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SR. PROPOSAL MANAGER

SYSTRA A+E, New York, NY, United States


The Company SYSTRA delivers architecture, engineering and construction and program management services to our clients that offer public transportation, public education and public housing to our communities.

We partner with public transportation owners and operators of bridges, buses, commuter and intercity, high‑speed and light rail, mass rapid transit and tunnels, helping them provide safe, efficient and reliable public transportation. SYSTRA also serves public facility authorities that provide safe, attractive and environmentally sound public schools and offer affordable housing to communities. Ranked 18th in U.S. mass transit and rail design by Engineering News‑Record (ENR), SYSTRA has been a trusted partner to public agencies and operators throughout the U.S. since 1985 and employs nearly 200 personnel nationwide.

Part of SYSTRA Group, a world‑leading engineering and consulting firm, SYSTRA is supported by the over 10,500 employees worldwide. Using a collaborative approach built on the firm’s value of Connected Teams, we provide our clients and partners access to the best skills worldwide via sharing information, tools, best practices, and processes.

Context SYSTRA: Senior Proposal Manager (NY/NJ) – hybrid

In this role, we’ll count on you to manage the full pursuit and proposal lifecycle for many key and complex U.S. rail and transit clients.

Missions and Duties Proposal and Pursuit Management

As a Sr. Proposal Manager,

we expect you to be able to independently manage the pursuit process from capture planning, through proposal development, and the final interview preparation stages . The right candidate is a highly organized, detail‑oriented leader with a strong desire to handle multiple, fast‑paced projects. The candidate will be expected to:

Conduct and facilitate pursuit and proposal meetings, guiding pursuit teams to develop persuasive proposal and interview materials.

Collaborate with individual pursuit teams and technical staff to develop winning strategies, key messaging, and differentiating themes that solidify SYSTRA’s competitive advantages.

Conceptualize, research, and produce all marketing materials, proposals, and presentations.

Assist with elevating technical writing quality by creating compelling callouts or custom graphics to enhance the readability and impact of text for agency reviewers.

Write non‑technical text and edit and proofread all marketing collateral. Demonstrate the ability to write compelling final content based on technical information provided by engineering staff.

Develop and coordinate layouts and graphics, ensuring the timely production and superior quality of all marketing communications (proposals, presentations, and external communications).

Lead and support interview coaching and presentation development for shortlisted teams.

Interface with people inside and outside the firm, including clients, agency procurement teams, and teaming partners.

Facilitate debriefs to identify improvement opportunities and measure overall competitiveness against our peers.

Enforce and practice designated proposal closeout processes, which include deconstructing and filing proposal and presentation material upon submission properly in SYSTRA systems and folders.

Maintain accurate project and resume data in business development systems.

Participate in the implementation of the go
o‑go decision process.

Profile/Skills Required Qualifications

A minimum of 5 years relevant industry experience supporting transportation, A/E/C, or professional services clients.

Demonstrated “self‑starter” with a history of completing complex projects with limited oversight.

Experience developing effective win strategies.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills.

Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

Proficient in Adobe Creative Cloud applications, including InDesign.

Ability to handle tight deadlines and make independent decisions critical to job success.

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, English, or a related field.

Deep knowledge of the A/E/C industry's standard approach to procurement of professional services—8+ years of AEC industry experience preferred.

Demonstrated experience in writing compelling content based on information from technical staff.

Demonstrated ability to motivate and inspire proposal team members.

Ability and desire to travel and engage with clients in‑person across the NY/NJ region.

Preference is given to local candidates.

Benefits SYSTRA USA provides a benefits package including medical, dental, 401(k) and other offerings that focus on providing health and financial stability throughout the employee’s career.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

Sponsorship assistance is not available for this position.

Salary Salary Range: $110,000 - $135,000

Location Location: New York City

Job Details Country/Region: United States

Field: Cross Functional and General Management

Type of Contract: Permanent

Level of Experience: 5‑10 years

EEO Statement SYSTRA USA is an equal opportunity employer committed to a diverse workforce. Employment decisions regarding recruitment and selection will be made without discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, genetic information or characteristic, gender identity and expression, veteran status, or any other consideration made unlawful by federal, state, or local law.

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