Senior Specialist, Proposals

At KBR – We do things that matter. 

We deliver science, technology and engineering solutions to governments and companies around the world. KBR employs approximately 38,000 people worldwide with customers in more than 80 countries and operations in over 29 countries. 

KBR is proud to work with its customers across the globe to provide technology, value-added services, and long-term operations and maintenance services to ensure consistent delivery with predictable results. At KBR, We Deliver. 

Think.KBR.com

KBR in Australia 

With over 65 years working on some of Australia’s largest and most complex projects, KBR has unmatched experience supporting the nation’s critical infrastructure, energy transition and national security priorities. KBR has around 2,000 employees throughout Australia, who are focused on delivering innovative technology and engineering solutions for a safer, more secure and sustainable future.

Belong, Connect and Grow at KBR 

At KBR, we are passionate about our people and our Zero Harm culture. These inform all that we do and are at the heart of our commitment to, and ongoing journey toward being a People First company. That commitment is central to our team of team’s philosophy and fosters an environment where everyone can Belong, Connect and Grow. We Deliver – Together.

The Opportunity

KBR is seeking a Proposal Senior Specialist to provide experienced leadership across a range of  Defence proposals varying in complexity. Reporting to the Supervisor, Proposals, this role is critical to the successful realisation of our growth, supporting end to end bid execution across a range of proposal activities. Working with limited supervision, you will lead allocated bids, manage workflow and resources, and apply analytical judgement to interpret Defence requirements and integrate complex inputs into compliant, compelling responses.

You will serve as a trusted partner to Capture Leads, SMEs and functional stakeholders, ensuring smooth coordination across concurrent bids. In addition, you will contribute new perspectives to improve templates and processes, and strengthen governance and proposal capability within the function.

This role suits an experienced bid professional who thrives in structured, deadline-driven environments and enjoys both hands-on delivery and supporting the development of others.
 

Responsibilities

The key responsibilities of the role will include, but are not limited to:

Bid Leadership & Delivery

• Lead end-to-end delivery of Defence proposals from kick-off through submission and handover.

• Manage allocated volumes, sections or workstreams for major bids, including schedules, inputs and content integration.

• Interpret Defence requirements and ensure responses are compliant, structured and aligned to win themes.

• Develop and maintain bid schedules, compliance matrices, content trackers and workflow plans.

Coordination, Workflow & Quality

• Coordinate proposal activities across assigned bids, ensuring clarity of responsibilities and timely delivery.

• Review and quality-assure work completed by Proposal Specialists to ensure alignment with governance and templates.

• Refine templates, content structures and processes to improve efficiency, quality and consistency.

• Manage multiple concurrent priorities within strict timeframes.

Stakeholder & SME Engagement

• Engage with Capture Leads, Finance, Technical, Commercial and SMEs to coordinate inputs and resolve gaps.

• Facilitate meetings, track actions and manage communications to ensure accurate information flow.

• Build strong working relationships across the business to enable seamless bid delivery.

Mentoring & Team Development

• Provide day-to-day guidance and coaching to Proposal Specialists.

• Review outputs and provide constructive editorial feedback.

• Share best practice approaches and support skills development across the team.

Contribution to Functional Uplift

• Support the Supervisor, Proposals in implementing process improvements, governance enhancements and lessons learned.

• Contribute to development of tools, templates and bid capability frameworks.

• Strengthen quality systems and continuous improvement within the proposal function.

Qualifications, Skills and Experience

Essential:

• Undergraduate degree in Communications, Business, Engineering or related field (or equivalent experience).

• Typically 6+ years’ experience in proposals, bid coordination, project support or Defence sector roles.

• Strong knowledge of Defence tendering processes, including ASDEFCON.

• Demonstrated experience leading bid sections or medium-sized proposals.

• Proven ability to manage workflow across multiple concurrent bids.

• Strong written communication and editorial skills.

• Ability to work with limited supervision and apply independent judgement.

• Eligibility to obtain and maintain an Australian Government Security Clearance.

Desirable:

• Experience supporting large, complex Defence bids.

• Experience improving proposal templates, governance frameworks or bid systems.

• Exposure to Defence procurement environments and contract models.

• Experience mentoring or supervising junior team members.

Benefits of KBR

• A workplace culture certified as a Great Place To Work (Aus, India, UK & US)

• Flexible working conditions

• Competitive salary (including annual reviews)

• Paid Parental leave

• Paid Reservist leave

• Income protection

• Corporate rewards

• Salary packaging/Novated leasing

• Discounted employee stock purchase plans

• Flu shots, skin checks and private health insurance discounts

• Career development: Online learning, mentorship and career pathways

If you’re ready to shape tomorrow, let’s get started. Apply Now!

KBR acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their continuing connections to land, sea, community and culture. We pay our respects to Elders past and present.

As a Major Service Provider of the Australian Defence Force, an AGSVA security clearance will be required and compliance to International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). As such, our hiring decisions are based on the key requirements of each role and candidates are selected based on their unique strengths and experiences.

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