Proposal Specialist

The Position

We are seeking a highly capable Proposal Specialist to serve as a bridge between engineering, product management, and business development. This role is outward-facing by design, with a primary focus on proposal development, product positioning, and capture support, complemented by the creation of high-quality technical documentation. The ideal candidate is comfortable operating at the intersection of complex defense technologies, customer requirements, and commercial strategy. This role is critical to translating technical capability into compelling, credible, and competitive external-facing material for government and allied defense customers.

Key Responsibilities

Proposal Development & Capture Support (Primary Focus)

• Lead and support the development of technical content for: RFP responses, RFIs, and white papers; Concept of Operations (CONOPS); Technical volumes and solution architectures; Compliance matrices and requirement traceability.
• Translate complex technical solutions into clear, persuasive, and customer-aligned narratives.
• Work closely with engineering, systems architects, and solution leads to: Shape solution descriptions; Articulate integration approaches; Define technical differentiators; Ensure proposal content is coherent, structured, and aligned with win themes, value propositions, and evaluation criteria.
• Support bid strategy, storyboarding, and solution framing.

Product Management Enablement

• Partner with Product Management to: Develop outward-facing product descriptions, datasheets, capability briefs, and solution one-pagers; Support articulation of roadmaps, value propositions, and use cases.
• Translate technical features into operational outcomes and customer benefits.
• Help shape product messaging for: Defense enterprise solutions; ISR, C2, digital backbone, integration platforms.
• Support development of product narratives that align to government priorities (e.g., sovereignty, interoperability, security, lifecycle cost).

Business Development & Customer-Facing Material

• Develop and maintain outward-facing technical collateral including: Capability decks; Solution briefs; Customer-facing architecture diagrams; Executive summaries and leave-behind material.
• Support BD teams with: Customer briefings; Industry day presentations; Partner engagement material.
• Tailor messaging for different audiences: Technical authorities; Procurement and contracting; Senior defence leadership; International partners.

Technical Documentation (Secondary Focus)

• Produce and maintain high-quality technical documentation including: System descriptions; Interface control documents (ICDs); Architecture overviews; Technical concept documents.
• Ensure documentation is: Clear, accurate, and structured; Aligned with product strategy and proposal narratives.
• Create reusable technical content that can be leveraged across proposals, product materials, and customer communications.

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in technical writing, solution engineering support, or proposal development in defense, aerospace, or complex technology domains.
• Demonstrated experience writing: RFP responses / proposals; Technical solution narratives; Customer-facing technical content.
• Strong ability to understand and synthesize complex systems including: Systems integration; C2 / ISR; Training and simulation; Digital platforms / enterprise systems; Enterprise infrastructure.
• Experience working cross-functionally with: Engineering and Operations; Program and Product management; Business development / capture teams.
• Exceptional written communication skills with the ability to: Write clearly for technical and executive audiences; Structure complex narratives; Distill technical complexity into customer value.
• Ability to work with classified or sensitive material (or eligibility for security clearance).

What Success Looks Like In This Role

• Proposals are clearer, more compelling, and more competitive.
• Product messaging is consistent, credible, and aligned to customer needs.
• Technical teams see their work accurately reflected in external-facing material.
• BD teams rely on this role as a core partner in shaping win strategies.
• Leadership trusts this role to “translate” between engineering depth and executive decision-making.

Key skills/competency

• Proposal Development
• Technical Writing
• Capture Support
• Defense Technologies
• Systems Integration
• Product Messaging
• Customer Engagement
• Solution Architecture
• Business Development
• Cross-functional Collaboration