Vice President, RFP & Business Communications - Marketing, Request for Proposals

VP, RFP & Business Communications

Adams Street Partners is seeking an accomplished Marketing & Communications leader to head our global RFP function within the Marketing organization. This is a senior leadership role for a proven writer and people manager who can both produce the firm's most complex, highest-stakes executive RFP responses and set the strategy, standards, and team structure that allow Adams Street to compete at scale as one of the world's premier private markets investment managers.

The ideal candidate combines exceptional writing craft with strong business judgment, executive presence, and demonstrated success managing and developing a team. While executive RFPs, RFIs, and DDQs remain the core of the function, this leader will also own a broader portfolio of firmwide business communications, partnering closely with Marketing, Investor Relations, Compliance, Investment teams, and senior firm leadership, including Partners.

This is a hybrid role based in Chicago, with a flexible mix of remote and in-office work.

What You Will Do

Team & Function Leadership

• Own the strategy, quality, and day-to-day execution of Adams Street's global RFP, RFI, and DDQ program across all product lines and regions
• Manage, mentor, and develop a team of RFP and Business Communications professionals, providing hands-on coaching on writing, business judgment, and career growth
• Set priorities and allocate resources across the team's active pipeline, balancing workload, deadlines, and business priority across a high-volume, deadline-driven request queue
• Serve as the primary point of escalation and final quality control for the most complex, highest-visibility, and largest-mandate opportunities
• Represent the function in cross-functional governance forums and drive alignment on process, roles, and standards across Investor Relations, Investment teams, and Shared Services

Executive-Level Writing & Content Ownership

• Produce and edit executive-level responses for the firm's most sensitive and complex RFPs, RFIs, DDQs, and firm awards
• Clearly articulate Adams Street's investment capabilities, processes, performance, and thought leadership to institutional and wealth audiences
• Partner directly with subject matter experts, senior Investment professionals, and Partners to translate complex investment concepts into clear, persuasive, client-ready messaging
• Own governance and quality standards for the RFP and content management system, ensuring resources remain accurate, current, and consistent firmwide

Process, Technology & Reporting

• Drive continuous improvement of RFP processes, tools, and content infrastructure (including content management and AI-assisted drafting platforms), identifying and implementing efficiency gains
• Develop and present reporting on RFP volume, win rates, and pipeline health to senior stakeholders and firm leadership
• Maintain deep, current expertise in Adams Street's private markets strategies and platform
• Ensure all written deliverables across the team are accurate, timely, and aligned with the firm's brand and quality standards

Collaboration & Stakeholder Management

• Collaborate seamlessly with colleagues across the US, Europe, and Asia
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across Investor Relations, Compliance, and the Investment teams
• Respond to, and manage team responses to, requests and escalations from prospects, consultants, clients, GPs, and internal stakeholders

Essential Qualities

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, communications, or a finance-related field required
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in RFP/proposal management, marketing communications, or investor relations, with proven success in investment management, private markets, consulting, investment banking, or financial services
• Demonstrated people-management experience, with a track record of building, mentoring, and developing high-performing writers and analysts
• Exceptional writing and editing skills — clear, concise, persuasive, and adaptable across executive, client, and consultant audiences
• Strong executive presence and the judgment and credibility to influence senior stakeholders, including Partners and senior Investment professionals
• Proven project management skills, with the ability to prioritize a high-volume pipeline and lead a team through sustained deadline pressure
• Strategic mindset, with experience driving process improvement and adoption of RFP/content management technology (e.g., Salesforce, Loopio, or similar platforms)
• Strong working knowledge of private markets strategies (primaries, secondaries, co-investments, private credit, growth equity) strongly preferred
• Positive energy, intellectual curiosity, and a collaborative, team-oriented leadership style
• Experience partnering with Compliance/Legal on regulatory and disclosure considerations in client communications is a plus

We offer a competitive U.S. benefits package designed to support health, financial security, and work-life balance. Highlights include medical, dental, and vision coverage; a 401(k) with immediate vesting and employer match; profit sharing; flexible spending accounts (FSA); and paid parental leave, including adoption. Employees also receive generous paid time off, commuter benefits, employer-paid short- and long-term disability and life insurance, and access to additional voluntary benefits.

Illinois Pay Transparency 120000 - 150000 USD