Proposal Specialist

hatch I.T. is partnering with a boutique management consulting firm that helps organizations design and run better operating models — and whose federal and defense practice is now the company's #1 growth priority. See details below: About the Role We're looking for a Consulting Portfolio Manager/Proposal Specialist to sit at the center of that business. This is a high-visibility, operationally central role. You'll report to the Product Owner of the firm's US Consulting business and work closely with the COO, with direct exposure to portfolio economics, delivery performance, and growth strategy across a multi-line consulting practice (commercial + federal/defense). The federal and defense market is this firm's single largest strategic opportunity. We need someone who understands how government agencies procure and structure consulting engagements, moves with urgency, and can help build the operational infrastructure to win and deliver on that opportunity at scale. This is a hybrid role based in the Washington, DC area, requiring 3-4 days/week in person (occasionally more, depending on team and client needs). You'll be embedded in the DC market alongside federal clients and the broader government contracting ecosystem.

Responsibilities: • Portfolio performance & financial transparency — staffing, utilization, margin, forecast accuracy across the practice; portfolio-level metrics for leadership

• Delivery excellence — partner with engagement leaders to keep delivery aligned with client outcomes; identify and fix systemic delivery risks; build "just enough" operational infrastructure — not over-engineered process

• Federal & defense growth (the top priority) — own operational rigor on federal engagements (contract alignment, documentation, compliance); help the firm pursue and win task orders on vehicles like OASIS+, GSA schedules, GWACs, and agency IDIQs; maintain situational awareness of the federal pipeline; build relationships across the DC contracting ecosystem

• Organizational alignment — support leadership on cross-team coordination between US and international teams; support hiring and workforce planning

Qualifications: • 4-7 years in consulting, professional services, or portfolio/program management

• Direct federal contracting experience required — hands-on familiarity with major contract vehicles used to deliver consulting/professional services to federal and DOD clients: OASIS+, GWACs (Alliant 2, 8(a) STARS III, CIO-SP3), GSA Multiple Award Schedules, and agency-specific IDIQs/MACs

• Experience operating inside a consulting or advisory firm, with a working understanding of the business (utilization, margin, staffing leverage, forecasting)

• Strong familiarity with the Washington, DC government contracting ecosystem

• Comfortable influencing senior leaders without formal authority

• No security clearance required for this role today

• Experience with Agile/Scrum delivery methods is a plus, not required

Required Skills: • Federal contracting / proposal-capture know-how is the #1 priority for this hire — more important than a technical or Agile/Scrum background.

• Strong candidates could come from roles like contracting officer, proposal coordinator, or proposal analyst looking for their next step.

• A technical or delivery-methodology background is a plus, not a requirement, as long as you bring real curiosity and want to learn the rest.