Here at Forthright, our goal is to improve the lives of children and families, which we do (and do really well) through our work helping child and family-focused organizations and public school districts create clear, thoughtful outreach strategies.
Contract Goal: You’ll confidently manage our new business proposal process – writing proposals for potential clients and helping our team save time and win business.
Primary Point of Contact: This contractor role reports to Niki Juhasz, VP of Marketing and New Business.
Overview of Duties: You’ll lead the proposal process, from writing to submission. You’ll project manage the process by drafting proposals, scoping projects and keeping our new business submission project status tracker up to date. You’ll ensure every proposal matches the RFP requirements.
The ideal human for this project is self-motivated and can work independently with little to no oversight on assigned new business projects. You’ll excel at keeping track of (and constantly prioritizing!) multiple tasks at once, without dropping the ball. Our dream coordinator is proactive, enterprising and solution-oriented. They always create a positive experience for others while meeting deadlines in a fast-paced, quickly changing environment.
NOTE: We need a proactive coordinator who checks in at least twice daily to maintain our new business tracker and ensure all proposals are submitted on time.
You’ll create a project plan for each proposal, which includes dedicating time on Forthright staff’s calendar to review and approve the proposal and scoping.
You’ll lead short-turnaround projects and new business tasks (during Forthright’s business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. ET, Monday - Friday).
You’ll keep our new business tracker up to date.
Before you prepare a proposal, you’ll review notes from new business calls and discuss the project vision with the VP, as needed.
You’ll compile new business call prep documents and conduct research to align proposals closely with client needs and RFP requirements.
You will handle the scoping and pricing of projects using internal software tools.
You’ll write the first, complete draft of every new business proposal using a combination of internal AI tools, call notes, RFP requirements and your own expertise.
You’ll lay out beautiful, easy-to-scan proposals, including crafting the cover page and creating graphics, as-needed, using plug-and-play existing tools. (You do not need to be a designer or have any design skills to succeed.)
You’ll edit proposals based on client requests.
Available for short-turnaround projects
We ask you to check in twice a day to ensure we keep our proposals moving
At least three years of experience drafting winning new business proposals and leading successful new business processes
Proven ability to dissect complex RFPs, extract the exact deliverables needed, and ensure 100% compliance in the final proposal
Impeccable writing and copy editing abilities
Demonstrated experience in maintaining brand integrity through copy; must be able to use Forthright’s brand guidelines and produce/edit high-quality content using our brand voice.
Authorized to work in the United States
Knowledge of online calendars and scheduling tools (specific focus on Google Suite)
Experience with and comfort using AI tools (We use Gemini for Google Workplace.)
Comfort using plug-and-play design tools (like Canva, PowerPoint, Google Slides, or similar software) to build clean, beautiful and easy-to-scan documents
Excellent phone, email and Slack communication skills, asking questions and clarifying details when needed
Basic math skills for timesheets and project budgets
Highly organized and able to multitask and work well with fast-paced directions and instructions
Able to anticipate the needs of others in order to ensure their seamless and positive experience
Able to manage time effectively and efficiently
Able to organize, manage and maintain large amounts of files, tasks, schedules and information
You want to make the world a better place for kids. You’re a proposal coordinator who is excited about working with a fun, smart startup team – and are passionate about simply making life (and the new business process!) easier for our team. If you get a rush from turning a blank page into a beautifully formatted proposal and never let a detail slip through the cracks, you’re exactly who we’re looking for.
You’ll thrive as a valued part of our team if:
You eat tight deadlines for breakfast. The words “deadline in three days” don't send you into a panic; they snap you into focus. You thrive in a fast-paced environment and know how to ruthlessly prioritize when multiple tasks land on your desk at once.
You’ve got impeccably high standards for yourself. You have an incredible attention to detail and intolerance for errors. Mistakes happen, of course, but you fail gracefully and with humor.
Continual improvement is your jam. You’re always looking for a smarter way to do something, and you don’t make the same mistake twice. When we get feedback on a proposal, you ensure we learn and grow from every last bit of it.
You are an expert-level cat-herder. You’re comfortable taking charge of the proposal process, which includes confidently managing up. You aren't afraid to firmly (but kindly!) ask for what you need, when you need it. You block off time on collaborators' calendars and ensure everyone hits their deadlines, so you can hit yours.
Feedback is your favorite. You know some discussions are hard, but having a hard discussion is much better than not having one at all. You deliver and expect open, candid and respectful feedback, all day, every day.
You are fiercely autonomous. You don't wait around for someone to tell you what to do next. You are a self-starter who excels at working independently with little to no oversight, anticipating the team's needs before they even have to ask.
You identify with our mission. You have a love of kids and a dedication to making them successful.
We want to be totally transparent about how we hire, so you aren't left guessing. Here’s exactly what happens when you apply to work with us at Forthright:
Application Form
We leave our application open for a full month. We don't do rolling reviews, which means we won't even peek at the candidate pool until the deadline has officially passed. Also, please skip the cover letter. We mean it!
A 15-Minute Task
Once the application window closes, we'll review all of our applications and reach out to the most promising candidates with a short exercise. It should take 15 minutes, tops. We’d much rather you spend the time you would have spent creating a cover letter simply showing us what you can do here. If you meet the requirements of the exercise, you officially make our interview shortlist.
Chatting with Niki (VP of Marketing and New Business)
We’ll select about 15 people from that shortlist for a "getting to know you" video call with Niki Juhasz.
Chatting with Katie (CEO)
From there, we'll narrow things down to about eight finalists who will meet with our Founder for a final conversation.
Paid Task
We'll want to see you in action – so we'll give you a portion of a real proposal we're creating and pay you a project fee to help us create our submission. We are looking to assess the quality of your work and how quickly you can adapt to our existing process.
Getting to Work
That’s it for the selection process! Our goal is to bring on at least four contractors, get you onboarded, and start assigning actual proposal work to you right away. (We do lead a robust onboarding process so you have what you need to succeed!)
All roles at Forthright are permanently 100 percent remote, and the contractor can live anywhere in the United States. Contractors must have the availability and willingness to work during Forthright’s business hours (8:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. EST).
Hours & Rate:
$25-$35 an hour, dependent on years of experience, totaling no more than 30 hours per month. Potential opportunity for additional hours as requested (by Forthright) and mutually agreed upon.
We consider contractors for contracts on the basis of merit, qualifications, and business needs and without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, age, disability, alienage or citizenship status, ancestry, marital status, creed, genetic predisposition or carrier status, sexual orientation, veteran status, familial status, status as a survivor of domestic violence, or any other status or characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.