Proposal Specialist

Job Description

Interested in an opportunity to be part of a dynamic team of proposal managers focused on winning Federal work? AECOM is hiring an experienced proposal leader to work within our Governments Marketing team in Canada. This is a replacement position.

In this role, you will be responsible for leading Canada Federal proposals and presentations, providing support and guidance from pre-RFP positioning through to the interview stage, as required, working within a Governments marketing team that wins work with AECOM’s Federal Civilian and Defence clients.

Subject matter may include studies and planning, architectural and engineering design, environmental services, and other professional services.

The ideal candidate will bring experience in Federal proposal writing, strong leadership, a sharp focus on compliance, strong pre-positioning and proposal-writing skills, and creative design ideas.

Responsibilities

General

• As a Proposal Manager and writer, collaborate with regional and BL teams on identified priority pursuits, including pre-positioning, capture, responses to requests for qualifications (RFQ) and requests for proposals (RFP), as well as shortlist interviews.
• Reports to the Marketing Team Lead within our Governments Marketing group in Canada.

Duties

Proposal Management and Development

• Responsible for leading complex pursuits from capture through to the interview stage, as required, which may include multiple disciplines/geographies.
• May facilitate workshops/sessions to support the capture manager in the development of the win strategy.
• Analyzes debriefs and applies lessons learned to add value to strategy and reviews.
• Creates detailed annotated outlines and first-draft content, compliance lists, and capture and proposal schedules, with the ability to pivot if requirements change.
• Leads and contributes to the writing of proposal sections such as cover letters, executive summaries, past performance sections, management approaches, and resumes/staffing sections.
• Participates actively in Go/No-Go, capture strategies and greenlight analyses and drives compliance, capture planning and positioning activities, providing leadership and direction, where required.
• Facilitates colour reviews (pink and red team) for assigned pursuits, and applies lessons learned to add value to proposal and win plan.
• Serves as a reviewer on colour reviews for priority pursuits led by others, as needed, applying in-depth institutional knowledge.
• Responsible for quality and compliance of deliverables.
• Supports debriefs and gathering of client feedback on proposals to ensure and demonstrate continuous improvements.
• Responsible for proposal filing. Knows where to go for all recent submittals and project descriptions. Is familiar with Business Line managers and project managers.
• May participate in strategic planning that includes evaluating marketing intelligence, identifying customer concerns and key issues, and developing win strategies to thread into strategic pursuits.
• May contribute to the development and implementation of an internal training program on topics related to core processes, tools, practices or other special topics.
• May lead special projects involving teams of BL staff, as directed by the Government's Marketing Lead.

The incumbent candidate will have the following knowledge and experience

• Working knowledge of and interest in the A/E industry, including Federal clients, projects, people, credentials, and competitors.
• Evidence of successful leadership of multi-disciplinary or multi-geography proposals valued at >$10 million.
• A thorough understanding of effective proposal and presentation best practices and tools, including how to convey messages, themes, discriminators, and responses to evaluation criteria clearly and effectively.
• Demonstrated experience applying industry best practices and procedures to support positioning, client or business development processes.
• Strong proposal writing and editing skills, including grammar and style.
• A strong working knowledge of desktop publishing software (e.g., Adobe Creative Suite), graphics programs (e.g., InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Acrobat, Photoshop), word processing programs (e.g., Microsoft Word), spreadsheet management (Excel), and presentation software (e.g., PowerPoint).
• A working knowledge of collaborative tools such as Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, etc.
• An understanding of CRM. Salesforce experience is a plus.
• Initiative, skill, and personal commitment to manage multiple projects and details concurrently, follow up, and bring tasks and projects to full completion.
• Professional demeanour and excellent interpersonal skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion with confidential/sensitive issues.
• Ability to work independently and with others.
• Diplomacy with peers and internal clients in handling challenging situations.
• Resourceful problem solver.

Qualifications

Minimum requirements:

• University degree in a related field and 6+ years of related proposal experience, ideally within the professional services industry and/or the Canadian federal sectors.

Preferred Qualifications

• BA/BS, preferably in Business, Journalism, English, Communications, Marketing or a related field.
• 10+ years of related proposal experience, ideally within the professional services industry and/or the Canadian federal sectors.
• APMP/SMPS certification is a plus.
• Bilingual (English and French) is an asset.

Additional Information

At AECOM, we are committed to maintaining a secure and trustworthy recruitment process and take any fraudulent hiring activity seriously. To support this commitment, all newly hired employees are required to attend an in-person Day 1 onboarding at an AECOM office location as a condition of employment.

About AECOM

AECOM is proud to offer comprehensive benefits to meet the diverse needs of our employees. Depending on your employment status, AECOM benefits may include medical, dental, vision, life, AD&D, disability benefits, paid time off, leaves of absences, voluntary benefits, perks, flexible work options, well-being resources, employee assistance program, business travel insurance, service recognition awards, retirement savings plan, and employee stock purchase plan.

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients’ complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of $16.1 billion in fiscal year 2025. Learn more at aecom.com.

What makes AECOM a great place to work

You will be part of a global team that champions your growth and career ambitions. Work on groundbreaking projects - both in your local community and on a global scale - that are transforming our industry and shaping the future. With cutting-edge technology and a network of experts, you’ll have the resources to make a real impact. Our award-winning training and development programs are designed to expand your technical expertise and leadership skills, helping you build the career you’ve always envisioned. Here, you’ll find a welcoming workplace built on respect, collaboration and community - where you have the freedom to grow in a world of opportunity.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we believe in your potential and are here to help you achieve it. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines. Artificial intelligence will be used to support the screening, assessment, and selection of applicants for this role. Final hiring decisions are made by the hiring team.