How to hire a proposal analyst

How to hire a proposal analyst, step by step

Here's a step-by-step proposal analyst hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a proposal analyst job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new proposal analyst
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   First, determine the employments status of the proposal analyst you need to hire. Certain proposal analyst roles might require a full-time employee, whereas others can be done by part-time workers or contractors.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect proposal analyst also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of proposal analysts and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Proposal Analyst	Description	Hourly rate
   Proposal Analyst		$29-53
   Business Internship	In a business internship, the responsibilities will vary by the directives given by the supervising staff. However, one of the primary duties as an intern is to perform support-related tasks for the department or office where they are assigned... Show more	$12-21
   Business Developer	A business developer specializes in conducting in-depth business analysis and crafting various strategies that would not just help a business grow, but also strengthen client base and brand awareness. One of their primary responsibilities revolves around identifying areas in need of improvement... Show more	$31-75

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • RFP
   • Historical Data
   • PowerPoint
   • Cost Models
   • Proposal Process
   • Technical Elements
   • Cost Proposals
   • Business Development
   • Proposal Development
   • DCAA
   • DOD
   • CAS
   • Cost Estimates
   • ProPricer

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Manage SharePoint access among stakeholders for accurate document and version control.
   • Manage configuration integrity, including version control, of evolving proposal artifacts using SharePoint.
   • Assist development of RFI responses, often taking the lead.
   • Manufacture and service of electronic components and equipment for DOD and commercial customers.
   • Perform all levels of editing (substantive, copy edit, and proofreading) to ensure high-quality proposal responses.
   • Coordinate development and submissions of satellite communications proposals to DoD.

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your proposal analyst job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A proposal analyst can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, proposal analysts' average salary in hawaii is 39% less than in california.
   • Seniority. Entry-level proposal analysts 45% less than senior-level proposal analysts.
   • Certifications. A proposal analyst with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a proposal analyst's salary.

   Average proposal analyst salary

   $82,943yearly

   $39.88 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level proposal analyst salary

   $61,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 22, 2026

4. Writing a proposal analyst job description

   A job description for a proposal analyst role includes a summary of the job's main responsibilities, required skills, and preferred background experience. Including a salary range can also go a long way in attracting more candidates to apply, and showing the first name of the hiring manager can also make applicants more comfortable. As an example, here's a proposal analyst job description:

   Proposal analyst job description example

   COVID\-19 continues to significantly impact our employees, families and communities\. With employee health and safety as our top priority, and as a federal contractor, Lockheed Martin is taking action to address the increased risk and uncertainty COVID variants pose in the workplace and ensuring we meet our commitments to national security\.
   
   As directed by Executive Order 14042: Ensuring Adequate COVID Safety Protocols for Federal Contractors, all current and newly hired employees, in the United States, are required to be fully vaccinated by January 18, 2022\.
   
   **Description:** The coolest jobs on this planet... or any other... are with Lockheed Martin Space\. Lockheed Martin is a pioneer, partner, innovator and builder\. Our amazing people are on a mission to make a difference in the world and every single day we use our skills and experiences to create, design and build solutions to some of the worlds' hardest engineering problems\.
   
   It's an exciting time to be a part of the Commercial Civil Space \(CCS\) Line of Business\. Market disruptors mean we need to find new ways of doing business, develop creative solutions, and drive innovation\. The CCS Estimating team is looking for talent to help shape the future of our Line of Business\. Do you want to learn how to leverage our performance history, contribute to the estimating strategy, to partner with all levels of leadership and cross\-functional organizations to deliver value\-add analysis that will result in the new business wins that shape the future of our business?
   
