Proposal & Capture Manager

About Firestorm

Firestorm is on a mission to revolutionize how defense solutions are designed and delivered. Our goal is to empower U.S. ally nations to deter aggressors through innovative, cost-efficient technologies. We call this vision “democratized deterrence.” As a VC-backed company at the intersection of defense and Silicon Valley, we’re developing mission-adaptable aerial vehicles and prioritizing operator effectiveness to redefine defense procurement and make cutting-edge technology accessible at a fraction of the usual cost.

Firestorm Labs is seeking a Proposal & Capture Manager to lead the strategic development, capture, and proposal execution of high-priority defense opportunities. This role owns the full business development lifecycle from early opportunity shaping and customer engagement to proposal development and contract submission. You will take full ownership of high-value opportunities, craft capture strategies, engage with customers, manage strategic partnerships, and lead internal teams through every stage of the pursuit.

You will also oversee the proposal development process from kickoff through final submission, ensuring compliance, compelling content, and alignment with capture objectives. Your ability to balance technical, operational, and financial considerations while collaborating across business functions will be essential to winning Firestorm’s most strategic contracts.

• Lead the full capture lifecycle, taking charge of strategic opportunities from identification through contract award, guiding the capture process, and positioning Firestorm for success.
• Serve as the lead author and strategist on major business development efforts — crafting written narratives, technical documents, and customer-facing materials that drive Firestorm’s growth.
• Own the full opportunity lifecycle from early identification and shaping through proposal development, submission, and contract award.
• Lead the development and execution of integrated capture strategies, collaborating with business development, engineering, finance, and executive teams to align solutions with customer needs and Firestorm’s long-term vision.
• Engage directly with customers, stakeholders, and acquisition offices to understand mission priorities, gather intelligence, and influence procurement strategies and requirements before solicitation release.
• Manage the end-to-end proposal development process, including kickoff planning, content schedules, outlines, compliance matrices, writing assignments, and internal reviews to ensure timely, compliant, and high-quality submissions.
• Write and manage responses to government and customer requests for proposals, white papers, technical inquiries, quotes, and capability briefs, tailoring content to opportunity specifics and customer requirements.
• Collaborate with internal experts to shape and articulate solutions across a range of document types, from competitive proposals to market research responses and executive-level briefings.
• Write and review proposal content including executive summaries, technical and management volumes, past performance, and other narrative sections to clearly communicate Firestorm’s value and differentiation.
• Lead the coordination and integration of technical, operational, and cost elements into a cohesive proposal that reflects the win strategy and aligns with solicitation requirements.
• Develop competitive assessments, price-to-win strategies, and customer positioning plans to support solution development, teaming decisions, and pricing.
• Identify and negotiate teaming arrangements with strategic partners to create the most compelling, cost-effective, and capable solution for the customer.
• Drive the creation of win themes, discriminators, and value propositions, and ensure they are clearly expressed throughout the capture process and in proposal submissions.
• Support the development of pricing strategies and narratives in coordination with finance and capture leadership, ensuring alignment between the technical solution and cost volumes.
• Manage multiple concurrent RFPs, RFIs, white papers, and unsolicited proposal efforts, balancing…