Reports to: Executive Vice President with a dotted line to the Sr. Proposal Manager

Who We Are

D&A Communications is a San Francisco–based, equity-first agency with over 30 years of experience advancing inclusive, community-centered strategies. We are culturally fluent storytellers who integrate public relations, creative services, and public engagement to deliver transformative communication programs for clients in both the public and private sectors—including government agencies, nonprofits, and mission-driven companies.

Our work focuses on meeting people where they are—developing strategies that reflect community voices and promote equitable outcomes. From expanding transportation access and affordable housing to raising awareness about environmental resilience to healthcare access and educational equity, we address the barriers impacting low-income residents and communities of color.

With deep cultural competency and a strong understanding of diverse social landscapes, we specialize in social impact sectors such as healthcare, housing, transportation, and education. Partnering with government agencies, Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), and socially responsible companies, we design inclusive, community-centered campaigns that foster trust, build lasting connections, and drive meaningful, measurable change.

What You Will Be Doing:

As a Senior Growth Strategist you will be at the forefront of our business development efforts, crafting high quality, persuasive, winning proposals for public agencies. You will review, edit and customize all proposals ensuring that responses address RFP priorities and goals. You will collaborate closely with the Growth & MarketingTeam to create complete and compelling responses to the questions posed in RFPs. Your goal is to help our Agency articulate our value and win new business. This includes formal and informal proposals as well as solicited and unsolicited proposals. Your role will involve writing, reviewing, editing, and proofreading proposal content, ensuring that each submission is tailored and includes compelling content that synthesizes our approach, experience, and values in the D&A’s voice, and enhances our competitive edge. You will have a unique opportunity to connect with customers and directly influence business growth.

Examples of the types of proposals you will work on writing and preparing for submission may include addressing barriers to mobility and transportation in underserved communities; rebranding beloved places, spaces, infrastructure, and government agencies that make up the fabric of our community; working with community groups and city departments to advance reform of government fees and fines that adversely impact low-income residents and communities of color; raising awareness about environmental resilience; creating marketing strategies and branding that reflects an equity lens; crafting integrated communications strategies to reach people where they are; and creating public policy initiatives that ensure diversity and inclusion is valued.

In addition you will participate in external marketing efforts, creating thought leadership content for the Agency to promote on their social platforms.

Who You Are

Your writing career has focused on mission-driven, social impact content/work, and you are passionate about making a difference in your community. Your values are aligned with that of our Agency and you have a strong interest in using your skills and experience purposefully.

You are…

• Sales savvy, you have an intuitive understanding of how to connect, anticipate and capture an audience’s attention.
• A clear and persuasive communicator with the ability to express complex ideas and concepts in a way that is approachable and easy to understand;
• A meticulous writer, one that consistently produces work that is articulate and free from typos and grammatical errors; someone with a strong command of language and an eye for detail;
• A self-starter who thrives in deadline-driven environments, managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining high standards of quality and accuracy;
• A news aficionado, passionate about current events and what is going on in our community and the world, staying abreast of what’s trending with the ability to apply that knowledge to the task at hand;
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently and highly collaborative, able to work as part of a team, ensuring seamless coordination with other team members;
• A creative thinker with strong problem-solving skills and can easily adapt and handle changing priorities; and
• Driven by a commitment to excellence, taking pride in producing error-free professional proposals that stand out in a competitive landscape.

You have…

• Proposal writing experience rooted in government/public agency proposals;
• A solid understanding of the proposal lifecycle, are proficient in industry-standard tools, and are continuously seeking ways to improve your craft;
• Strong attention to detail, time management and organizational skills, with the ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines;
• Superior project management and prioritization skills. You can pivot easily from one priority to the next;
• A creative eye and can conceptualize good visuals and graphics to accompany a variety of proposal content; and
• Strong research skills with the instincts of a reporter, allowing you to quickly grasp complex concepts and provide context in your writing.

You can…

• Craft compelling narratives that are fact filled, persuasive and memorable; ensuring alignment with the needs and goals of the proposal/RFP;
• Read and review drafts for accuracy, grammar, readability, style, terminology, and more.
• Interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form; and
• Tailor content to specific audiences, showcasing our Agency’s unique value proposition and voice.

Key Responsibilities

• Proposal Development: Participate in the creation and development of high-quality proposals in response to RFPs, RFIs, RFQs, and other solicitation documents.
• Content Creation: Write, edit, review, and proofread proposal content and thought leadership pieces, ensuring clarity, conciseness, grammatical accuracy, readability, alignment, and compliance with proposal requirements and objectives.
• Collaboration: Work with the Business Development Team and other team members to gather necessary information to develop a winning strategy for proposals. Work with the creative team to develop the look and feel of the graphics associated with each proposal.
• Research: Conduct thorough research to understand the needs of the potential client, the competitive landscape, and industry trends, integrating findings into proposal content. Conduct research on captivating thought leadership pieces for promotion on the Agency’s social platforms.
• Compliance: Ensure that all proposals and forms meet the solicitation requirements, including formatting, content, and submission guidelines.
• Customization: Tailor proposals to specific clients and opportunities, highlighting unique value propositions, differentiators, and benefits.
• Continuous Improvement: Collect feedback on proposal outcomes and incorporate lessons learned into future proposals to enhance success rates.
• Quality Assurance: Review proposals for grammar, style, and accuracy, ensuring that they are not only free from errors and present a professional image but present our value proposition through an equity lens.
• New Business Team/Meetings: Participate and actively contribute to Department meetings supporting all new business efforts.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Business, Marketing, Technical Writing, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in proposal writing, grant writing, technical writing, or a related field.
• Project management experience.
• Experience responding to government/public RFPs is required.
• Knowledge of industry best practices and trends in proposal writing.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and other proposal management tools.Experience working in communications and/or business development is a plus!
• Experience writing communications plans is a plus!
• Experience creating private sector proposals and pitch decks is a plus!
• Aptitude for technology is a plus.
• Familiarity with community relations/engagement is a plus.

Qualification Requirements

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily, both remotely and in person. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Psychological Demands

This role requires adaptability and resilience in a dynamic, fast-paced environment. Key demands include:

• Managing shifting priorities and multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Maintaining focus and attention to detail under deadlines.
• Collaborating effectively within diverse teams and departments.
• Communicating ideas persuasively and building strong internal relationships.
• Navigating interruptions and thinking quickly to solve problems.
• Working independently and remotely while staying connected with colleagues, clients, and partners through phone, video, and email.
• Navigating interactions that may be complex or sensitive.

Physical Demands

Typical physical activities for this role include:

• Sitting for extended periods (up to 8 hours/day) while using a computer, keyboard, mouse, telephone, and other office equipment.
• Frequent use of hands and fingers to type, handle objects, and operate controls (e.g., computer keyboard, mouse, keypad).
• Regularly required to manipulate small objects and maintain fine motor skills for detailed tasks.
• Frequent verbal communication via phone, video calls, and in-person meetings.
• Occasional travel to client sites or events using various transportation modes.
• Standing at client or community events for long periods.
• Vision requirements include close focus, color recognition, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus as needed.

Work Environment

Work settings vary between quiet to moderately noisy office environments and remote locations with variable noise levels. This role supports hybrid work arrangements, requiring flexibility between home, office, and client/event sites.

Equipment Used

• Regular: Computer, telephone, printer
• Occasional: Copier