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Proposal Development Lead
Strategic Steps Inc
- Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
- Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada
About
Location: Hybrid – Sherwood Park, AB (1 day/week in office preferred)
Reports to: Business Operations Manager
Employment Type: Part-time (4 days/week; 0.8 FTE), 6-month contract with potential for extension or transition to full-time
Compensation: Base salary plus commission (see details below)
Who We Are
At Strategic Steps, we work with governments, non-profits, and public-sector organizations across Canada to help them tackle real-world governance challenges. Whether it's strategic planning, governance reviews, or organizational change; our focus is on delivering practical advice that works in a real, complex, and changing world.
Our team is experienced, collaborative, and engaged across multiple provinces and territories. We bring together in-house expertise and trusted associates to offer clients thoughtful, clear, and results-driven solutions. Clients choose us because we listen carefully, communicate clearly, and focus on solutions that create a lasting impact.
We're currently looking for a Proposal Development Lead to help us grow our business. This is a great opportunity for someone who's organized, collaborative, and loves the puzzle-solving that goes into crafting great proposals.
About the Role
This position is being offered as a part-time contract role (approximately 4 days per week) for an initial term of six months. This structure allows both you and Strategic Steps to assess fit, collaboration, and workflow.
If the fit is strong and the business need remains, we're open to discussing a longer-term arrangement or expansion to full-time hours. We see this as the start of what could be a lasting high-impact role.
The Proposal Development Lead plays a critical role in the growth and positioning of Strategic Steps. This role is responsible for identifying relevant procurement opportunities, interpreting complex RFPs, and leading the development and submission of clear, persuasive, and compliant proposals. Proposal Development Lead
You will apply strategic thinking and technical writing expertise in support of our efforts in identifying and securing new consulting engagements. This includes managing timelines, collaborating with staff and associates, and ensuring all submissions reflect our organizational voice, quality standards, and brand.
This is a collaborative role that reports to Strategic Steps' Business Operations Manager and works closely with the President. It requires strong organizational skills, good judgment, and a detail-oriented mindset focused on delivering high-quality, deadline-driven results.
While this role is not a traditional sales position, it requires a strong ability to sell through persuasive writing, strategic positioning, and a clear understanding of what clients need. The ideal candidate will be comfortable identifying opportunities, articulating value, and closing the loop from proposal to signed contract. You'll have the autonomy to shape and execute strategies that directly drive our business growth.
Key Responsibilities
Proposal Development (75%)
• Write, edit, and assemble compelling, compliant proposals in response to RFPs and other pricing requests from public-sector organizations (mainly municipal governments).
• Collaborate with consultants, associates, external partners, and company leadership to craft content that reflects our voice, approach, and experience.
• Create, update, and maintain bios, project descriptions, and proposal templates.
RFP Management (15%)
Proactively search for relevant opportunities on portals such as Bonfire, MERX, Bids&Tenders, and others.
Read and analyze RFPs to extract key requirements, deadlines, and evaluation criteria.
Coordinate internal go/no-go decisions, kick-off meetings, and post-submission reviews.
Coordination & Client Follow-up (10%)
Organize proposal timelines and ensure final submissions are polished and submitted on time.
Follow up with previous clients to stay top-of-mind and gather intel for future bids.
Set up kick-off meetings when new projects are awarded.
What You'll Bring
You bring a well-rounded set of skills and tools that support high-quality, competitive proposal development. In particular, you have:
A post-secondary degree or diploma (or equivalent) in a relevant field such as Business Administration, Political Science, Public Administration, Marketing, Communications, or a related discipline
3+ years of experience in proposal writing, RFP coordination, or business development in a professional services environment
A strong ability to communicate value and influence buying decisions, even though this isn't a traditional sales role. You understand what clients need and can position our services in a way that builds trust and drives engagement
Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to translate complex information into persuasive, accessible proposals
Demonstrated ability to interpret procurement documents and RFPs from both government and non-government sectors, with particular strength in navigating municipal and public-sector processes
Experience developing proposals in a deadline-driven environment with competing priorities
High attention to detail, including proofreading and layout consistency
Strong visual presentation skills, with the ability to design professional, on-brand proposals using Canva
The ability to work independently while also collaborating effectively with leadership and subject matter experts
An understanding of the consulting environment and the ability to adapt quickly to shifting expectations or client needs
Comfort working remotely and using cloud-based platforms to manage documents and feedback
You are proficient with a wide range of proposal development and RFP platforms, including:
RFP & Tender Platforms:
Bonfire
MERX
Bids & Tenders
CanadaBuys
Biddingo
bidsCanada
CanadaTenders
TendersOnTime
Alberta Purchasing Connection
BC Bid
SaskTenders
Proposal Development & Collaboration Tools:
Canva
Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Acrobat Pro)
Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams)
Alchemer (or other survey tool)
Dropbox
Bonus Points For:
Experience working in or with municipal governments.
Experience working for a management consulting firm, especially in a proposal, analyst, or business development role.
Familiarity with Canada's public-sector landscape.
Soft Skills That Matter:
Analytical thinking and interpretation of complex documents
Adaptability and comfort with shifting priorities
Collaborative team player across departments and functions
Meticulous attention to detail and proofreading
Strong time and project management skills
Self-driven and proactive approach to work
Resilience under pressure and shifting timelines
Bring Why Join Strategic Steps:
Flexible hybrid work environment (with potential for full remote depending on location).
Employee health benefits (Full-time staff)
Professional development support (Full-time staff)
Meaningful work that strengthens communities and builds better local government.
Small, values-based team that believes in integrity, usefulness, and clarity.
Base salary plus commission for sourced and successful proposals, rewarding initiative and impact.
Opportunity to grow your career and shape how we do business development.
Compensation:
This position offers a base salary plus commission.
Commission is paid only for proposals that result in signed contracts where the opportunity was sourced or identified by the Proposal Development Lead (e.g., through active RFP searches or outreach).
Proposals written in response to inbound referrals or direct client requests (e.g., word-of-mouth or repeat business) are part of the core role and are not commission-eligible, though still critical to the company's success.
We believe in rewarding initiative and success and this structure reflects the value of both finding and securing new business.
Languages
- English
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