Senior Director Contract & Bid Administration

Company Overview

Excelligence Learning Corporation is a leading innovator in the education sector, dedicated to developing, manufacturing, and distributing high-quality, grade-appropriate educational products and teaching solutions. With well-known brands like Discount School Supply, Really Good Stuff, Steve Spangler Science, Children's Factory, EPI, and Frog Street, we aim to empower educators and students with exceptional learning tools.

We are seeking a Senior Director of Contract & Bid Administration to join our growing team. This position is 100% in-person at one of our Supplies team office locations in Monterey, CA, Shelton, CT, or Olathe, KS.

Position Overview

The Senior Director of Contract & Bid Administration will lead and manage the bids and proposals team across all Excelligence brands. This role focuses on identifying, qualifying, and pursuing public sector procurement opportunities, including the preparation and submission of compelling proposals. The successful candidate will collaborate with key internal teams to secure and maintain contracts, including GSA Schedules, ensuring growth in both revenue and profitability.

This highly visible leadership role requires strategic thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and strong project management. Candidates should possess exceptional writing, analytical, and organizational skills, along with the ability to lead a high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Bid Management

• Develop and execute a high-level bid strategy designed to drive public sector growth and achieve short- and long-term financial objectives, including topline revenue and EBITDA growth.
• Establish key performance metrics to monitor and improve win rates, identifying strengths and opportunities for improvement across the bid team.
• Utilize AI-driven tools to automate and enhance the bid and proposal process, including proposal generation, pricing strategies, competitor analysis, and win/loss trend evaluation.
• Maintain and optimize the company's repository of competitor pricing data to inform strategic, high-margin proposals.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with internal teams-including Legal, Sales, Marketing, eCommerce, and Product Development-to align bid strategies with the company's overall business goals.
• Work closely with product leaders to ensure proposals reflect market needs, competitive positioning, and product innovations.

Bid Development & Proposal Writing

• Lead the sourcing, planning, and development of responses to RFPs, RFQs, RFIs, and grant proposals across all Excelligence brands.
• Manage and oversee the end-to-end proposal process, including content creation, compliance, and final submission, ensuring proposals are persuasive, accurate, and aligned with customer requirements.
• Maintain a comprehensive library of reusable content, templates, and best practices to improve response efficiency and quality.
• Direct product and market research to inform bid strategies and enhance proposal effectiveness.

GSA Schedule Management

• Manage current GSA Schedules and pursue new GSA opportunities to expand Excelligence's footprint in government contracting.
• Ensure compliance with government regulations and reporting requirements related to active contracts.

Team Leadership & Resource Management

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-performing bids and proposals team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven work environment.
• Allocate team resources effectively to balance workloads and meet deadlines for multiple simultaneous bid opportunities.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience managing public sector RFP responses and/or large-scale grant applications.
• Strong writing, grammar, and editing skills, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven, results-oriented environment.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with the early childhood education sector.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Experience integrating AI-driven tools into bid processes for efficiency and effectiveness.

Why Join Us?

Excelligence Learning Corporation is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where innovation thrives. Join us in shaping the future of education and making a meaningful impact on students, educators, and communities.