Principal Proposals Development Manager

• Lead the development, submission, and review of sales proposals, owning the most complex and highest-value bids (e.g., Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), Requests for Information (RFIs)).
• Partner with sales, service, marketing, consulting, legal, product management, and other departments to develop and package thorough, efficient, timely, and consistent responses to bids for business opportunities.
• Develop win strategy and win themes with Sales, and shape the proposal narrative to differentiate Neptune.
• Lead bid/no-bid recommendations and analyze costs, risks, and benefits of proposed contracts and price proposals, advising Sales, Legal, and Finance leadership on pricing and contract exceptions.
• Own all aspects of the proposal process life cycle from initial receipt of proposal request through completion and delivery.
• Ensure compliance to both submittal guidelines and internal organizational standards, and maintain version control, quality, and consistency across all responses.
• Lead red/gold team reviews, and drive ongoing communication around strategy, progress, milestones, and deadlines.
• Lead presentation and oral response coordination for key pursuits.
• Own the approved content database and drive continuous improvement of proposal processes, standards, tools, and automation.
• Define and report proposal performance metrics, such as win rate, turnaround time, and pipeline.
• Lead cross-functional proposal teams on key pursuits, setting priorities and holding contributors accountable to milestones.
• Serve as a subject matter expert and advanced individual contributor, conducting highly complex, expert-level work with extensive latitude for independent judgment.
• Mentor, coach, and train less-experienced proposal team members.

• Expert-level proposal writing, editing, and storytelling
• Strong cross-functional leadership and influence without direct authority
• Strategic thinking, pricing and risk analysis, and executive-level communication

• APMP certification (Foundation level or higher) and/or PMP certification
• MBA or master's degree
• Experience in the water, utilities, metering/AMI, or public-sector procurement industries

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