Proposal Lead

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Proposal Lead based in Canada.

The Proposal Lead will drive the development and execution of strategic proposals for utility, renewable energy, and industrial electrical infrastructure projects across North America. This role offers the opportunity to lead complex, high-value pursuits from initial opportunity assessment through final submission, ensuring compelling, compliant, and competitive proposals. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams across operations, engineering, safety, finance, legal, and business development to develop tailored solutions that meet customer needs. As a key contributor to business growth, you will strengthen proposal management practices, improve processes, and develop tools that enhance efficiency and consistency. You will also help advance AI-enabled proposal workflows, promoting responsible adoption to improve content quality, compliance, and knowledge management. This is an opportunity to shape a growing proposal function, mentor team members, and contribute to impactful infrastructure projects that support communities across North America.

Accountabilities

• Lead the end-to-end proposal development lifecycle for requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for quotations (RFQs), and other competitive procurement opportunities.

• Analyze solicitation documents, assess customer requirements, and develop pursuit strategies that highlight organizational capabilities and competitive differentiators.

• Establish proposal schedules, compliance matrices, content plans, review milestones, and submission timelines while managing multiple concurrent opportunities.

• Organize proposal kick-off meetings and coordinate cross-functional contributors across operations, engineering, safety, finance, legal, and business development.

• Guide proposal content development, ensuring clear messaging, compelling positioning, technical accuracy, and responses tailored to client-specific requirements.

• Oversee proposal production, quality assurance, approvals, and timely submission through public and private procurement platforms, ensuring compliance with branding and corporate standards.

• Champion opportunity governance practices, including Go/No-Go assessments, quote reviews, proposal quality reviews, and executive approval processes.

• Train, coach, and mentor proposal team members on best practices, governance procedures, writing techniques, and effective pursuit management.

• Evaluate win/loss results and customer feedback to identify improvement opportunities and strengthen future proposal strategies.

• Maintain proposal content libraries, templates, and knowledge management resources across SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, and other business systems.

• Drive standardization, process optimization, and reporting initiatives that improve proposal efficiency, quality, workload visibility, pipeline tracking, and resource planning.

• Support the adoption and continuous improvement of AI-enabled tools and workflows, promoting responsible practices focused on accuracy, confidentiality, quality control, and governance.

• Oversee customer prequalification submissions, contractor qualification requirements, certifications, and compliance documentation needed to maintain bid eligibility across North America.

• Manage tender opportunity intake, monitor shared inboxes, assess incoming opportunities, and coordinate internal pursuit assignments.

• Partner with operational and business development leaders to identify, prioritize, and pursue strategic growth opportunities while monitoring industry trends and evolving procurement practices.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of progressive experience in proposal management, pursuit management, or business development support within construction, engineering, utilities, infrastructure, or professional services.

• Proven success leading complex, high-value proposal submissions and managing multiple pursuits simultaneously under tight deadlines.

• Demonstrated ability to build strong internal relationships, identify the right technical and operational resources, and influence stakeholders across multidisciplinary teams.

• Strong leadership, project management, organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage competing priorities.

• Excellent writing, editing, and communication skills, with the ability to develop clear, persuasive, client-focused proposal content.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, as well as SharePoint, Microsoft Teams, Adobe Acrobat, and Visio, including the ability to produce professionally formatted documents, tables, and organizational charts.

• Experience with public procurement and tendering platforms such as MERX, Bonfire, Bids&Tenders, Ariba, or similar systems.

• A post-secondary…