
- Experience owning a proposal process or standard, not only run pursuits inside one.
- Preferred:
-
- Material handling, capital equipment or systems integration experience.
- PMP or equivalent is an advantage.
-
Skills
Language
Presents capacity, cost and hiring cases to senior management, and writes the standards the function works to.
Mathematical
Capacity modelling, utilization, cost of pursuit against order intake.
Reasoning
Distinguishes a capacity problem from a process problem, and does not solve one with the other.
Travel
Travel to customer offices and other Fives entities as required, typically under 20%.
Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands to finger, handle, or feel and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to walk, sit, and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus. Travel via automobile and/or commercial airline to customer offices for meetings, vendor’s plants, and job site to coordinate the conveyors or equipment with the building and installers.
Work Environment
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, outside weather conditions, risk of electrical shock, and risk of radiation. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate, unless performing work in shop or field conditions.