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Proposal Jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO (NOW HIRING)

The Proposal Manager must be able to lead cross-functional teams under deadline pressure, balance concurrent priorities, and keep contributors aligned, accountable, and focused. The role will ...

Proposal Coordinator

Denver, CO · On-site

$55 - $70/hr

We are seeking a skilled Proposal Coordinator , you will collaborate with cross‑functional teams to develop winning proposals and Statements of Qualifications (SOQs), and support interview ...

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Proposal Coordinator

Centennial, CO · On-site

$25 - $35/hr

Geocal is seeking a Proposal Coordinator to help develop and submit marketing proposals and to provide administrative assistance to proposal managers. They are expected to use word processing ...

Proposal Manager

Aurora, CO · On-site

$110K/yr

Job Summary This Proposal Manager role is ideal for someone who blends creativity, curiosity, and discipline to strategically translate complex ideas into clear, compelling content that helps win ...

Proposal Manager

Aurora, CO · On-site

$110K/yr

Job Summary This Proposal Manager role is ideal for someone who blends creativity, curiosity, and discipline to strategically translate complex ideas into clear, compelling content that helps win ...

Proposal and pursuit strategy management - Lead the pursuit process, from start to finish, by developing sales strategies and writing persuasive messages based on information from research profiles ...

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Proposal information

See Highlands Ranch, CO salary details

$30K

$97.9K

$140.8K

How much do proposal jobs pay per year?

As of Sep 3, 2026, the average yearly pay for proposal in Highlands Ranch, CO is $97,929.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $79,200.00 and $116,100.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a proposal manager?

Proposal managers are professionals responsible for overseeing the creation and submission of business proposals, typically in response to requests for proposals (RFPs) from clients or government agencies. They coordinate teams, manage timelines, and ensure that proposals meet all requirements and effectively communicate the value of the organization’s services or products. Proposal managers play a key role in helping companies win new business by producing compelling, compliant, and competitive proposals.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a proposal manager?

To thrive as a Proposal Manager, you need strong project management abilities, persuasive writing skills, and a background in business development or a related field, often supported by a bachelor’s degree. Familiarity with proposal management software (such as RFPIO or Loopio), CRM systems, and knowledge of RFP processes are typically required. Exceptional attention to detail, collaboration, and time management skills help you coordinate teams and meet tight deadlines. These abilities are crucial for producing compelling proposals that win business and align with organizational goals.

What are some common challenges faced by proposal managers during the proposal development process?

Proposal managers often encounter tight deadlines and rapidly changing requirements, which can make coordinating input from multiple stakeholders challenging. Balancing the need for a compelling, compliant submission with limited resources requires strong organizational and communication skills. Additionally, managing version control and ensuring consistency across all sections of the proposal are frequent hurdles. Successful proposal managers leverage collaborative tools and clear processes to overcome these challenges and deliver high-quality proposals on time.

What is the difference between Proposal vs Bid Specialist?

AspectProposalBid Specialist
Primary FocusCreating detailed project proposals for clientsPreparing competitive bids for contracts
CredentialsOften requires writing, project management, or industry-specific certificationsRequires knowledge of bidding processes, industry standards, and sometimes certifications
Work EnvironmentOffice-based, collaborating with sales and project teamsOffice or field, working closely with sales and procurement teams
Industry UsageCommon in consulting, construction, and government contractingPrevalent in construction, engineering, and government projects

While both Proposal and Bid Specialist roles involve preparing documents to secure projects, proposals focus on detailed project plans and solutions, whereas bid specialists concentrate on competitive pricing and compliance to win contracts. Understanding these differences helps in choosing the right career path or job search focus.

How do I become a proposal writer?

To become a proposal writer, develop strong writing and research skills, often through a bachelor's degree in a related field such as business, communications, or English. Gaining experience with proposal development, understanding client needs, and becoming familiar with tools like Microsoft Office or proposal management software can improve job prospects. Certifications in proposal management, such as the Certified Proposal Professional (CPP), can also enhance credibility and career advancement.

What are the most commonly searched types of Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO?

The most popular types of Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO are:

What are popular job titles related to Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO?

For Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO look for?

The top searched job categories for Proposal jobs in Highlands Ranch, CO are:

What cities near Highlands Ranch, CO are hiring for Proposal jobs?

Cities near Highlands Ranch, CO with the most Proposal job openings:

Infographic showing various Proposal job openings in Highlands Ranch, CO as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 93% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 6% Hybrid, and 12% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $104,426 per year, or $50.2 per hour.

Proposal Manager

APTIM

Denver, CO • On-site

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Posted 14 days ago


APTIM rating

8.8

Company rating: 8.8 out of 10

Based on 14 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz


Job description

Job Overview:
APTIM is seeking an experienced Proposal Manager with a strong understanding of the federal proposal process and the ability to lead complex, deadline-driven pursuits. Relevant market experience may include nuclear decommissioning, emergency management, disaster recovery, environmental remediation, A/E, construction, and base operations support.
This is a hands-on role responsible for shaping solution frameworks, developing persuasive proposal content, and guiding graphics concepts. Success in this position requires exceptional communication, collaboration, adaptability, sound judgement, and a high degree of ownership. The Proposal Manager must be able to lead cross-functional teams under deadline pressure, balance concurrent priorities, and keep contributors aligned, accountable, and focused.
The role will primarily support federal pursuits but will also lead critical bids for our commercial and state and local government clients. The Proposal Manager will collaborate closely with capture managers, program and project managers, strategic business unit leaders, contract and pricing professionals, and technical subject matter experts to develop compliant, compelling responses to client Request for Proposals (RFP).
Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:
  • Lead the full proposal lifecycle-from initial planning and kickoff through development, reviews, production, oral presentations, and final submission-with no oversight.
  • Partner with capture managers and solution leads to translate capture strategy and technical solutions into clear win themes, discriminators, and persuasive proposal content.
  • Develop and maintain the Proposal Execution Plan, including the schedule, outline, assignments, milestones, review cycles, action items, and production requirements.
  • Lead effective storyboarding, solutioning, kickoff, daily status, and color-team review meetings (i.e., Pink Team, Red Team, Gold Team, etc.).
  • Coordinate and manage contributions from subject matter experts, writers, graphic designers, schedulers, estimators, procurement professionals, contracts professionals, consultants, and other proposal-team members.
  • Develop original, customer-focused proposal content using source materials and interviews with technical personnel; adapt approved existing boilerplate when appropriate.
  • Conceptualize and develop strategic win themes, discriminators, executive summaries, and other high-impact messaging.
  • Create and maintain detailed compliance matrices and ensure all solicitation requirements are addressed.
  • Monitor solicitation amendments, questions, and answers, and other modifications, incorporating applicable changes into the proposal strategy, schedule, compliance matrix, and response documents.
  • Conduct quality reviews across all sections and volumes to ensure responsiveness, compliance, accuracy, consistency, readability, and effective visual presentation.
  • Own proposal compliance and quality through all stages of the proposal, including delivery.
  • Maintain and improve proposal libraries, reusable content, source documents, templates, and lessons learned.
  • Use approved internal AI tools to improve proposal-development efficiency while complying with company confidentiality, data-handling, and quality-control requirements.
  • Mentor new and junior proposal staff.
  • Support other proposal team priorities as business needs require.
  • Although not extensive, some travel and evening and weekend work is required during peak proposal periods to meet critical deadlines.

Required Qualifications:
  • Bachelor's degree in business, communications, marketing, English, journalism, or an engineering-related discipline
  • At least 8 years of overall progressive experience, culminating specifically to a proposal manager, in a fast-paced, deadline-driven, high-volume proposal environment.
  • Experience leading large, cross-functional, multi-partner, or multi-contractor proposal teams.
  • Proven ability to develop compelling, customer-focused proposal narratives and oral-presentation materials from source documents and subject matter expert interviews.
  • Strong facilitation, communication, collaboration, and stakeholder-management skills.
  • Exceptional writing, editing, grammar, punctuation, and proofreading skills.
  • Strong organizational, prioritization, and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits and deadlines.
  • Sound judgment and the ability to make timely decisions in complex or ambiguous situations.
  • Advanced proficiency with MS Office applications, particularly Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
  • Demonstrated initiative, accountability, and meticulous attention to detail.
  • Ability to work occasional evenings or weekends and travel as required.

Preferred Qualifications:
  • Master's degree in business, communication, marketing, or an engineering-related discipline.
  • Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP) certifications and/or continued education in proposal related subjects.
  • Proposal experience in one or more of the following markets: nuclear decommissioning, emergency management, disaster recovery, environmental remediation, A/E, construction, or base operations support.
  • Experience developing and coaching oral presentations for competitive federal procurements.
  • Experience using approved AI-enabled tools to support proposal planning, content development, editing, compliance, or quality assurance.

About APTIM
APTIM enhances the quality of the environment, wellbeing of people, resilience of communities, and opportunity for employees to make a difference, not just a living. A leading professional solutions firm, we specialize in environmental, sustainability, resilience, and infrastructure solutions. Our team of experts provide these integrated solutions for forward-thinking government agencies, commercial and industrial clients, and energy customers. Together, we create sustainable and resilient communities for all.
What you can expect from APTIM:
  • Work that is worthy of your time and talent
  • Respect and flexibility to live a full life at work and at home
  • Dogged determination to deliver for our clients and communities
  • A voice in making our company better
  • Investment into your personal and professional development

As of the date of this posting, a good faith estimate of the current pay range for this position is $140,000 - $160,000 per year. Compensation depends on several factors including: experience, education, key skills, geographic location of the position, client requirements, external market competitiveness, and internal equity among other employees within APTIM.
Employee Benefits
APTIM Federal Services, LLC is committed to providing an extensive range of benefits that protect and promote the health and financial well-being of our employees and their families through the APTIM Benefits Marketplace https://aptim.makeityoursource.com/.
  • Medical, vision, and dental insurance: Through the marketplace, our employees can choose benefits from five metallic levels and several carriers to find the right benefits that work for them in their location.
  • Company paid and optional Life insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability insurance
  • Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity coverage
  • Paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave (eligibility based on company policy and applicable law)
  • 401(k) APTIM offers three 401k plans through the Aon Pooled Employer Plan (PEP). The specific plan you are eligible for depends on the business unit you are in. The details of the largest plan are found here:
    • APTIM 401(k) Guide
    • APTIM - Helpful Documents

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