I. Job Overview
DME Consulting is seeking a motivated, organized, and outgoing Office Engineer / Business Development & Proposal Coordinator to support our growing Northern Virginia operations.
This is a unique opportunity for an early- to mid-career engineering or construction professional who wants exposure to both the technical and business sides of the engineering industry.
The successful candidate will work closely with DME's Senior Vice President in Virginia to support business development, client relationships, proposal preparation, contract administration, project coordination, and the day-to-day operation of our Fairfax office.
A major focus of the position will be helping DME identify and pursue engineering, construction management, project controls, PMIS, inspection, and program management opportunities with public agencies and infrastructure clients throughout Northern Virginia and the Washington, DC metropolitan area, including DC Water, Prince William Water, Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Fairfax Water, Loudoun Water, and other regional agencies and utilities.
This is not solely an administrative position. We are looking for someone comfortable communicating with clients, attending industry events, introducing DME's capabilities, following up with prospective clients and teaming partners, and helping convert relationships and opportunities into contracts.
II. RESPONSIBILITIES AND TASKS
- Business Development & Client Relationships
- Work directly with the Senior Vice President to identify and pursue new business opportunities in Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and the surrounding region.
RFP / RFQ & Proposal Coordination
- Monitor procurement portals and agency websites for upcoming RFPs, RFQs, task orders, IDIQ contracts, on-call contracts, and other opportunities.
- Maintain DME's opportunity and proposal pipeline.
- Track solicitation dates, pre-proposal meetings, questions deadlines, proposal deadlines, interviews, selections, and awards.
- Review RFP/RFQ requirements and prepare proposal compliance checklists.
- Coordinate proposal development with DME management, technical staff, teaming partners, and subcontractors.
- Collect resumes, project descriptions, references, certifications, forms, and other proposal materials.
- Assist in preparing Statements of Qualifications, technical proposals, letters of interest, and presentations.
- Maintain and continuously improve DME's proposal library, including resumes, project sheets, company qualifications, graphics, and standard proposal content.
- Support interview and presentation preparation following proposal shortlisting.
Prime Consultant & Teaming Partner Coordination
- Maintain regular communication with engineering and construction firms that currently or potentially serve as DME's prime consultants.
- Identify teaming opportunities where DME can participate as a prime consultant or subcontractor.
- Coordinate teaming agreements, NDAs, subcontract agreements, scopes of work, and requested proposal information.
- Track commitments made to DME by teaming partners.
- Maintain a database of prime consultants, subcontractors, agency contacts, and prospective teaming partners.
- Follow up with prime consultants regarding upcoming pursuits, active proposals, selections, task orders, and contract opportunities.
Contract & Project Coordination
- Assist management with the transition from proposal award to contract execution.
- Track contract documents, subcontracts, task orders, notices to proceed, amendments, insurance certificates, and other required documentation.
- Coordinate execution and filing of contracts and related documents.
- Maintain contract and project records for the Fairfax office.
- Track key contract dates, deliverables, renewals, task orders, and expiration dates.
- Support project managers and project controls staff with documentation, coordination, scheduling, reporting, and client communications as needed.
- Assist with preparing meeting materials, progress reports, presentations, and project documentation.
Fairfax Office Support
- Help coordinate the overall operation of DME's Fairfax/Northern Virginia office.
- Maintain organized electronic and physical business-development, proposal, contract, and project records.
- Coordinate meetings, conference rooms, client visits, and office activities.
- Assist the Senior Vice President with correspondence, presentations, reports, meeting preparation, and follow-up actions.
- Maintain action-item lists and ensure important commitments and deadlines are followed through to completion.
- Coordinate with DME corporate and project personnel as required.
- Help establish an organized, responsive, and professional environment as the Northern Virginia operation continues to grow.
- Develop and maintain relationships with public agencies, engineering consultants, construction contractors, and teaming partners.
- Communicate regularly with existing and prospective clients.
- Coordinate meetings with agency representatives, prime consultants, contractors, and potential teaming partners.
- Attend industry conferences, procurement events, pre-proposal meetings, networking events, outreach sessions, and agency-sponsored events.
- Represent DME professionally and confidently at meetings and industry events.
- Follow up with contacts after meetings and events and maintain an organized business-development contact database.
- Assist with preparing capability presentations, marketing materials, qualifications packages, and client-specific presentations.
- Research prospective clients, projects, capital improvement programs, and upcoming procurement opportunities.
III. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management/Project Controls, or a closely related field.
Preferred Qualifications
The following experience is beneficial but not required:
- 3-5 years of experience in civil engineering, construction management, project controls, proposal coordination, or engineering consulting.
- Previous experience preparing RFP/RFQ responses, Statements of Qualifications, or government proposals.
- Familiarity with public-sector procurement.
- Experience working with engineering consultants, construction contractors, water/wastewater utilities, transportation agencies, or local governments.
- Familiarity with project controls, scheduling, cost estimating, construction management, inspection, or PMIS systems.
- Knowledge of Northern Virginia and Washington, DC infrastructure agencies and the regional market.
- Experience using CRM, opportunity-tracking, procurement, or proposal-management systems.
Who We Are Looking For
The ideal candidate is more than a proposal coordinator or office administrator.
We are looking for someone who is energetic, organized, professional, client-oriented, and comfortable taking initiative.
You should enjoy meeting people and building professional relationships. You should be comfortable attending an industry event, introducing yourself and DME to a prospective client or teaming partner, understanding what opportunities may be coming, and following up afterward.
At the same time, you should be highly organized and capable of tracking an RFP deadline, coordinating proposal inputs, following up with teaming partners, maintaining contract documents, and making sure important action items do not fall through the cracks.
The position is particularly well suited for a civil engineering, construction management, or project controls professional who wants to develop a career combining engineering, business development, client management, proposals, and company operations.
What the Position Offers
This role provides direct exposure to DME leadership and an opportunity to participate in the growth of our Northern Virginia operation.
The selected candidate will gain hands-on experience in:
- Engineering business development
- Public-sector procurement
- Proposal management
- Client relationship management
- Contract administration
- Project and program management
- Project controls
- Water/wastewater and municipal infrastructure
- Executive-level business operations
As DME's Northern Virginia business expands, the position has the potential to develop into a larger role in business development, operations, proposal management, or project/program management.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent organizational and time-management abilities.
- Ability to manage multiple deadlines, pursuits, meetings, and priorities simultaneously.
- Strong interpersonal skills and genuine interest in developing professional relationships.
- Comfortable speaking with clients, consultants, contractors, executives, and public-agency representatives.
- Comfortable attending networking events and initiating conversations with prospective clients and teaming partners.
- Strong Microsoft Office skills, particularly Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
- Ability to prepare professional correspondence, reports, presentations, and proposal documents.
- Ability to work independently while coordinating closely with company leadership.
- Valid driver's license and ability to attend meetings and events throughout Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Maryland.
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: $42.00 - $50.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Dental insurance
- Disability insurance
- Flexible schedule
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Education:
License/Certification:
- Driver's License (Preferred)
Ability to Commute:
- Fairfax, VA 22030 (Required)
Ability to Relocate:
- Fairfax, VA 22030: Relocate before starting work (Required)
Work Location: In person
