Proposal Strategist

Job Posting:
At Ferguson, our greatest assets are our best-in-class associates, which is why we’re dedicated to offering limitless opportunities for growth and advancement. We want to help you build a long-lasting career with our company. We offer competitive compensation, excellent benefits (medical, dental & vision), as well as paid parental leave and so much more. Join our team today and together, we can continue to lead the industry and help build our nation’s infrastructure from the ground up.

Ferguson is currently seeking a Proposal Strategist to support proposal development and sales enablement efforts across Ferguson Waterworks Strategic Businesses. This role partners with sales, project management, leadership, manufacturers, and subject matter experts to develop high-quality proposal responses, qualifications packages, presentations, and customer-facing documents that support growth initiatives across multiple business groups.

The Proposal Strategist will manage multiple opportunities simultaneously, coordinate cross-functional contributors, develop compelling proposal content, ensure compliance with customer requirements, and help drive continuous improvement of proposal processes and tools. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, collaborative, and comfortable working in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.

• Lead proposal development efforts utilizing Shipley proposal management standards and best practices, including proposal planning, win strategy development, resource assignments, compliance review, and proposal execution.
• Review solicitation documents including Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Requests for Qualifications (RFQs), Requests for Information (RFIs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs), and Statements of Qualifications (SOQs), and facilitate proposal kickoff meetings to establish strategy, responsibilities, schedules, and deliverables.
• Manage multiple proposals and pursuit opportunities simultaneously while supporting the diverse needs of Strategic Businesses, sales teams, project managers, manufacturer partners, and Ferguson leadership.
• Serve as the project manager for assigned proposal opportunities by developing schedules, managing action items, facilitating team communication, tracking progress, and ensuring the timely delivery of all proposal components.
• Collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders across Ferguson, including Sales, Project Management, Integration, Operations, Legal, Risk Management, Tax, Supplier Diversity and Minority Outreach, Marketing, and Executive Leadership.
• Curate, collaborate, and collect information from subject matter experts, manufacturer representatives, business partners, and internal stakeholders to develop complete and compelling proposal responses.
• Develop, maintain, and continuously improve proposal templates, content libraries, project profiles, resumes, graphics, and other reusable pursuit assets.
• Ensure all proposal submissions are compliant with customer requirements and include all required documentation, which may include pricing, schedules, staffing plans, product information, technical narratives, certifications, forms, and supporting documentation.
• Draft, edit, proofread, and format proposal content to ensure consistency, accuracy, compliance, and a professional presentation.
• Develop persuasive and customer-focused proposal narratives that clearly communicate Ferguson's value proposition, capabilities, experience, and differentiators.
• Analyze technical specifications, project documentation, manufacturer information, and customer requirements to determine appropriate content and apply that knowledge to proposal responses, qualifications packages, and customer-facing materials.
• Create professional graphics, charts, organizational diagrams, process visuals, and presentation materials that enhance proposal quality and support customer engagement.
• Track proposal activity, market trends, project opportunities, and win/loss results to identify opportunities for continuous improvement and increased competitiveness.
• Support sales teams throughout the pursuit lifecycle, including pre-proposal planning, customer…