Job Description

RFP Manager

About ESS: Effective School Solutions (ESS) is one of the country’s leading providers in school-based mental health services for K-12 students. Serving over 6,000 students across 12 states in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and the West Coast regions, our company was founded based on the concept of offering the types of higher acuity clinical care that students would normally receive in a private practice or private school setting within the public-school building. In response to the strong uptick in mental health challenges for young people over the past decade, the company has expanded its services to offer a wider range of programming options, as well as professional learning and consultative solutions for districts. With a relentless focus on data, Effective School Solutions has a proven model, and is committed to establishing itself as the country’s recognized thought leader and exemplar on what the highest quality school-based mental health looks like.

About the role: Reporting to the VP of Marketing, the RFP Manager is responsible for reviewing all Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from current partner districts and prospective school districts, evaluating the criteria of each RFP to help make a go/no-go decision, writing compelling proposals, collecting all required resources for each submission, collating each submission, and submitting proposals. In this role, the successful hire will work closely with members of the clinical, data, operations, and sales team to gather information and data and draft a compelling narrative while managing multiple submission deadlines. This individual will be a skilled writer with a passion for mental health, K-12 education, and a proven track record of drafting winning RFPs.

Primary responsibilities:

• Lead the end-to-end RFP process by analyzing requirements, identifying key components, and coordinating cross-functional input to develop high-quality, compelling responses.

• Establish and drive a standardized internal RFP process, including leading proposal kickoffs, working sessions, and review cycles to ensure alignment and efficiency.

• Author and refine RFP responses to support both the retention of existing district partnerships and the acquisition of new business opportunities.

• Utilize project management tools and best practices to ensure all submissions are completed accurately and delivered on time.

• Partner cross-functionally, including with clinical teams, to gather impactful data and insights that strengthen proposal content.

• Strategically manage and prioritize a pipeline of renewal/rebid and new business opportunities to support organizational growth.

• Build and maintain a centralized RFP content library (e.g., Loopio, SharePoint) to improve consistency, scalability, and efficiency across submissions.

• Track, analyze, and document feedback from RFP outcomes to continuously improve future responses.

• Maintain accurate tracking of RFP activity, status, and outcomes within Salesforce.

• Manage and develop an RFP Coordinator, providing guidance, oversight, and performance support.

About You / Qualifications:

• You are a strong writer and editor with at least 3-5 years of RFP/grants writing experience. Experience within the K-12 industry is strongly preferred.

• You can ask the right questions to gather compelling information, building a narrative about mental health and ESS’s programming.

• You are an independent worker and do not need to be micromanaged to meet critical deadlines.

• You are extremely organized and have experience managing others to fulfill important benchmarks and deadlines.

• You quickly establish rapport, build credibility, and create partnerships at all levels within a company.

• You are an adaptable and organized leader who can toggle between multiple priorities and urgent deadlines.

• You are self-motivated and can take initiative to drive results in a fast-paced environment.

• You bring a low ego to your work and thrive in a highly collaborative company.

Why join Effective School Solutions?

• ESS is focused on addressing one of the biggest challenges our country is facing - the mental health of our youth.

• ESS is a dynamic organization with a strong record of innovation and growth.

• ESS provides staff with excellent career growth opportunities.
• ESS offers staff competitive compensation and benefits offerings.

ESS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class.