Associate Proposal Manager

About the job

Expression Networks is seeking an Associate Proposal Manager to support our Growth team in developing compelling and compliant proposals for federal customers. This role is ideal for a proposal professional with hands-on experience who is ready to take on greater ownership in an organization applying advanced artificial intelligence and agentic systems to both customer missions and internal operations.

You will collaborate with the Growth Lead, capture managers, Chief Strategy Officer, and technical project leads across Expression’s portfolio in spectrum, networks, data engineering, and IT services. Your work will keep proposals organized, requirements traceable, and submissions accurate and on schedule, often within turnaround times measured in days.

Location: Hybrid, with onsite work at Expression Networks HQ, 1140 3rd Street NE, Washington, DC, and remote flexibility.

Clearance: Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance are required. An active Secret clearance or higher is strongly preferred.

Travel: Minimal; occasional local travel for proposal kickoffs and reviews.

Expression’s proposal process draws on Shipley and APMP best practices and incorporates AI-enabled tools to accelerate requirements analysis, drafting, formatting, and quality control. Human judgment remains essential: every response must be accurate, supported, and aligned with solicitation requirements and evaluation criteria.

A significant portion of this role involves quick turn Request for Information (RFIs), Request for Proposals (RFPs), White papers, SIBRs, and Task Orders (TOs) responses under IDIQ contracts and GWACs. Success requires strong coordination, disciplined document management, and careful attention to detail under compressed deadlines.
Responsibilities:

• Coordinate quick-turn proposals. Support and progressively lead TOs and RFQ responses, managing schedules, contributors, and deliverables to meet solicitation requirements and submission deadlines.
• Manage compliance.
• Build and maintain compliance matrices that capture solicitation instructions and evaluation criteria, including Sections L and M, where applicable. Map requirements to response sections, track completion, and flag gaps for resolution.
• Apply AI with sound judgment. Use Expression’s AI and Super Intelligence tools to support requirements extraction, drafting, editing, formatting, and quality control. Verify factual claims, numerical information, and compliance interpretations before submission.
• Manage proposal schedules and coordination. Establish milestones, coordinate kickoff meetings, track action items, and follow up with writers and subject matter experts. Escalate risks and delays early to keep submissions on track.
• Write and edit proposal content. Draft and refine cover letters, resumes, past performance summaries, compliance narratives, and reusable content. Apply consistent editorial standards, including active voice, clear language, accurate terminology, and disciplined acronym use.
• Support color-team reviews. Prepare Pink, Red, and Gold Team review packages, consolidate feedback, and track comments through resolution.
• Lead document production and submission. Format and assemble proposal volumes to meet solicitation specifications, including fonts, margins, page limits, and file-naming conventions. Maintain version control, complete final quality checks, and coordinate submission through the designated portal or delivery method.
• Maintain proposal resources. Organize and update the proposal library, including templates, resumes, past performance references, and approved reusable content, so teams can respond efficiently to new opportunities.
• Build end-to-end proposal ownership. Lead Requests for Information (RFIs), Sources Sought responses, and smaller RFPs and task order proposals from kickoff through submission under the Growth Lead’s direction, with increasing responsibility as proficiency grows.
• Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, English, Communications, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years of experience in proposal development, business development, technical writing, editing, or document production, including hands-on support for federal proposals.
• 2+ years of working knowledge of the federal proposal lifecycle and solicitation structure, including proposal instructions, evaluation criteria, compliance matrices, and color-team reviews.
• Experience supporting quick-turn TOs and RFP responses under IDIQ, GWAC, or similar contract vehicles.
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with close attention to accuracy, consistency, formatting, and detail.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and Google suite, including styles, templates, and complex document formatting; proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience using Box or a comparable shared document repository to organize content and maintain version control.
• Ability to manage multiple deadlines, coordinate contributions from multiple stakeholders, and maintain quality as priorities shift.
• Hands-on experience prompting on AI for proposal reviews, using including writing, research, or document production, with the judgment to assess and verify their outputs.
• Willingness to use AI-enabled tools as a core part of the proposal workflow while following company requirements for information handling.
• Preferred Qualifications

• Shipley proposal training or APMP certification, including Foundation-level certification in progress.
• Experience supporting Department of Defense proposals.
• Familiarity with SAM.gov, GovWin, USA Spending, HireGov, GSA eBuy, and agency-specific procurement or submission portals.
• Exposure to Expression’s core domains, including spectrum and electromagnetic battle management, networks, data engineering, or IT services.

Benefits:

Expression offers competitive salaries and benefits, such as:

• 401k matching
• PPO and HDHP medical/dental/vision insurance
• Education reimbursement
• Complimentary life insurance
• Generous PTO and holiday leave
• Onsite office gym access
• Commuter Benefits Plan

About Expression:

Founded in 1997 and headquartered in Washington DC, Expression provides data fusion, data analytics, software engineering, information technology, and electromagnetic spectrum management solutions to the U.S. Department of Defense, Department of State, and national security community. Expression’s “Perpetual Innovation” culture focuses on creating immediate and sustainable value for our clients via agile delivery of tailored solutions built through constant engagement with our clients. Expression was ranked #1 on the Washington Technology 2018's Fast 50 list of fastest growing small business Government contractors and a Top 20 Big Data Solutions Provider by CIO Review. Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled