Proposal Writer

Description TITLE: Proposal Writer LOCATION: Chicago, IL REPORTS TO: Senior Director, Proposal Writing DEPARTMENT: Strategy & Operations TYPE: Full Time, Hybrid (two days in-office) Please submit a cover letter. This position is not eligible for employer visa sponsorship. Who We Are CCS Fundraising is an international strategic fundraising firm that partners with nonprofits for transformational change. Since 1947, CCS has empowered many of the world’s greatest organizations across sectors to advance some of the most important causes in history. We plan, manage, and implement programs and initiatives that achieve fundraising goals and mission impact. CCS provides tailored support to more than 700 nonprofit organizations annually. Headquartered in New York, the firm has over 600 professionals and 18 offices throughout the United States and Europe. Our people are our greatest strength. At CCS, you will join a diverse team of smart, passionate, and resourceful professionals who are driven by purpose and committed to performance. UNDERSTANDING THE ROLE We are seeking a CCS is seeking a motivated, deadline-driven Proposal Writer to work with a Chicago-based team. The successful candidate will work closely with our Executive team, managing new leads from ideation to contract and ensuring that all team Executives have the materials and preparation they need to conduct successful business development and sales meetings. A critical component of this role is to produce compelling, consistent, creative, and professional proposals, RFPs, and presentations that differentiate CCS from our competitors. Please note that this is not a sales or lead generating position. Ideal candidates will possess excellent writing, communication, research, and design skills to contribute to the development of sales materials and resources. The candidate is also comfortable working with multiple Executives and other proposal writers and is capable of meeting set deadlines and prioritizing tasks in a fast-paced corporate environment. Prior experience with RFPs, proposals, and client relationship management databases are a plus. Experience with research, data visualization, and professional writing is key. This is an excellent opportunity to join a growing team in a role that has room to grow and evolve. Responsibilities • Write and design customized sales proposals, presentations, and supporting materials in close coordination with the Executive Team • Participate in sales meetings to understand client needs and inform proposal strategy • Develop tailored content based on the specific needs, scope, and interests of each prospective client • Partner with Team Executives to define key elements of each proposal, including scope of work, pricing, and service structure • Establish and manage internal timelines to guide daily work and ensure on-time delivery of materials • Collaborate with the Executive Team to identify strategic next steps for active leads in the sales pipeline • Support final editing, formatting, and distribution of proposals and other materials • Print and ship sales materials when needed/requested • Draft and send emails with sales materials on behalf of Executives when needed/requested • Complete research on potential leads and complete other sales materials in advance of sales meetings to ensure Team Executives are prepared in a timely manner • Maintain and update proposal templates; customize templates as needed for specific proposals, decks, one-pagers, etc. • Assist other proposal writers in securing client case studies and references for proposals • Draft thank-you and follow-up correspondence for Team Executives • Work with team database coordinator and make direct database updates (as applicable) to ensure lead information is up-to-date • Liaise with proposal writers across the team and firm to understand trends and continually enhance materials • Participate in Proposal Team strategic planning and spearhead assigned strategic projects, as appropriate • Additional tasks as needed to support the sales process, including maintaining organized records of all proposal drafts, final submissions, and supporting documentation for future reference and compliance Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree required • 3-9 years professional experience with proven writing and project management track record • Exceptional ability to manage multiple projects and competing deadlines in a fast-paced environment • Excellent writing and visualization skills, with a keen eye for detail • Thorough proofreading skills • Excellent time management and organizational abilities; capable of independently structuring time and tasks to meet deadlines • Demonstrated resourcefulness and initiative in problem-solving and adapting to changing needs • Advanced knowledge of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook • Creative presentation design experience - experience with InDesign, Photoshop, Publisher, Canva, and other graphic design programs a plus but not required • CRM (HubSpot preferred) and SharePoint experience a plus but not required • Comfortable working both independently and collaboratively within a team setting CCS offers competitive benefits, a dynamic training program, resources, career advancement, mentoring, and networking opportunities. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and strongly encourage a diverse pool of candidates to apply. SALARY RANGE: $60,000 - $80,000 The exact salary varies within range based on years of relevant experience and education. Please submit a cover letter.