Proposal Writer

Proposal Team Member

As the second hire on Kaizen's Proposal team, you'll step into a unique role that blends proposal writing and market research. You'll own the development of persuasive, well-structured RFP responses for local governmentsparticularly in parks and recreationwhile also exploring new verticals where Kaizen can grow.

This is a high-impact position : you'll craft the narratives that win competitive RFPs, shape the processes that will scale as the team grows, and contribute to Kaizen's long-term strategy by connecting research insights to new opportunities.

It's a great fit for someone who loves writing, thrives on structure, and is energized by the chance to influence company growth through both storytelling and strategy.

Kaizen Labs is redefining government technology and building solutions across parks & recreation, permitting, citizen engagement, and more. We recognize that incumbent software systems are inefficient and sometimes broken. That's why we believe residents and public servants across America's 85,000 government agencies deserve access to modern, trusted software that rivals what we use in our daily lives.

Kaizen's software currently serves 25 million residents across the country. Some of our partners include the City of Santa Clarita, Vail Recreation District, and Pima County. Most recently, we launched day pass software for 20 million visitors across Maryland's state parks.

Founded in 2022 and based in New York City, we're backed by Accel and Andreessen Horowitz. Our team of 25 (and growing) is eager to leave a lasting impact on the public services that are so critical to our health, safety, and wellness.

This is a hybrid role. You will be expected to join our team in person in New York City for three days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday).

Who You Are

You have a proven track record of writing and winning proposals for state and local governments; experience in parks and recreation is a strong plus.

You're a strong writer and editor who can translate technical concepts into clear, compelling language for public sector audiences.

You're curious and analytical, with an interest in researching new markets and verticals to inform company strategy.

You're organized, detail-oriented, and thrive in environments with multiple simultaneous deadlines.

You bring a mix of independence and collaboration, comfortable working cross-functionally while also owning your projects end-to-end.

You're excited by the opportunity to help build and scale a proposal function in a fast-growing startup.

What You'll Do

Write winning proposals : Own the development of high-quality, compliant, and persuasive RFP responses for state and local governments.

Explore new verticals : Conduct market research and synthesize insights that guide Kaizen's entry into adjacent spaces beyond parks and recreation.

Collaborate across teams : Work closely with product, partnerships, engineering, and leadership to gather inputs and shape compelling narratives.

Build scalable processes : Help refine our proposal library, templates, and workflows so we can move faster as the team grows.

Balance deadlines and strategy : Deliver on immediate proposal priorities while contributing to Kaizen's broader market strategy.

Be a thought partner : Work alongside our Proposal Manager to establish best practices and continue laying the foundation for a growing team.

What You Bring

5+ years of experience in proposal writing or management, ideally with exposure to public sector RFPs.

Demonstrated success in winning competitive proposals at the city, county, or state level.

Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills tailored to the public sector.

Ability to conduct market research and connect insights to actionable strategy.

Excellent project management skills with experience managing multiple, complex deadlines.

Proficiency with tools like Loopio, InDesign, Figma, and proposal management platforms.

A self-starter mindset and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment.