Proposal Manager

CetraRuddy is an award-winning, New York City-based architecture and interior design firm 
of more than 140 professionals working across multiple market sectors with the top developers 
and institutions in architecture and interior design. Our practice is grounded in a belief that 
thoughtful design improves daily life, and that the best work emerges from close collaboration 
between architects, interior designers, clients, and the communities our projects serve. We 
balance the creative ambition of a design-driven studio with the rigor and infrastructure of an 
established practice. Our collaborative, collegial culture and shared passion for design 
excellence shape how we work together, and we are looking for colleagues who want to 
contribute to the firm's next chapter.

Position Overview
The Proposal Manager is the operational engine behind CetraRuddy’s pursuit of new work. 
This person quarterbacks every proposal from kickoff to submission: building the schedule, 
pulling the right people to the table, assembling the content, and ensuring it goes out the door 
on time and at a high quality. In a firm where principals and project managers are busy running 
projects, the Proposal Manager ensures the business development deliverables are produced. 
This is a producer role. The Director of Marketing and Business Development sets pursuit 
strategy. The BD Manager provides client research and relationship context. The Marketing 
Manager and Visual Communications Coordinator ensure brand consistency and design quality. 
The Proposal Manager ties it all together by coordinating across these roles and bringing in 
principals, project managers, and external consultants as needed to build compelling, compliant, 
and well-crafted submissions.

The ideal candidate is exceptionally organized, a strong writer and editor, and someone who 
earns trust through reliability and preparedness. Given the variety of proposal formats from 
technical scope to design approaches, to visual concepts and qualifications, the candidate 
should have fluency in the platforms and familiarity and flexibility with the variety of writing 
styles. 

When proposal activity is lighter, the Proposal Manager takes on operational and technology 
projects that support the department’s broader goals, including platform implementations, 
process improvements, and systems migrations.

Please note we are seeking applicants based in the New York City Metro area for a hybrid and 
highly collaborative working environment with colleagues and leadership.

Proposal Production and Execution
This is the core of the role. The Proposal Manager owns the end-to-end production of 
proposals, qualifications packages, and other client-facing submission documents.

• Lead the coordination and production of all proposal responses (RFPs, RFQs, SOQs, 
qualifications packages), from initial kickoff through final submission
• Build and manage proposal timelines, task assignments, and deliverable schedules for 
each active pursuit; ensure every deadline is tracked and every contributor knows what 
is expected of them and when
• Run proposal kickoff meetings with the relevant team (principal, project manager, BD 
Manager, Marketing Manager, and any external consultants), establishing clear roles, 
deadlines, and expectations for each pursuit
• Own the assembly, formatting, and final production of submission documents, ensuring 
strict compliance with RFP/RFQ requirements including page limits, formatting 
standards, required written and visual content, and submission protocols
• Track status across all active proposals simultaneously, providing regular updates to the 
Director and flagging risks, bottlenecks, or missed deadlines early enough to coursecorrect
• Coordinate post-submission activity as directed: interview preparation, presentation 
logistics, leave-behind materials, and debrief documentation

Cross-Functional Coordination
Proposals at CetraRuddy require input from across the firm. The Proposal Manager’s job is to 
get the right content from the right people on time, without having direct authority over any of 
them.
• Pull principals and project managers into the proposal process at the right moments, 
with clear asks and realistic deadlines. Respect that these people are running active 
projects; make it easy for them to contribute effectively
• Work with the BD Manager to ensure client intelligence, pursuit strategy, and 
relationship context are reflected in proposal content and positioning
• Coordinate with the Marketing Manager and Visual Communications Coordinator on 
proposal design, layout, imagery, and brand consistency
• Engage external consultants (structural, MEP, sustainability, landscape, etc.) for teaming 
proposals, coordinating their content contributions and ensuring their materials meet 
CetraRuddy’s quality and formatting standards
• Set expectations early for every pursuit, follow up consistently, and surface blockers 
quickly. Escalate to the Director when a contributor is unresponsive or a deadline is at 
risk

Content Development and Quality
The Proposal Manager is responsible for the quality of proposal content, not just the logistics of 
production. This person writes, edits, and shapes narrative, turning technical input into clear, 
persuasive, client-facing language.

