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What is a senior proposal manager and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.

The role of a Senior Proposal Manager is a key one in business development, especially so in newer or fast-growing companies and organizations. They rely heavily on research and data analysis; the information is usually on current and predicted market trends and risk assessment.

They provide their opinion, based on their experience and expertise, and form strategies, teams, and thus bids based on the company's current business and other needs and goals. Overall, they propose plans and bids that focus on improving the company and its efficiency and higher success in the market. They also participate in the training of new employees and the creation of new policies.

A person hoping to begin work in this position will generally need to have a Bachelor's in a subject such as International Relations or International Development, along with nearly a decade of experience working in those fields. Other alternative mixes of work experience and education are also acceptable, such as four years of work and a Master's degree in the same fields. The individual also must be skilled in communication and development methods, team management, and various other skills.

What's a day at work look like for a senior proposal manager?

Meaghan Goodman Ph.D.Meaghan Goodman Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Program Director & Assistant Professor, Maryville University

A bachelor's in communication sciences and disorders can prepare you for three different tracks. First, it can prepare you to become a licensed Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA). This is someone who works under a fully credential speech-language pathologist. Often times, they carryout intervention plans developed by a fully credentialed speech-language pathologist. If graduate school is on your horizon, a bachelor's degree in communication sciences and disorders will prepare you for acceptance into a Speech-Language Pathology program, or an Audiology program. If you are not accepted into a graduate program right away, working as a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA) is a great way to get experience in the field!
ScoreSenior Proposal ManagerUS Average
Salary
7.2

Avg. Salary $91,999

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.8

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.5
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.67%

Asian 8.02%

Black or African American 7.81%

Hispanic or Latino 13.12%

Unknown 4.72%

White 65.67%

Gender

female 44.44%

male 55.56%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress level
4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
1.8

Complexity level is simple

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Senior proposal manager career paths

Key steps to become a senior proposal manager

  1. Explore senior proposal manager education requirements

    Most common senior proposal manager degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.3 %

    Master's

    14.6 %

    Associate

    8.6 %
  2. Start to develop specific senior proposal manager skills

    SkillsPercentages
    RFP7.25%
    Proposal Management6.43%
    Subject Matter Experts5.20%
    Business Development5.11%
    SharePoint4.81%
  3. Research senior proposal manager duties and responsibilities

    • Implement Salesforce for division and manage pipeline and post-award contract documentation.
    • Provide a wide range of proposal relate activities including both proposal management from RFP decomposition to proposal writing activities to delivery.
    • Establish proposal development schedule and coordinate/facilitate proposal strategy meetings to discuss themes, discriminators, technical solutions, and pricing strategy.
    • Oversee completion of all RFI requests while continuously updating reference library material for accurate responses.
  4. Get senior proposal manager experience

  5. Prepare your senior proposal manager resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your senior proposal manager resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a senior proposal manager resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable senior proposal manager resume templates

    Build a professional senior proposal manager resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your senior proposal manager resume.
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    Senior Proposal Manager Resume
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    Senior Proposal Manager Resume
    Senior Proposal Manager Resume
    Senior Proposal Manager Resume
  6. Apply for senior proposal manager jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a senior proposal manager job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first senior proposal manager job

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Average senior proposal manager salary

The average senior proposal manager salary in the United States is $91,999 per year or $44 per hour. Senior proposal manager salaries range between $61,000 and $137,000 per year.

Average senior proposal manager salary
$91,999 Yearly
$44.23 hourly

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How do senior proposal managers rate their job?

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Senior proposal manager reviews

profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2020
Pros

Project concept, execution - meeting business and Customer expectations.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019
Pros

I am detail oriented with respect to all the requirements of the RFP, from initial "scrubbing" to compliance and review. I have managed writer submissions, tracking against established timeline and ensuring changes through final in-house review to include editing, proofing, and submission of the bid. I am also interested in editing/proofing nonscientific publications

Cons

Team contributors who miss deadlines or fail to address the specific requirements that in turn affect the process.


profile
A zippia user wrote a review on May 2019
Pros

How clean and user friend the information was, very direct and to the point

Cons

Maybe more job details needed


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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