As a Proposal Manager II within Fortrea’s Enterprise Client Solutions team, you play a pivotal role in winning new business by shaping the commercial and financial foundation of Fortrea’s partnerships with global pharmaceutical and biotech clients.
This role is responsible for leading the end-to-end proposal development process for medium to highly complex business opportunities, including RFIs, RFPs, budgets, pricing, and client responses. The individual acts as the central point of coordination across multiple business units, functions, and external partners to ensure high-quality, competitive submissions are delivered on time and aligned to client requirements. They facilitate strategic discussions, manage negotiations related to pricing, resources, and timelines, and support client-facing activities throughout the sales cycle.
The role also provides leadership within the proposal team through workload management, mentoring, training, and supervision of junior staff. In addition to driving proposal strategy and execution, the individual is expected to contribute to process improvements, maintain technical and regulatory knowledge, support content library development, and help strengthen client relationships. Strong project management, stakeholder management, commercial acumen, and scientific or technical understanding are critical for success in this position.
Summary of Responsibilities:
- Owns all aspects of the appropriate proposal process (text, quote, budget, and/or response to Requests for Information [RFIs]) for assigned/accountable opportunities (inclusive of managing opportunities autonomously, establishing clear timelines, meeting client requirement, and resolving obstacles with minimal support).
- Responsible for managing opportunities of medium to high complexity.
- Shadow and/or assist more senior colleagues on highly strategic opportunities.
- Responsible for managing deliverables for integrated opportunities (i.e., spanning across multiple Business Units).
- Assist or be accountable for assigned team workload management.
- Triage and assign new enquiries as needed.
- Perform line management of assigned team members under the supervision of a manager or above.
- Execute supervisory duties for assigned staff including work scheduling, performance evaluation activities, career development and preparation of training plans, where applicable with support of a manager or above.
- Reviews and analyzes RFI and/or Request for Proposal (RFP) documents to ensure adequate information for budget, proposal and/or response preparation is provided. Follows up with appropriate contact for additional information as required.
- Identifies and resolves issues around client enquiry requirements and Fortrea capabilities.
- Organizes and manages strategic and operational calls related to the opportunity.
- Work across the organization in matrix environment across multiple time-zones and locations to lead the process and complete deliverables.
- Liaise with third party vendors/vendor managers for provision of quotations where required.
- Prepares high quality and accurate documents; collaborates with the review team to ensure the responses and strategy meet the Sponsor requirements and expectations under the pressure of changing timelines; proactively works with the review team to craft the appropriate strategy.
- Is responsible for facilitating internal and external opportunity management negotiations (i.e., pricing, process, resources, timelines, etc.).
- Is accountable for timely delivery of assigned deliverables.
- Responsible for resolving issues/challenges and informing Manager.
- Performs timely and accurate data entry into departmental and/or corporate databases/systems as appropriate.
- Support client-facing and senior management-facing activities surrounding assigned opportunities as needed, including supporting preparation, attendance, or leading applicable preparation and meetings.
- Maintains appropriate knowledge of the technical and regulatory environments.
- Identifies and drives ways to improve the efficiency and quality of processes and the resulting deliverables, influencing key stakeholders as applicable.
- Contribute to assigned client relationship improvement activities and implementation.
- Provides training and guidance to new or less experienced staff on all aspects of position requirements, including providing input into training materials.
- Performs quality control activities per the appropriate process/requirements.
- Lead sales-focused inbound client visits.
- Require scientific and/or technical knowledge to support client, lab, and/or operations questions/collaboration.
- Expected to contribute to content library by submitting new content or updates to existing content, using the official content submission process, and to suggest areas for streamlining/improving content and/or structure.
- Completes other appropriate duties, as assigned by the manager, which require similar skills in accordance with business needs and common sense.
- All other duties as needed or assigned.
Qualifications (Minimum Required):
- Bachelor’s degree required in related field or equivalent work experience.
- Fortrea may consider relevant and equivalent experience in lieu of educational requirements.
Experience (Minimum Required):
- Minimum 6 years of experience in budget and/or text development, or an equivalent combination of education and CRO/pharma/other related experience to successfully perform the essential job duties.
- Excellent customer service skills, attention to detail and ability to be persistent while maintaining tact.
- Demonstrated computer skills – requires excellent MS Office experience (specifically Excel, Word, Outlook).
- Knowledge of proposal management software applications (e.g., Salesforce.com, Qvidian, Proposal Automation applications) is preferred.
- Demonstrated text editing and writing skills (based on business unit and/or team expectations).
- Demonstrated ability to plan, multi-task and prioritize.
- Demonstrated teamwork, communication (written and verbal), and organizational skills.
- Proven ability to work independently.
- Ability to work to deadlines.
- Strong analytical skills.
- Ability to communicate appropriately and effectively with internal stakeholders, clients, and Fortrea senior management.
- Positive attitude and sense of urgency.
- Possesses an ability and willingness to work across Business Units.
- Ability to work irregular and/or extended hours as needed to meet the client’s proposal deadline.
Physical Demands/Work Environment:
- Flexibility to participate in meetings across various time zones outside core working hours.
- Travel Required.
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