Director of Proposal & Pursuit Strategy

Director Of Proposal & Pursuit Strategy

Wharton-Smith, Inc., a highly regarded general contractor throughout the Southeast, is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Director of Proposal & Pursuit Strategy. We are currently seeking someone who is willing to work in our corporate office in Sanford, FL.

The Director of Proposal & Pursuit Strategy is responsible for leading the company's pursuit strategy, proposal development, interview preparation, and presentation excellence initiatives. This role serves as a strategic partner to executive leadership, business development, operations, preconstruction, and project teams to position Wharton-Smith for sustained growth and successful project acquisition across all business units.

The Director provides leadership throughout the entire pursuit lifecycle, including market intelligence, capture planning, proposal strategy, qualifications development, shortlist presentations, interview coaching, and post-pursuit analysis. This position is responsible for ensuring all pursuit-related materials effectively communicate Wharton-Smith's value proposition, technical expertise, operational capabilities, and commitment to client success.

As a leader within the organization, the Director of Proposal & Pursuit Strategy drives continuous improvement in pursuit processes, team development, branding consistency, and win performance while fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, innovation, and excellence.

Strategic Pursuit Leadership:

• Lead the strategy and execution of high-profile proposals, qualifications packages, shortlist presentations, and interview pursuits across commercial construction, infrastructure, and water/wastewater markets.

• Drive pursuit strategy from pre-positioning and Go/No-Go through proposal submission, interview preparation, and final closeout.

• Facilitate capture planning and strategic positioning sessions with operations, business development, and executive leadership teams.

• Analyze procurement documents, owner priorities, evaluation criteria, and competitive landscapes to shape winning pursuit strategies.

• Develop compelling win themes, executive messaging, differentiators, and storytelling frameworks aligned with client priorities and project realities.

• Translate complex technical, operational, and construction concepts into persuasive, owner-focused narratives that clearly communicate value, execution confidence, and risk mitigation.

Presentation & Interview Excellence:

• Lead the development of executive-level shortlist presentations and formal interviews for major pursuits.

• Direct interview strategy, messaging architecture, presentation flow, rehearsal planning, and Q&A preparation.

• Facilitate intensive interview workshops and "war room" sessions focused on content refinement, delivery coaching, and team alignment.

• Coach technical professionals and executives on presentation presence, conversational delivery, message discipline, and audience engagement.

• Prepare teams for anticipated client dynamics, panel behaviors, and scenario-based questioning to ensure confident, polished delivery.

Market Intelligence & Business Planning:

• Support regional and enterprise-level business planning initiatives through market analysis, client intelligence, and pursuit forecasting.

• Analyze Capital Improvement Plans (CIPs), procurement trends, market conditions, and competitive data to identify strategic opportunities.

• Partner with business development leaders to align pursuit investments with long-term growth objectives and client relationship strategies.

• Lead quarterly pursuit and planning reviews to evaluate pipeline health, strategic priorities, and resource alignment.

Brand, Messaging & Quality Leadership:

• Serve as a steward of the Wharton-Smith brand, ensuring consistency, professionalism, and strategic clarity across all pursuit materials.

• Oversee proposal quality control, compliance reviews, visual standards, and messaging consistency.

• Collaborate with graphic designers, photographers, and external consultants to create elevated, visually compelling deliverables.

• Lead the evolution of proposals, presentation, and interview standards…