• Write, edit, and refine proposal content for clarity, persuasive strength, and alignment 
with the Director's pursuit strategy. Translate technical and design-oriented input from 
principals and project managers into language that resonates with clients
• Adapt messaging and positioning to each client, project type, and procurement context. 
No two proposals should read the same way
• Maintain and continuously improve a proposal content library: boilerplate language, 
project data sheets, project descriptions, team resumes, past proposal narratives, and 
response templates. Ensure this library is organized, current, and actively used by the 
team
• Build and maintain compliance checklists for each submission, ensuring every RFP 
requirement is addressed and nothing is missed
• Conduct quality reviews on all proposals before submission: checking for accuracy, 
consistency, compliance, and overall persuasive quality
• Work with the BD Manager to incorporate lessons learned from win/loss debriefs into 
future proposal content and approach

Process, Systems, and Technology
The Proposal Manager is responsible for building and maintaining the systems and processes 
that make proposal production efficient and repeatable.
• Develop and maintain proposal production workflows, templates, and checklists that 
ensure consistent quality and reduce the time and effort required for each submission
• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in the proposal process and propose 
improvements. This department has operated without strong production processes; 
building that infrastructure is a core part of the role
• Support the buildout and day-to-day use of Shred.ai, OpenAsset’s AI-powered proposal 
writing tool. Work with the BD Manager and Marketing Manager to ensure the proposal 
library is well-populated with high-quality past content, and use the platform to 
accelerate content development for new submissions
• Contribute to the implementation and maintenance of OpenAsset as the firm’s digital 
asset management platform, ensuring project imagery, descriptions, and team 
information are organized and accessible for proposal use• Maintain awareness of proposal management tools and technologies; recommend 
platforms or process changes that could improve the team’s efficiency and win rate

Operational and Technology Projects
When proposal volume is lighter, the Proposal Manager takes on operational projects that 
support the department and the firm. These projects benefit from the same skills that make a 
strong proposal producer: project management discipline, cross-functional coordination, 
attention to detail, and the ability to drive a process from start to finish.

• Support technology platform implementations and migrations as assigned by the 
Director, including CRM migration (Airtable to Deltek Vantagepoint), document 
management transitions (server to SharePoint), and BD and proposal technology 
rollouts (ie: Shred.ai)
• Lead or support process improvement initiatives within the department, including 
workflow documentation, template standardization, and file organization
• Assist with coordination of firm-wide initiatives that require cross-departmental project 
management, such as internal communications rollouts, event planning, or vendor 
onboarding for marketing services
• Take on other projects and responsibilities as assigned by the Director, contributing to 
the department’s overall effectiveness and supporting colleagues during peak workload 
periods

Year One Priorities
• Own at least one proposal end-to-end within the first 30 days; by 90 days, fully own the 
proposal production process with minimal supervision 
• Map the firm’s current proposal workflow, identify gaps and inefficiencies, and propose 
at least one meaningful process improvement within the first 60 days
• Build a working proposal content library by auditing existing boilerplate, project 
descriptions, resumes, and past submissions; have a usable, organized library in place 
within six months
• Learn CetraRuddy’s project portfolio, client relationships, and competitive positioning 
well enough to write and edit proposal content that reflects the firm’s strengths with 
specificity and nuance
• Support the population of Shred.ai with past proposal content, working with the BD 
Manager to identify the strongest historical submissions and ensure they are loaded into 
the platform accurately

How Success Will Be Measured
• Proposals are submitted on time, fully compliant with RFP requirements, and at a 
consistently high level of quality in both content and presentation
• The proposal process runs smoothly: contributors know what is expected of them, 
deadlines are realistic and met, and fire drills are the exception rather than the norm
• Principals and project managers consider the Proposal Manager a reliable, organized 
partner who makes their participation in proposals efficient and productive
• The proposal content library is organized, current, and actively used, reducing the time 
required to produce each new submission
• The Director and BD Manager can focus on strategy and client engagement rather than 
managing proposal production logistics
• Process improvements are implemented and measurably reduce production time, 
rework, or missed requirements

Candidate Profile

Required
• 3 to 5 years of experience in proposal coordination, production management, or a 
comparable deadline-driven project role, preferably in the AEC industry or professional 
services
• Strong writing and editing skills; ability to transform technical, design-oriented content 
into clear, client-facing language that is both persuasive and accurate
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects without missing deadlines; 
exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to coordinate and influence people without 
direct authority; comfort working across levels from coordinators to firm principals
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint) and Adobe InDesign; ability to 
produce polished, professional documents
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, communications, English, history, architecture, or a 
related field

Preferred
• Direct experience producing proposals, qualifications packages, or SOQs in an 
architecture, interiors, or engineering firm
• Familiarity with RFP/RFQ processes in the AEC industry, including compliance 
requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission protocols
• Experience with proposal management or content management platforms (e.g., 
OpenAsset, Shred.ai, etc.)
• Experience with CRM systems (Deltek Vantagepoint or similar) and comfort maintaining 
pursuit and project data
• Familiarity with the NYC real estate development market and the types of clients, 
projects, and consultants CetraRuddy works with
CETRARUDDY
• Experience coordinating with external consultants or subconsultants on teaming 
proposal