Job Summary

The Proposal Technical Specialist at Day & Zimmermann plays a pivotal role in crafting high-quality, compliant proposals that drive business growth across government, commercial, and industrial sectors. This position entails a comprehensive understanding of solicitation requirements coupled with the expertise to develop precise and persuasive proposal content. As a member of the Program Management team within D&Z Plants division, you will collaborate extensively across departments to gather accurate data, integrate diverse inputs, and deliver responses that not only meet stringent compliance standards but also resonate with customer priorities and organizational goals. This role is ideal for individuals who thrive in a dynamic environment requiring attention to detail, strong analytical acumen, and excellent communication abilities. The work environment is based at the Munitions & Government facility in Texarkana, TX.

Responsibilities

• Solicitation Review and Analysis: Interpret solicitations, statements of work, technical specifications, and customer documents to meticulously identify all proposal requirements, evaluation factors, compliance mandates, and submission deliverables. Ensure alignment of proposal strategy with these parameters.
• Content Development and Editing: Collaborate with subject matter experts to develop, revise, and polish technical, management, and operational sections of proposals. Leverage historical data and best practices to produce compelling narratives that clearly articulate unique value propositions.
• Compliance Oversight: Build and maintain proposal compliance tools including matrices, outlines, response templates, and checklists to guarantee adherence to solicitation criteria, optimize content quality, and ensure completeness of submissions.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Engage with interdisciplinary teams such as engineering, operations, finance, contracts, quality assurance, and supply chain to collect inputs, resolve ambiguities, and synchronize timelines to meet stringent proposal deadlines.
• Market and Competitive Research: Conduct comprehensive research on market trends, customer priorities, and competitor offerings to inform proposal themes, distinguishers, and customer-centric messaging, enhancing the proposal’s winning potential.
• Document Management and Finalization: Format, proofread, compile, and archive proposal documents including resumes, past performance records, and content libraries to preserve institutional knowledge and support efficient future proposal development. Perform additional duties aligned with business needs.

KSAs (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities)

• Technical and Business Writing Expertise: Demonstrated proficiency in crafting clear, concise, and persuasive proposal content, complemented by strong editing, proofreading, and document formatting capabilities.
• Analytical Acumen: Skilled in deciphering complex requests for proposals (RFPs), requests for information (RFIs), statements of work, specifications, contract terms, and evaluation criteria, enabling accurate interpretation of customer requirements.
• Research and Critical Thinking: Ability to perform in-depth market, customer, and historical analysis to develop strategic, data-driven content that effectively addresses solicitation objectives.
• Project and Time Management: Aptitude for managing multiple concurrent tasks, systematically organizing extensive information, maintaining version control, and delivering high-quality proposals within tight deadlines.
• Software Proficiency: Experienced user of Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Adobe Acrobat, and shared content repositories. Prior exposure to proposal processes within government or industrial sectors is highly advantageous.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Collaborative mindset with the ability to coordinate across various departments and external partners, fostering an inclusive and productive proposal development environment.

Minimum Qualifications

• Educational Background: Associate’s Degree in English, Communications, Technical Writing, Business, Journalism, Marketing, Engineering Technology, Project Management, or a comparable discipline is required.
• Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor’s Degree (BA/BS) in Arts, Sciences, or related field is highly desirable and may enhance candidacy.
• Relevant Experience: Minimum of two years of practical experience in proposal writing, technical writing, research, contracts support, or business development support is essential, demonstrating the candidate's capability to contribute effectively from day one.
• Additional Requirements: Strong proficiency in English language written and verbal communication, and familiarity with government or industrial procurement environments are beneficial.

Essential Functions

• Visual acuity (e.g., needed to prepare and analyze data, to transcribe documents, to view a computer, to read, to inspect objects, to operate machinery
• Pushing or pulling (e.g., using a part of your body to press against something in a downward or outward direction, or in a dragging or hauling motion)
• Balancing (e.g., maintaining equilibrium when walking, climbing, crouching etc.)
• Manual Dexterity (e.g., picking, pinching, typing, or other working that uses the fingers)
• Stooping (e.g., bending the spine at the waist)
• Grasping (e.g., use of hand to apply pressure)
• Reaching (e.g., reaching the arms or legs in any direction)
• Feeling (e.g., perceiving an object’s size, shape, texture etc.)
• Lifting motion or lifting objects more than 0 pounds
• Climbing (e.g., ascending/descending ladders, stair, scaffolding, ramps, pole etc. using feet and legs or hands/arms to climb)
• Walking
• Hearing
• Repetitive motions of any part of the body
• Talking
• Kneeling, crouching or crawling
• Capacity to think, concentrate and focus over long periods of time
• Ability to write complex documents in the [English] language
• Ability to read complex documents in [English] language
• Capacity to express thoughts orally (e.g., accurately, quick and loudly convey spoken instructions to workers)
• Capacity to reason and make sound decisions
• Ability to wear a mask, respirator, bullet proof vest, or other equipment
• Ability to regularly perform all job functions at Company’s office or work site
• Ability to withstand environmental conditions (e.g., extreme heat or cold, grass, wind, sand, fumes, odors, gases, extreme noise, etc.)

Travel:

40% Must be able and willing to travel to other company worksites and customer locations, as business needs require.

Compensation and Benefits

Candidates may be required to satisfy additional job-related requirements, including those established and controlled by third parties, as part of the selection process.

In compliance with this state’s pay transparency laws, the wage range for this role is $68,480 - $102,720. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. (The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements).

We care about our employees and it shows. Our staff receive a competitive salary and a comprehensive benefits package which includes medical/Rx, dental and vision coverage; life, AD&D and disability insurance; flexible spending accounts; 100% paid maternity leave for up to 12 weeks, parental leave, family leave, other paid time off; voluntary benefits and discount programs to meet our employees’ individual needs including pet insurance for our furry family members!