SlipstreamJobs tracks this role from the company's public career site. Apply directly on the employer's site.
Salary: USD 86,000 - 119,000 / annual
Rocket Lab is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, and critical subsystems. The Senior Proposal Manager, based in Littleton, CO, plays a key role in creating compliant and compelling business proposals that win new business with US and international customers. This role primarily supports the Space Systems Business Development team with a specific focus on satellite opportunities.
Responsibilities include developing and executing proposal plans by analyzing RFPs, creating outlines, and building compliance matrices. You will collaborate with the Business Development Manager and/or Director to craft winning proposal strategies and develop compelling messaging. The role involves writing and managing compliant, high-quality proposals that clearly address RFP requirements, taking responsibility for specific volumes of proposals to ensure they are well-written, compliant, and aligned with overall strategy.
You will lead proposal kick-off meetings and facilitate regular check-ins with contributors to ensure timelines are met. Coordination with internal teams (engineering, finance, legal) is essential to gather and refine proposal content. You will create and manage proposal templates, reusable content, and visual elements including charts, tables, and infographics. Quality assurance responsibilities include reviewing for grammar, consistency, and formatting to ensure polished submissions. You will oversee final production and submission, ensuring proposals are delivered on time and meet customer requirements. The role also involves documenting lessons learned and recommending process improvements for future proposals. Travel support (~10%) is required.
Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in technical, management, or business discipline
- 5+ years of experience in proposal management
- Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance
- Demonstrated success leading proposals with values greater than $100 million
- Technical writing expertise with proven ability to translate complex technical information into clear, concise, and persuasive language tailored to different audiences
- Project management experience with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, meeting deadlines while ensuring high-quality deliverables
- Experience leading cross-functional teams to achieve proposal objectives
Nice-to-have qualifications include active U.S. security clearance, advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Word and Excel), experience with Salesforce and SharePoint, exceptional attention to detail, background in organizational effectiveness and operations, familiarity with proposal frameworks and methodologies such as Shipley or APMP, knowledge of ITAR and EAR regulations, aerospace or defense industry experience with understanding of competitive landscape and technology trends, and ability to effectively present proposal concepts to internal stakeholders.
