Strategic Proposals Lead

About the role

You will own the end-to-end creation of high-stakes proposals that position Via as the technology and service partner of choice for public transit agencies and city officials. You will serve as the lead strategist and narrative architect, translating complex operational capabilities into compelling, audience-specific stories that drive partnership decisions. This role requires you to synthesize technical details, commercial insights, and market dynamics into coherent, persuasive documents that meet the highest standards of quality and clarity. You will act as a key interface between Via's leadership and external stakeholders, ensuring proposals align with both client objectives and our strategic growth goals. You will continuously challenge assumptions and refine messaging to increase win rates and strengthen Via's brand in competitive markets. Through methodical preparation and structured collaboration, you will de-risk the procurement process for partners and internal teams alike. Ultimately, your work will directly influence the scale and quality of mobility solutions Via delivers worldwide.

Key facts

What you'll do

Lead the development of complex, high-value proposals from initial discovery through final submission, coordinating cross-functional inputs to maintain strategic alignment and narrative coherence.

Translate technical product roadmaps and operational data into clear, audience-focused narratives that demonstrate how Via's platform addresses specific transit and urban mobility challenges.

Architect structured procurement responses that highlight Via's value proposition, differentiating our solutions from incumbent and emerging competitors in public transport.

Conduct in-depth reviews of proposal content, ensuring accuracy of technical descriptions, consistency with Via's service standards, and adherence to partner-specific requirements.

Analyze procurement performance metrics and competitive outcomes, synthesizing insights into actionable recommendations for executive leadership and commercial teams.

Prepare senior executives and subject matter experts for interviews and site visits by developing briefing documents, messaging frameworks, and scenario-based Q&A guides.

Champion the evolution of Via's proposal ecosystem by streamlining workflows, improving content reuse, and exploring automation and generative AI tools to enhance productivity.

Collaborate with Partnerships, Expansion, Operations, and Finance to validate assumptions, refine pricing narratives, and align proposals with commercial and regulatory constraints.

Own the end-to-end timeline for multiple concurrent procurement initiatives, managing dependencies, milestones, and stakeholder expectations to meet strict submission deadlines.

Maintain a living knowledge base of proposal assets, responses, and best practices, ensuring that lessons learned are captured and rapidly accessible to the team.

Monitor shifts in transit policy, funding mechanisms, and technology trends, incorporating relevant signals into proposal strategies and long-term positioning.

Support the design and testing of new proposal formats and storytelling approaches, using feedback from evaluators to iteratively improve win rates and perceived value.

Mentor junior writers and contributors by providing structured feedback, style guidance, and process tips that elevate the overall quality of proposal outputs.

Champion data-driven decision-making by tracking key performance indicators across the proposal funnel and linking insights to strategic objectives.

Build and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure timely access to the information needed for high-quality, responsive proposals.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to write complex, persuasive narratives for senior-level audiences, with a portfolio that includes long-form proposals, reports, or policy documents.

Minimum of five years of experience in proposal development, commercial writing, or a related field where structured argumentation and clarity are essential.

Exceptional editorial judgment, with a keen eye for structure, logic, flow, and the subtle use of language to influence decision-making.

Strong capacity to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, balancing depth of analysis with timely delivery under pressure.

Comfort working at the intersection of technology, policy, and operations, able to absorb domain-specific information and explain it to diverse stakeholders.

Excellent command of written and verbal communication, with the flexibility to adapt tone, style, and format for transit agencies, municipal officials, and executive audiences.

Academic background in humanities, social sciences, or a discipline that emphasizes rigorous analysis, argumentation, and long-form writing.

Deep commitment to improving urban mobility and equitable access, with an understanding of how public transit shapes cities and lives.

Nice to have

Proven experience working within the public transportation sector or with transport technology platforms and policy frameworks.

Familiarity with procurement processes, grant applications, or funding mechanisms related to urban mobility and public infrastructure.

Experience leveraging data, dashboards, or visualization tools to support narrative insights and performance analysis.

Knowledge of emerging technologies in shared mobility, such as demand-responsive transit, micro-mobility integration, and fare systems.

Practical notes

There has never been a more exciting time to be on the cutting edge of public mobility. Ready to join the ride?

Via is an equal opportunity employer.