Director Sales II Capture & Proposal Public Sector

About Lumen

Lumen connects the world. We are igniting business growth by connecting people, data and applications – quickly, securely, and effortlessly. Together, we are building a culture and company from the people up – committed to teamwork, trust and transparency. People power progress.

 

We’re looking for top-tier talent and offer the flexibility you need to thrive and deliver lasting impact. Join us as we digitally connect the world and shape the future.

The Role

Director II, SLED Capture & Proposal Management – Public Sector
Location: CO, VA, or Remote (as approved)
Employment Type: Full-Time

About the Role
The Director II, SLED Capture & Proposal Management leads capture and proposal strategy for State, Local, Education, and Healthcare (SLED) markets within Lumen Public Sector. This role is accountable for driving growth across diverse, highly decentralized customers through competitive procurements, cooperative contracts, master service agreements, and strategic partnerships.
Reporting to the Vice President, Public Sector Capture & Proposal Management, this leader oversees SLED capture and proposal teams and external partners, ensuring disciplined execution while adapting strategies to varied procurement models, funding structures, and customer needs.
This role requires a blend of strategic market leadership and hands-on operational expertise, requiring strong judgment, adaptability, and the ability to influence across sales, solutions engineering, product, and operational teams. The director will oversee SLED capture and proposal teams, manage external partners, and ensure disciplined, repeatable, high‑quality pursuit execution.

The Main Responsibilities

SLED Capture & Market Strategy
•Develop and execute capture strategies for high value SLED opportunities across state agencies, municipalities, education systems, and healthcare organizations.
•Align capture priorities to Lumen’s SLED growth strategy, contract portfolio, and regional sales plans.
•Tailor capture approaches to diverse SLED procurement models, budget cycles, timelines, and funding sources (e.g., federal grants, state appropriations, bond measures).
Proposal Leadership & Execution
•Lead proposal development for competitive SLED bids, ensuring clarity, compliance, compelling storytelling, and differentiation.
•Oversee proposal schedules, resource allocation, content quality, risk mitigation, and review cycles.
•Drive continuous improvement in SLED proposal quality, effectiveness, and win rates.
Team & Ecosystem Leadership
•Lead, mentor, and scale SLED capture and proposal teams to support diverse and rapid evolving pipeline.
•Manage external proposal vendors, consultants, and strategic partners to scale support as needed.
•Foster strong cross-functional collaboration across Sales, Engineering, Product, Pricing, Legal, and Operations.
Customer & Partner Engagement
•Support executive level engagement with SLED customers, partners, and procurement officials.
•Build trusted relationships with regional and national SLED stakeholders.
•Monitor market trends, legislative changes, funding drivers, and regulatory developments impact SLED opportunities.
Performance Management
•Own SLED capture and proposal performance metrics, including pipeline conversion, PWIN improvements, and ROI.
•Contribute to disciplined bid/no-bid decision making.
•Ensure SLED proposals meet Lumen quality standards and customer expectations.

What We Look For in a Candidate

General Qualifications
•Experience: 10+ years in SLED capture, proposal, or business development leadership.
•Market Knowledge: Strong understanding of SLED procurement processes, state contracting mechanisms, cooperative purchasing models, funding sources, and customer dynamics.
•Leadership: Proven experience leading teams and influencing across matrixed organizations.
•Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
•Execution: Strong project management, prioritization, and organizational skills.
•Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications
•Master’s degree or equivalent experience.
•Relevant certifications (APMP, Shipley, PMP, or similar).
•Experience with cooperative contracts, statewide agreements, and large SLED pursuits.
•Established network within SLED agencies, associations, or procurement communities.

Why Lumen?
At Lumen, your work directly enables communities, schools, and healthcare systems to thrive. You’ll help deliver critical connectivity and digital transformation while building sustainable growth in a dynamic public sector environment.

Compensation

This information reflects the anticipated base salary