Proposals Manager

Scale is a rapidly growing, venture-backed startup that is changing the way organizations around the world build AI applications. We are looking for a highly driven and operationally focused Proposals Manager to support our growing Public Sector business, with a particular focus on delivering AI/ML solutions to the U.S. Federal Government.

Scale is at the forefront of enabling the next wave of AI/ML technologies for the U.S. government, and we are expanding our Public Sector Proposals team to help drive this mission. This position requires a self-motivated, independent operator who is deeply analytical, hands-on, and able to thrive in a rapidly changing, high-stakes environment. You must be comfortable taking ownership of your work and driving initiatives forward with exceptional written communication skills.

Responsibilities:

• Manage the end-to-end proposal development process for U.S. Federal opportunities, including RFPs, RFIs, BAAs, and unsolicited proposals.
• Drive the creation of compelling, compliant, and customer-focused proposal narratives that clearly articulate Scale's technical solutions, differentiators, and value.
• Collaborate with GTM, engineering, product, security, and legal teams to gather technical inputs and translate them into accessible proposal language.
• Ensure compliance with Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR/DFARS), solicitation requirements, and agency-specific guidelines.
• Develop and manage proposal schedules, assignments, and workflows to ensure timely submission of high-quality responses.
• Maintain and expand a reusable library of proposal content, past performance references, resumes, and templates to streamline future responses.
• Coordinate and facilitate team reviews, compliance checks, and executive approvals.
• Track and analyse win/loss outcomes, capturing lessons learned to improve future proposal strategy and execution.

Requirements:

• 3-6+ years of experience in Federal proposals management, ideally with technology, defense, or AI/ML organizations.
• Eligible for a U.S. Top Secret security clearance.
• Proven ability to lead complex, deadline-driven proposals in compliance with government solicitation requirements.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent proposals under tight deadlines with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with the ability to simplify complex technical information for diverse audiences.
• Strong knowledge of government contracting processes, FAR/DFARS compliance, and proposal best practices (Shipley or equivalent).
• Experience collaborating cross-functionally with sales, technical, and executive stakeholders.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to manage compliance matrices, checklists, and review cycles.

Nice to have:

• Prior experience supporting proposals for AI/ML, data science, cloud, or advanced technology offerings.
• Familiarity with government acquisition pathways such as OTAs, SBIRs, BAAs, and IDIQ task orders.
• Active U.S. security clearance (Secret or higher).
• Experience in a startup or high-growth environment.