Strategic Proposals Manager

Strategic Proposals Manager STEMfinity Boise, ID Job Details Full-time $44,000 - $60,000 a year 8 hours ago Benefits Health insurance Dental insurance 401(k) Paid time off Vision insurance Qualifications Technical editing Project team coordination Vendor relationship building Communication with suppliers Google Workspace Customer communication Sourcing Sales proposal development Project documentation Spreadsheets Content writing High school diploma or GED Collaboration with product development teams Attention to detail Requirements analysis Compliance documentation Sales management systems proficiency Vendor relationship management Organizational skills CRM system proficiency Productivity software Achieving project delivery timelines Document management systems Process management Technical Proficiency Cross-functional communication Office record organization Full Job Description Job Summary The Business Development & Custom Solutions Manager is responsible for expanding where STEMfinity can do business by identifying, developing, and supporting new revenue opportunities through bids, grants, RFPs, vendor registrations, market research, and custom kitting solutions. This role focuses on opening new markets, increasing STEMfinity's eligibility to sell through public-sector procurement channels, identifying funded opportunities, and supporting customers who need customized STEM solutions, bundles, or kits. The position manages the full lifecycle of strategic proposals, bid responses, grant-aligned opportunities, vendor registration requirements, and custom solution development. This includes researching upcoming bids and grants, preparing compliant submissions, maintaining required documentation, coordinating with sales and operations, and working with internal and external kitting vendors to deliver customer-specific solutions. This is not a traditional sales role. The Business Development & Custom Solutions Manager supports revenue growth by creating access to new opportunities, improving STEMfinity's ability to compete, and developing solutions that allow the sales team to close more business. This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer or Chief Operating Officer and is a full-time position paid bi-weekly on an hourly basis.

Direct reports:

None initially.

Job Requirements:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to complete all areas outlined for this position in a satisfactory manner. Listed below are representative of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to meet the minimum requirements. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education:

High School or equivalent preferred.

Licensing:

None required Experience 3-5 years of experience in business development, proposal writing, RFP management, grants, procurement support, custom solutions, operations coordination, or public- sector contracting preferred. Experience in education, STEM, EdTech, curriculum products, educational supplies, kitting, distribution, or public-sector sales support preferred. Experience with K-12 procurement, state purchasing portals, grants, federal and state funding programs, vendor registrations, cooperative purchasing, or district bid processes preferred. Experience coordinating customer requirements across sales, operations, finance, vendors, and fulfillment partners preferred. Experience developing product bundles, custom kits, or configured solutions preferred. Skill Knowledge & Abilities Strong writing, editing, documentation, and proposal-development skills. Strong research ability, including the ability to monitor bid portals, grant opportunities, district purchasing plans, state funding programs, and competitive market activity. Strong understanding of K-12 procurement processes, grants, funding sources, and public-sector purchasing requirements. Ability to interpret RFPs, bid requirements, grant priorities, compliance documents, and submission instructions. Ability to coordinate custom kits and solutions across internal teams, external vendors, suppliers, and fulfillment partners. Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple deadlines and details simultaneously. Strong attention to detail and commitment to accurate documentation. Ability to analyze customer needs and translate them into practical, profitable, operationally feasible solutions. Ability to work cross-functionally with sales, operations, finance, vendor relations, marketing, and leadership. Strong communication skills with customers, vendors, and internal stakeholders. Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, CRM systems, proposal tools, spreadsheets, and document management systems. Ability to maintain organized records, templates, proposal libraries, compliance documentation, and vendor registration materials.

Physical:

Body Positions:

Sitting, Standing Body Movements:

Sitting, Standing Strength:

Minimal lifting of objects

Mathematical:

Ability to communicate professionally with customers, vendors, government agencies, school districts, and internal company contacts.

Language:

Ability to communicate with Customers, Vendors and other Company contacts as well as receive direction from the office.

Mechanical:

Must be proficient in MS Word, Excel, Google Workspace, CRM systems and other software programs. Use of a computer and other normal office equipment.

Travel:

Minimal to moderate travel may be required for customer meetings, vendor meetings, conferences, or company events.

Working Conditions:

Office environment. STEMfinity business hours are 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Additional hours may occasionally be required based on proposal deadlines, customer needs, bid submissions, or company priorities.

