Sr. Proposal Specialist

OpenGov
401(k)
United States, Illinois, Chicago
Feb 15, 2025
OpenGov is home to an exceptional team - passionate about our mission to power more effective and accountable government. By bringing the OpenGov Cloud to our nation's state and local government, we're transforming communities so they can thrive! Imagine yourself being able to help small business owners open their doors faster, ensuring our tax dollars are accounted for, creating safer infrastructure, modernizing the permitting process, and assisting with disaster recovery. The work you do here every day has a meaningful impact on people's lives! OpenGov is a 2023 Top Workplaces USA award winner and a Forbes America's Best Startup Employer Join our smart, fun, and humble team to experience the most rewarding career of your life! Job Summary: The Senior Proposal Specialist plays a pivotal role in driving OpenGov's success by managing and optimizing the proposal process to secure high-value opportunities. This role requires advanced expertise in leading the full Request for Proposal (RFP) lifecycle, from qualification to submission, ensuring that proposals align with OpenGov's strategic objectives. The Senior Proposal Specialist serves as a trusted advisor to the Go-To-Market (GTM) team, influencing decision-making and optimizing proposal strategies. Additionally, this position champions continuous improvement initiatives, enhances content management processes, and fosters collaboration across departments to deliver high-quality, compliant, and compelling proposals. Responsibilities: Service as a consultant to the Sales team, providing strategic guidance on which RFx opportunities align with OpenGov's Product-Market Fit (PMF) and Ideal Customer Profile (ICP), while identifying opportunities to optimize win rates. Independently manage multiple high-priority RFx projects, overseeing the entire lifecycle from intake, qualification, proposal development, compliance review, and final submission, ensuring strict adherence to deadlines. Act as the primary liaison between the Proposal Team and key internal stakeholders-including Sales, Solutions Engineers, Product, Legal, and Security-to ensure comprehensive, accurate, and persuasive proposal responses. Lead the enhancement and organization of the RFP Content Library by identifying, updating, and curating content to ensure consistency, accuracy, and ease of access for future proposal development. Analyze contractual documentation and Terms & Conditions included with RFx responses, flagging concerns for review by OpenGov's General Counsel and ensuring full compliance with proposal submission requirements. Identify and implement best practices to improve proposal development workflows, enhance efficiency, and drive continuous improvement initiatives within the Proposal Team. Provide insights through analysis of proposal performance metrics, contributing to strategic GTM initiatives and refining proposal methodologies based on key learnings. Support and guide junior team members, contributing to professional development and fostering a high-performing proposal team culture. Requirements and Preferred Experience: Bachelor's degree required; a Master's in Public Administration is a plus. A minimum of 6 years of experience in proposal development, with a strong preference for experience in government procurement or the public sector. APMP Certification a plus Proven ability to analyze and synthesize complex technical information into clear, compelling, and audience-appropriate content. Expertise in managing multiple proposals simultaneously, prioritizing workloads, and meeting strict deadlines in a fast-paced environment. Strong leadership, problem-solving, and analytical skills, with the ability to influence and drive decisions across teams. Exceptional communication skills, both written and verbal, with an aptitude for advising and influencing stakeholders at all levels. High proficiency in Google Drive, Slack, Adobe, MS Word, and MS Excel; experience with proposal automation and content management systems (e.g., Loopio, RFPio, Qvidian) preferred. Ability to adapt to changing priorities, drive innovation, and lead process improvements. High ethical standards, accountability, and a proactive approach to challenges. On target ranges above include base plus a portion of variable compensation that is earned based on company and individual performance. The final compensation will be determined by a number of factors such as qualifications, expertise, and the candidate's geographical location. What makes OpenGov unique Leadership: CEO Zac Bookman (MPA from Harvard and JD from Yale) is truly a mission-driven CEO. He was named one of the 100 most Intriguing Entrepreneurs by Goldman Sachs, a Tech Pioneer by the World Economic Forum, and SF and Silicon Valley Business Times' 40 under 40 class of 2018! Growth: Record breaking growth with 1,800+ governments (and counting) using our products. Click here to read more. Culture: Winner of 2023 Top Workplaces USA award, Awarded Top 25 Cloud Companies to Work For, Winner of Forbes 2022 Best Startup Employers, 50 Best Workplaces award. Check out our Careers Video! Perks: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family. We almost forgot to mention: New parents get paid leave to welcome your new bundle of joy into your family. Plus, a wellness stipend for gym memberships/fitness classes for medical plan enrollees, employer HSA contribution, 401k with employer match, and lunch in-office every Wednesday. Product: Named to the GovTech 100 (seven consecutive years), we are the leader in cloud software for our nation's cities, counties, and state agencies. Mission Driven: We are a technology company with a passion for the mission. We're powering more effective and accountable government. Come join us and make a positive social impact! OpenGov is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.