Proposal Development Specialist

Proposal Development Specialist

Elior North America | Houston, TX

Work Location: Houston corporate office, Monday–Thursday onsite and Friday remote.

Compensation: $72,000 base salary plus commission.

The Role at a Glance

Are you a creative, commercially minded professional who enjoys developing compelling proposals, building persuasive presentations, and helping sales teams win new business?

Elior North America is seeking a Proposal Development Specialist to partner closely with our Business Development team in creating strategic, visually engaging proposals and sales materials that differentiate our services and help drive business growth.

This is more than a traditional proposal writing position. We're looking for someone who understands how to turn business opportunities into compelling sales presentations and proposals by combining creative thinking, persuasive messaging, visual storytelling, and strong project management skills.

You'll work directly with Business Development Directors to understand prospective clients, identify key selling points, and develop customized proposals that demonstrate why Elior is the right partner.

The ideal candidate brings a combination of proposal development, marketing, sales support, and creative presentation experience and enjoys working in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.

What You'll Be Doing

Sales Proposal Development & Business Growth

• Partner directly with Business Development Directors to develop persuasive proposals, sales presentations, and client-facing materials that support new business opportunities.
• Translate client needs, business objectives, and competitive differentiators into compelling sales messaging and proposal strategies.
• Develop customized proposals and pitch materials that highlight Elior's value proposition and competitive advantages.
• Support the development of winning proposal strategies, including messaging, content organization, and visual presentation.
• Create both formal RFP responses and non-RFP sales proposals tailored to prospective clients.

Creative Development & Visual Storytelling

• Develop visually engaging proposals, presentations, and sales collateral that effectively communicate our services and capabilities.
• Use Adobe InDesign and established design templates to create polished, professional client-facing materials.
• Collaborate with internal teams to incorporate graphics, photography, and other visual elements that strengthen proposals.
• Bring fresh ideas to proposal layouts, messaging, and presentation formats to help differentiate Elior from competitors.

Business Development Collaboration

• Work closely with Business Development Directors to understand sales opportunities, prospective clients, and market-specific needs.
• Participate in proposal planning discussions and contribute ideas that strengthen our competitive positioning.
• Collaborate with Operations, Marketing, Finance, and other departments to gather information and develop customized solutions.
• Help translate complex business information into clear, persuasive, client-focused messaging.

Proposal Project Management

• Manage multiple proposal and sales development projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines and quality expectations are met.
• Coordinate proposal timelines, deliverables, and contributions from cross-functional stakeholders.
• Maintain and improve proposal templates, presentation materials, and content libraries.
• Identify opportunities to improve proposal development processes and increase efficiency.

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
• 2+ years of experience in proposal development, sales enablement, business development support, proposal marketing, or a related commercial role .
• Experience developing client-facing proposals, sales presentations, pitch decks, or business development materials.
• Strong understanding of how to communicate value propositions and tailor messaging to prospective clients.
• Creative mindset with the ability to combine persuasive content, visual presentation, and strategic thinking.
• Experience using Adobe InDesign, Adobe Creative Suite, PowerPoint, or similar presentation and design tools.
• Strong project management skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines.
• Ability to collaborate with sales teams, business leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience developing proposals or sales presentations that contributed to new business wins.
• Experience supporting B2B sales, professional services, hospitality, foodservice, or other service-based industries.
• Experience responding to RFPs and developing customized, non-RFP business proposals.
• Familiarity with proposal management platforms such as Loopio, Responsive, or similar tools.

What Makes This Opportunity Exciting

You'll have the opportunity to combine creativity, business strategy, and sales collaboration in a role that directly supports Elior's growth. Rather than simply responding to RFPs, you'll help shape how we present our capabilities, differentiate ourselves in competitive opportunities, and communicate our value to prospective clients.

Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance (for full-time employees)
• Voluntary UNUM coverage: Accident, Critical Illness, and Hospital Indemnity
• Employee Discount Program
• Commuter Benefits (Transit and Parking)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• 401(k) Retirement Plan
• Paid Sick Time
• Holiday Pay (9 paid holidays)
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition Reimbursement (for full-time employees)