Proposals Manager

Join our expanding Commercial team supporting BD

Posted: 13th November 2025

The Proposals Manager is a subject‑matter expert (SME)-level role responsible for leading RFPs (Request for Proposals). This role serves as a critical partner to Sales, Finance, Legal, and both Operational & Executive leadership, providing strategic oversight, driving cross‑functional alignment, and enabling commercial scalability. The Proposals Manager will lead the end‑to‑end development of core RFP deliverables, oversee high‑impact client engagements, and guide transformational initiatives that elevate the function's performance and visibility across the organization.

We’re Avance Clinical – a Contract Research Organisation that offers specialised services supporting drug development for the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. We have a rich history with founding roots dating back to the 1980s.

Why should you join Avance Clinical? We appreciate that our most important asset is our people. We offer a fun, friendly work environment and a culture that values honesty and respect. We have a strong sense of team, and recognize both individual and collective success. We are committed to creating a flexible work environment that supports work–life balance.

Core Responsibilities

- Proposal Development: Serve as the central point of contact for RFPs and RFIs, ensuring alignment with client expectations and operational input. Coordinate and lead internal strategy review meetings, clarify roles, win strategy, timelines, and positioning. Lead the preparation, direct overall process strategy, and develop complex RFPs/RFIs.
- Cross‑Functional Collaboration: Work closely with project managers, clinical operations, feasibility, regulatory affairs, and finance teams to gather information and ensure accurate, competitive proposals.
- Budgeting and Costing: Act as a strategic advisor on bid positioning, pricing logic, and commercial risk during the RFP stage.
- Deliverable Finalization: Write and edit proposal content to articulate Avance Clinical’s value proposition, differentiators, and alignment with client needs. Provide oversight on budget assumptions, pricing strategy, and bid risk assessment. Ensure timely delivery and brand consistency. Finalise RFP/RFI text in Word and PPT, and finalise budget and client grids.
- Client Engagement: Participate in client meetings and presentations to understand project needs, address queries, and build relationships.
- Quality Assurance: Ensure all proposals comply with regulatory requirements, company standards, and client specifications.
- Continuous Improvement: Contribute to developing and enhancing proposal templates, processes, and best practices. Track and report metrics such as turnaround times, win/loss data, average deal size, and root‑cause analysis.
- Identify and Coordinate Third‑Party Vendor Proposals: Relevant to each RFP.
- Change Orders: Support development of change‑order budgets for ongoing projects.
- Adhere to Avance Clinical’s policies and SOPs.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

- Minimum of 3 years of experience in proposal development within the CRO industry.
- Experience working within a business development team in the CRO or clinical trials industry, including client meetings, cost and proposal development, project award and contract management.
- Excellent written communication skills, including ability to write SOPs and reports.
- Excellent organisational and time‑management skills, with ability to set priorities, analyse problems, formulate solutions, and coordinate tasks.
- Ability to work on multiple tasks under pressure in a fast‑paced, multidisciplinary team environment.
- Initiative in problem solving and exercising judgment.
- Ability to work harmoniously and cooperatively with others, and independently without supervision.
- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Deep understanding of clinical trial operations, cost drivers, and service models for early‑ and late‑phase trials.
- Experience supporting global proposals and working with cross‑regional teams is highly desirable.
- High-level attention to detail in written and verbal communication.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint); experience with Salesforce or proposal automation tools is a plus.
- Collaborative and solutions‑oriented mindset, able to influence and engage stakeholders across functions and seniority levels.

Key Competencies

- Strategic Thinking and Client Focus
- Project Management and Organisational Skills
- Communication and Storytelling
- Quality Orientation and Attention to Detail

What we offer

- Stimulating work
- Project diversity
- Intellectual challenge
- Agile and flexible workplace
- Opportunity to progress
- Stability
- Sense of community
- Leadership team working toward a common goal
- Flexible work options
- Great tools and technology

What next?

- Submit your CV and cover letter as one Microsoft Word document.
- You must have full Australian working rights to be considered.

At Avance difference is encouraged, its celebrated and it's something we strive for. We empower cultural, disability, LGBTI+, and gender equality.

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