Proposal Manager || Commercial GC Pursuits + Adobe InDesign Daily || Orange County, CA (Hybrid)

What if you could lead pursuits for a 100% employee-owned commercial GC that's actively expanding its marketing function, with the autonomy to build proposals the way you've always believed they should be built? This is a Proposal Manager seat on a tight-knit team where your work directly shapes how the firm wins.

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗔𝗡𝗬

Pave Talent is hiring on behalf of our client, a 100% employee-owned, ENR-ranked Southern California commercial general contractor with 400 professionals and six regional offices across California. Founded over 50 years ago, the firm builds across eight market sectors including K-14, higher education, healthcare, civic and government, sports and entertainment, hospitality, mixed-use, multi-family, and senior living. Notable past projects include a major stadium renovation, a flagship roller coaster build, an iconic mixed-use destination, and multiple OSHPD-compliant healthcare facilities.

𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗥 𝗔𝗖𝗖𝗘𝗟𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡

This is not a coordinator role being stretched into a manager title. You'll own the full pursuit lifecycle end to end for a specific Center of Excellence, partnering directly with business unit leadership on strategy. The marketing team is small and focused (4 to 5 people), which means real influence and real visibility from week one. You'll also mentor a Proposal Coordinator on the same team.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗘𝗦𝗜𝗦

Most GCs run their pursuits like factories, templated, formulaic, indistinguishable. This firm is investing in the opposite approach. They want pursuits that win the room: custom layouts, client-specific design palettes, narratives that actually argue a position. The hiring leader has been explicit that "eye-catchy" and strategically sharp is the bar, not generic compliance.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗔𝗦𝗦𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘

You're already good at this. You may be at a top-tier GC right now, comfortable, well-compensated, and quietly aware that you're boxed into one market sector or one delivery method. The pitch here is breadth and ownership: eight Centers of Excellence, real Design-Build work, full lifecycle authority including interview coaching, and a Center of Excellence that's actively scaling. If you've been waiting for a seat where your pursuit philosophy actually shapes the work, this is it.

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗢𝗣𝗣𝗢𝗥𝗧𝗨𝗡𝗜𝗧𝗬

You'll report into marketing leadership and partner directly with the business unit leader who runs your Center of Excellence. The team is intentionally compact (no large corporate marketing department), and you'll have a Proposal Coordinator working alongside you, plus a 14 year industry veteran on the team as a resource.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗬𝗢𝗨'𝗟𝗟 𝗢𝗪𝗡

- Full pursuit lifecycle from go/no-go and capture planning through kickoff, win-theme development, content creation, color reviews (pink, red, gold), compliance, final production, and hand-delivered submission

- Prequalification packages, SOQs, and RFP/RFQ responses for public and private sector clients

- Shortlist interview strategy: building presentations, coaching technical teams on delivery, rehearsing responses, and winning the room (not just the paper)

- Custom visual storytelling in Adobe InDesign with callouts, client-specific palettes, and custom graphics, no template factory

- Marketing strategy for your Center of Excellence, case studies, thought leadership, market research, and competitive analysis

- Mentoring the Proposal Coordinator and supporting cross-COE knowledge sharing

𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗟 𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗞

This is a working seat, not a director-of-strategy seat. You'll be in InDesign daily, owning the deliverable, not just directing it. The team is small by design, which means there's no large corporate marketing function to hide behind. The hiring leader said it directly: pursuits win projects, and the person in this seat needs to genuinely understand the importance of being engaged, present, and accountable to the work. Candidates allergic to occasional office time, strategy meetings, project celebrations, will not be a fit, even if the day-to-day schedule is hybrid or flexible.

𝗥𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗥𝗘𝗗 𝗤𝗨𝗔𝗟𝗜𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡𝗦

- 5 to 10 years in construction marketing or proposal management at a sophisticated commercial GC or large architecture firm.

- Advanced Adobe InDesign as a daily user (not "familiar with"). Illustrator and Photoshop a plus.

- Full proposal lifecycle ownership: pre-qual, SOQ, RFP/RFQ, plus shortlist interview coaching.

- Demonstrated team leadership or mentorship.

- Stable tenure track record, ideally 2 to 3 employers across the last 15 years with at least one 5 year tenure.

- Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or related field.

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗣𝗼𝗶𝗻𝘁𝘀

- CPSM, SMPS membership, or APMP credential

- Unanet CRM by Cosential experience (this is where the firm is heading) or Deltek Vision

- Design-Build delivery method experience

- Public sector pursuit experience (LAWA, LADWP, CSU, UC system, K-12, OSHPD, DSA)

- Joist AI, OpenAsset, or Canto familiarity

𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗦𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗢𝗡 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗕𝗘𝗡𝗘𝗙𝗜𝗧𝗦

𝗕𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘆: $100,000 to $150,000

𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀: Year-end bonus up to 6% of base.

𝗘𝗤𝗨𝗜𝗧𝗬: ESOP stock interest (100% employee-owned since 2017, you become a stakeholder).

𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵: Medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, employer-paid life insurance, EAP.

𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 401(k) with match, in addition to ESOP.

𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗢𝗳𝗳: Open PTO, sick time, paid holidays.

𝗘𝘅𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘀: Tuition reimbursement, employee referral bonus, mileage reimbursement, flexible work hours.

𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲: Hybrid based out of the Irvine, CA office.

Apply via LinkedIn and we'll reach out to schedule a conversation. Confidential search; your application is fully private.

𝗣𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗻𝘁 | 𝗛𝗶𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗥𝗲𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