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Proposal Operations Manager

Business Development Chicago, IL Washington, D.C.

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Description

Smithbucklin, a 100% employee-owned association management company, is experiencing growth and evolving our market presence so that we can help more associations advance their missions. We’re seeking a forward-thinking, tech-savvyProposal Operations Managerwho thrives on improving systems, driving results, and making processes run smarter. This position can be based in either our Chicago or Washington, D.C. office. Smithbucklin is a hybrid work environment with in-office days established as Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. The role reports into the Head of Business Development & Industry Relations.

In this role, you won’t just support our proposals — you’ll help lead and improve how we manage them. You’ll bring structure and discipline to how we respond to opportunities, helping us work smarter, move faster, and present compelling ideas. This is a great opportunity for someone who’s ambitious, highly organized, an experienced writer, and ready to make a big impact.

What You’ll Do

+ Manage the full proposal process from beginning to end, ensuring deadlines are met and teams are aligned

+ Quickly assess what each proposal and presentation needs — including scope, timing, team roles, and deliverables

+ Lead working teams through fast-moving proposal cycles, setting clear plans and keeping things on track

+ Write and edit proposal content

+ Support the rollout and use of advanced tools (including AI-powered platforms) that help us work more efficiently

+ Partner directly with senior leaders to drive accountability and momentum

+ Keep proposal content organized, accurate, and easy to access for future use

+ Continuously look for ways to improve how we manage and deliver proposals and presentations

This Role Is a Fit for Someone Who:

+ Is ambitious and motivated by improving how things work

+ Is a highly organized project manager skilled at developing and driving project plans and timelines

+ Is confident working with senior leaders, including leading meetings and offering viewpoints

+ Has a proven ability to manage deadlines, priorities, and cross-functional teams

+ Has the flexibility to adjust schedule to do what is needed to ensure proposal deadlines are met

Qualifications

+ Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

+ 7+ years of experience in project management, content management, proposal writing or business development

+ Business writing skills to develop proposals and presentations

+ Experienced using Salesforce (or similar CRM)

+ Organized, self-motivated, and collaborative

+ Proficient with Microsoft Office (Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

+ Is skilled in technology, including AI-assisted content creation and editing

+ Brings strong writing and editing skills to help refine proposal content

Where Do You Fit?

Whether you are just beginning your career or are a mid- or senior-level professional, working at Smithbucklin will offer you countless opportunities to develop transferable skills, acquire meaningful knowledge and gain rich experiences at an accelerated pace. By working collaboratively with smart, ambitious, multi-talented, genuine and hardworking colleagues, you will build meaningful, deep and enduring relationships that will serve you well throughout your career, regardless of your chosen path. In addition, as a 100 percent employee-owned company, Smithbucklin offers all our people – regardless of position or compensation – an equal chance to experience the fulfillment and reap the benefits of ownership. As owners, our employees control the destiny of Smithbucklin and are unified in the goal of building a great, enduring company. Our hybrid environment offers you the option of working from home two days per week. Employees will work a standard 40-hour week, with the possibility of additional hours based on project deadlines. Smithbucklin considers several factors when determining compensation, including a candidate's recent coursework, training, experience, and certifications, among other considerations. The expected pay for this role is $85,000 - $95,000.

Equal Employment Opportunity

At Smithbucklin, Equal Employment Opportunity is our commitment and goal. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, gender, age, religion, religion, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, marital status, or any other protected status designated by federal, state, or local law. Applicants are encouraged to confidentially self-identify when applying. Employment is contingent upon successful completion of a reference and background investigation based on position,

Smithbucklin will not sponsor applicants for work visas and as a precondition of employment, you must be authorized to work in the United States permanently.