Senior Manager, Proposals

One team. Global challenges. Infinite opportunities. At Viasat, we're on a mission to deliver connections with the capacity to change the world. For more than 35 years, Viasat has helped shape how consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the globe communicate. We're looking for people who think big, act fearlessly, and create an inclusive environment that drives positive impact to join our team.

Leads and matures the pre-award proposal management function for Viasat Government through functional leadership, people management, and operational excellence. This role leads a group of proposal professionals while serving as a senior, hands-on leader for the most critical pursuits.

Accountable for developing talent, establishing execution standards, and driving a scalable pre-award operating model, this role ensures consistent delivery of high-quality, compliant, and competitive proposals. The role partners across Business Development, Technical, Financial, Operational, and Supply Chain functions to align resources, priorities, and strategies, while strengthening continuity from opportunity shaping through proposal submission and program transition.

This position operates with autonomy, influencing senior leadership, crafting organizational capability, and encouraging ongoing improvement throughout the pre-award lifecycle.

Functional & People Leadership

• Lead, manage, and develop a team of proposal managers and support personnel, with accountability for performance, engagement, and career development
• Establish team structure, role clarity, and operating rhythms aligned to business needs
• Provide regular coaching, feedback, and performance management, ensuring high standards and continuous growth
• Drive hiring, onboarding, and succession planning to build a scalable and resilient organization
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and ongoing improvement

Proposal Execution Leadership

• Serve as lead proposal manager on the highest-priority and most complex opportunities
• Oversee and guide team execution across the full proposal portfolio
• Ensure adherence to established processes, compliance requirements, and quality standards
• Lead executive reviews and ensure effective incorporation of feedback
• Promote disciplined, repeatable execution practices across all proposals

Cross-Functional Leadership & Integration

• Act as a key integrator across pre-award collaborators, including Business Development, Sales, Engineering, Finance, Operations, and Contracts
• Drive alignment between customer requirements, technical solutions, and cost/schedule assumptions
• Enable effective collaboration and resolve cross-functional challenges through leadership and influence
• Improve handoff quality from proposal through program execution
• Oversee coordination and integration of cost and risk inputs across functions

Resource & Capacity Management

• Own resource planning and workload prioritization across the proposal team
• Align staffing with pipeline demand, strategic priorities, and business goals
• Identify and mitigate resource constraints, capability gaps, and execution risks
• Ensure effective utilization and development of team members

Process, Tools, and Ongoing Improvement

• Lead initiatives to improve proposal processes, tools, and systems
• Establish and track performance metrics (e.g., cycle time, quality, win rate, rework)
• Partner with system owners (Salesforce, Agile tools, costing systems) to optimize workflows
• Drive adoption of best practices and continuous improvement across the team

• 8+ years of proposal management, capture, or related experience
• Demonstrated experience in people leadership and team development
• Proven ability to lead functions or teams with increasing scope and complexity
• Strong understanding of the full pre-award lifecycle in a government/defense environment
• Experience establishing processes, governance, and scalable operating models
• Ability to influence and collaborate effectively across senior and cross-functional stakeholders
• Strong communication, leadership presence, and decision-making capability
• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
• U.S. Citizenship required
• Ability to travel up to 25%
  
  This is a hybrid role based out of Duluth, GA (In office 3 days per week)

• Experience leading proposals and capture processes in the aerospace and defense industry
• Knowledge of industry tools and information systems such as Salesforce, SAM.gov, etc.
• Working knowledge of AI tools such as Claude and Copilot
• Experience with US government capture processes such as the Federal Acquisitions Regulations
  
  #LI-BBS

Viasat is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, seeking to create a welcoming and diverse environment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, genetics, age, or veteran status or any other applicable legally protected status or characteristic. If you would like to request an accommodation on the basis of disability for completing this on-line application, please click here.