Senior Manager, Pitches and Proposals

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us. Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

The firm is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and high-performing Senior Manager, Pitches and Proposals to lead a team of five professionals and help advance the firm's pitch and proposal capabilities. As a key leader within a growing, high-impact function, you will be responsible for developing talent, driving operational excellence, and helping to shape the future direction of the team while ensuring the delivery of compelling, client-focused RFP responses and pitch materials.

In this role, you will oversee the strategy, execution, and quality of the firm's most important pitch and proposal opportunities, partnering closely with lawyers, Client Growth colleagues, and cross-functional stakeholders across the firm. As a working manager, you will maintain direct responsibility for a designated portfolio of practice areas and industry sectors, personally leading and developing strategic pitches, proposals, and other business development deliverables while also guiding the work of your team.

You will oversee the full proposal lifecycle, establish priorities, allocate resources, manage workloads, and ensure the consistent delivery of high-quality, persuasive materials that reflect the firm's strengths and competitive advantages.

Beyond leading day-to-day proposal efforts, you will play a critical role in the continued development of the Pitches and Proposals function. You will identify opportunities to enhance processes, strengthen content and knowledge management, implement best practices, and foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement. As a manager and mentor, you will invest in the professional growth of your team, helping individuals expand their skills, increase their strategic contributions, and advance their careers.

Your experience in proposal strategy, storytelling, project leadership, and team management will help elevate the sophistication, consistency, and effectiveness of the firm's business development efforts. This role is ideal for a proactive leader who enjoys managing high-performing teams, driving change, balancing strategic oversight with hands-on execution, and delivering work that directly contributes to the firm's growth objectives. Success in this position requires the ability to seamlessly transition between leading people, managing complex pursuits, and serving as a trusted advisor to lawyers and business development professionals across the firm.

• Pitch and Proposal Center of Excellence
• Client Growth Team Practice and Industry Growth Leads
• Practice Area Leaders and Lawyers
• Matter Planning and Pricing Team
• Conflicts Department

• Partner closely with the Director, Brand Marketing and Communications, to execute strategic initiatives, drive operational excellence, and advance the firm's business development objectives.
• Develop deep knowledge of the firm's practice areas, industry sectors, client base, and competitive differentiators to effectively position the firm's capabilities in the marketplace.
• Lead the strategy, development, and execution of assigned pitches, proposals, and RFP responses, ensuring a compelling, client-centric approach that aligns with pursuit objectives.
• Apply proposal management best practices and sound judgment to drive consistency, quality, efficiency, and competitiveness across all submissions.
• Apply critical thinking and sound business judgment to evaluate pursuit opportunities, identify strategic advantages, and provide recommendations that strengthen messaging, sharpen value propositions, and enhance the firm's likelihood of success.
• Collaborate with lawyers, Client Growth colleagues, and other stakeholders to analyze client objectives, anticipate competitive dynamics, develop pursuit strategies, and coordinate contributions across practices, industries, and US offices.
• Draft, customize, and refine persuasive content that addresses client needs, demonstrates the firm's experience and capabilities, and clearly articulates its competitive advantages.
• Manage complex proposal workflows, timelines, and deliverables, ensuring projects remain on track and all submission requirements are met accurately and on schedule.
• Ensure strict adherence to RFP…