Essential Functions:

These include but are not limited to the following: Business Development Research & Market Expansion Identify new markets, districts, states, agencies, cooperatives, grants, bids, and funding opportunities where STEMfinity should pursue business. Monitor public bid portals, grant calendars, state procurement systems, district purchasing plans, and relevant education funding sources. Research emerging customer needs, market trends, competitor activity, product gaps, funding priorities, and strategic opportunities. Maintain a pipeline of future bids, grant-aligned opportunities, vendor registrations, and target markets. Recommend where STEMfinity should pursue new vendor eligibility, cooperative access, state approvals, or strategic proposal opportunities. Support leadership with market intelligence that informs product strategy, sales focus, kitting priorities, and expansion decisions. Proposal, Bid, RFP, and Grant-Aligned Submission Management Lead the end-to-end development of proposals, bids, RFP responses, grant-aligned submissions, and related opportunity documents. Analyze submission requirements, evaluation criteria, deadlines, compliance requirements, and required documentation. Write, edit, format, and assemble proposal content including narratives, pricing forms, capability statements, product descriptions, technical responses, company qualifications, and supporting documents. Coordinate with sales, finance, operations, vendor relations, product teams, and leadership to gather accurate information and submit high-quality responses. Maintain a centralized proposal library including templates, boilerplate language, product descriptions, resumes, case studies, certifications, compliance documents, and prior submissions. Track proposal outcomes, win/loss information, lessons learned, and future improvement opportunities. Vendor Registrations, Procurement Access, and Compliance Documentation Manage vendor registrations, renewals, procurement portal access, district onboarding documents, state approvals, and related compliance requirements. Maintain required documentation such as W-9s, certificates of insurance, product certifications, safety documents, company policies, and other procurement materials. Track renewal dates, compliance deadlines, registration requirements, and documentation updates. Ensure proposal and registration materials are accurate, complete, current, and submission-ready. Help increase the number of places where STEMfinity is eligible and prepared to do business. Custom Solutions and Kitting Development Work with customers, sales, and internal teams to define custom STEM kits, bundles, product configurations, and solution requirements. Translate customer needs into practical, profitable, and operationally feasible custom solutions. Coordinate with internal operations and external kitting vendors to determine sourcing, packaging, assembly, labeling, fulfillment, timelines, and delivery requirements. Support the development of custom kit pricing, product lists, quantities, substitutions, lead times, and fulfillment plans. Determine when kitting should be handled internally versus outsourced to external kitting partners. Maintain documentation for custom kits, including bills of materials, customer requirements, vendor instructions, cost inputs, packaging requirements, and fulfillment notes. Collaborate with vendor relations and operations to ensure custom kits can be delivered accurately, profitably, and on time. Cross-Functional Coordination Work closely with sales to understand customer needs, proposal priorities, timelines, and strategic opportunities. Partner with operations and vendor relations to confirm availability, lead times, substitutions, kitting feasibility, and fulfillment strategy. Coordinate with finance to support pricing accuracy, margin targets, cost structures, and proposal financial requirements. Collaborate with marketing and product teams to improve positioning, product descriptions, solution messaging, and proposal content. Support leadership with strategic research, opportunity analysis, and recommendations. Process Improvement and Systems Develop and improve workflows for proposals, registrations, grant research, custom kits, and opportunity tracking. Maintain organized systems for deadlines, submissions, templates, compliance materials, kitting documentation, and customer solution records. Implement tools, checklists, and quality-control processes that improve accuracy, efficiency, and repeatability. Identify recurring problems in proposal development, custom kitting, customer requirements, or procurement access and recommend improvements. Assist in the completion of other tasks as needs arise.

Duties and Tasks:

Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize workload effectively. Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills. High attention to detail and strong record-keeping discipline. Strong initiative and ability to operate independently. Professional communication and interpersonal skills. Ability to maintain discretion and confidentiality. Consistent professionalism and accountability. Ability to recognize and address problems proactively. Maintain cooperative working relationships across departments. Demonstrate professionalism in customer-facing and internal interactions. Recognize and perform duties which need to be performed, although not directly assigned, and assist others as needed. Provide proper notification and advance notice of absence. Report to work on time each day, after breaks, and not leave early. Assume responsibility for staying aware of changes in company policies and procedures. Maintain expertise on products and services, including attending product trainings. Maintain a well-groomed, professional appearance appropriate for the position.

Measurement of Performance:

Feedback from Ownership will be continuous as the employee performs job duties and responsibilities. The Company Performance Evaluation will measure performance, execution quality, and impact on the Company's financial performance. The evaluation will be completed annually and upon the completion of 90 days of employment. Company financial results are the key measurement of performance.

Metrics include:

Number of new places where STEMfinity can do business. Proposal, bid, RFP, and grant-aligned opportunity win rate. Pipeline revenue created or supported through bids, grants, registrations, and custom solutions. Gross profit generated or supported through custom kits and strategic opportunities. On-time submission rate for proposals, bids, registrations, and required documentation. Accuracy and completeness of compliance documentation. Number and quality of qualified bids, grants, and market opportunities identified. Custom kit margin performance and operational feasibility. Custom solution turnaround time from request to quote-ready or fulfillment-ready. Reduction in proposal errors, omissions, compliance issues, and avoidable rework. Successful renewal of vendor registrations, certifications, and procurement access.

Pay:

$44,000.00 - $60,000.00 per year

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Work Location:

In person