   Develops, plans & schedules proposals for the Commercial Civil Space Line of Business in accordance with estimating policy, Federal Acquisition Regulations \(FAR\) & Defense Federal Acquisition Regulations \(DFARS\) requirements, System Requirements & other govt\. regulations\. Shapes, develops & matures business case analyses & cost methods resulting in a comprehensive bid/price strategy\. Develops initiatives to increase profitability & cashflow\. Acts as the estimating lead on proposals compiling cost, schedule, & technical elements to development proposals in accordance with Request For Proposal \(RFP\) specs\. Coordinates the collection of cost, scheduling, & performance elements from functional departments\. Performs financial modeling & analyses related to major proposals, including rate studies & analysis, business case development, cash flow analysis, NPV & IRR, and presents analyses & recommendations to leaders\. Researches & analyzes historical data, develops cost models to support proposal efforts & determination of accuracy of functional estimates\. Participates in should\-cost & pricing reviews with mngmt & customer reps\. Participates as a member of the contract negotiating team & interacts with DCAA /other audit agencies\. Initiates process improvements to enhance productivity & efficiency within pricing & estimating functions\. May provide day\-to\-day direction & guidance to less senior Proposal Analysts\. Develops, communicates, & implements Estimating & Pricing policies/procedures, & conducts monitoring & surveillance activities to ensure that the policies/procedures are being thoroughly & consistently implemented\. Possesses comprehensive written & oral communications skills to support proposal development activities, executive proposal reviews, fact\-finding & negotiations, & interaction with DCAA/other audit agencies\.
   **Basic Qualifications:**
   
   Experience in Pricing, Estimating, Finance or other Business Operations function\.
   
   Bachelors degree from an accredited college in a related discipline, or equivalent experience/combined education\.
   
   Experience with Excel
   
   **Desired Skills:**
   
   Strong work values - Integrity, dependability, self\-confidence, and a positive attitude are prized qualities on this team\.
   
   Personal management skills - The ability to plan and manage multiple assignments and tasks, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions and work assignments\.
   
   Analytical and problem\-solving skills - The ability to use creativity, reasoning, and past experiences to identify and solve problems effectively\.
   
   Seeking experience in the following:
   
   \- Supporting proposals
   
   \- Previous negotiation experience
   
   \- Cost Volume generation
   
   \- TINA process, requirements, and Certification
   
   \- BOE Development and Generation
   
   \- EPP process and presentation
   
   **BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:**
   
   job\.Qualifications
   
   **Lockheed Martin is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer\. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran status, or disability status\.**
   
   Join us at Lockheed Martin, where your mission is ours\. Our customers tackle the hardest missions\. Those that demand extraordinary amounts of courage, resilience and precision\. They're dangerous\. Critical\. Sometimes they even provide an opportunity to change the world and save lives\. Those are the missions we care about\.
   
   As a leading technology innovation company, Lockheed Martin's vast team works with partners around the world to bring proven performance to our customers' toughest challenges\. Lockheed Martin has employees based in many states throughout the U\.S\., and Internationally, with business locations in many nations and territories\.
   
   **EXPERIENCE LEVEL:**
   
   Experienced Professional

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are various strategies that you can use to find the right proposal analyst for your business:

   • Consider promoting from within or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to find candidates who meet your education requirements.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your proposal analyst job on Zippia to find and recruit proposal analyst candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   Your first interview with proposal analyst candidates should focus on their interest in the role and background experience. As the hiring process goes on, you can learn more about how they'd fit into the company culture in later rounds of interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents. You can move on to the technical interview if a candidate is good enough for the next step.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new proposal analyst

   Once you've found the proposal analyst candidate you'd like to hire, it's time to write an offer letter. This should include an explicit job offer that includes the salary and the details of any other perks. Qualified candidates might be looking at multiple positions, so your offer must be competitive if you like the candidate. Also, be prepared for a negotiation stage, as candidates may way want to tweak the details of your initial offer. Once you've settled on these details, you can draft a contract to formalize your agreement.

   It's equally important to follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that the position has been filled.

   To prepare for the new employee's start date, you can create an onboarding schedule and complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9 forms, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Human Resources should also ensure that a new employee file is created.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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