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Hatch IT

Cost-predictable tech recruitment for startups

Associate Proposal Manager

Full-Time
$80k - $100k/yr
Mid
Bachelor's
Washington, DC, USA
HybridHybrid with onsite work at the Washington, DC headquarters and remote flexibility.
Project & Program ManagementProposal Management

About the job

Requirements
  • A bachelor's degree in Business, English, Communications, Marketing, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
  • At least 3 years of experience in proposal development, business development, technical writing, editing, or document production, including hands-on support for federal proposals.
  • At least 2 years of working knowledge of the federal proposal lifecycle and solicitation structure, including proposal instructions, evaluation criteria, compliance matrices, and color-team reviews.
  • Experience supporting quick-turn task orders and requests for proposals under IDIQ, GWAC, or similar contract vehicles.
  • Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills, with close attention to accuracy, consistency, formatting, and detail.
  • Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word and Google Suite, including styles, templates, and complex document formatting; proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint.
  • Experience using Box or a comparable shared document repository to organize content and maintain version control.
  • Ability to manage multiple deadlines, coordinate contributions from multiple stakeholders, and maintain quality as priorities shift.
  • Hands-on experience prompting AI for proposal reviews, writing, research, or document production, with the judgment to assess and verify AI outputs.
  • Willingness to use AI-enabled tools as a core part of the proposal workflow while following company requirements for information handling.
  • Eligibility to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance is required.
Responsibilities
  • Coordinate quick-turn proposals, supporting and progressively leading task orders and requests for quotation responses, and managing schedules, contributors, and deliverables to meet solicitation requirements and submission deadlines.
  • Build and maintain compliance matrices that capture solicitation instructions and evaluation criteria, including Sections L and M where applicable; map requirements to response sections, track completion, and flag gaps for resolution.
  • Use Expression’s AI and Super Intelligence tools to support requirements extraction, drafting, editing, formatting, and quality control; verify factual claims, numerical information, and compliance interpretations before submission.
  • Establish proposal milestones, coordinate kickoff meetings, track action items, follow up with writers and subject matter experts, and escalate risks and delays early.
  • Draft and refine cover letters, resumes, past performance summaries, compliance narratives, and reusable content; apply consistent editorial standards, including active voice, clear language, accurate terminology, and disciplined acronym use.
  • Prepare Pink, Red, and Gold Team review packages, consolidate feedback, and track comments through resolution.
  • Format and assemble proposal volumes to meet solicitation specifications, including fonts, margins, page limits, and file-naming conventions; maintain version control, complete final quality checks, and coordinate submission through the designated portal or delivery method.
  • Organize and update the proposal library, including templates, resumes, past performance references, and approved reusable content.
  • Lead Requests for Information, Sources Sought responses, and smaller RFPs and task order proposals from kickoff through submission under the Growth Lead’s direction, with increasing responsibility as proficiency grows.
Desired Qualifications
  • Shipley proposal training or APMP certification, including Foundation-level certification in progress.
  • Experience supporting Department of Defense proposals.
  • Familiarity with SAM.gov, GovWin, USA Spending, HireGov, GSA eBuy, and agency-specific procurement or submission portals.
  • Exposure to Expression’s core domains, including spectrum and electromagnetic battle management, networks, data engineering, or IT services.
  • An active Secret clearance or higher is strongly preferred.

About the company

Hatch IT is a recruitment partner based in Vienna, VA that focuses exclusively on helping tech startups and small businesses find engineers. It works by offering a scouting and hiring service rather than placing resumes on commission, with a Scale model that delivers predictable costs and typically saves clients about 30% versus traditional contingency fees. The company integrates with clients’ tools (Slack, calendars, and ATS) to automate and streamline hiring tasks, providing job postings, pre-screens, candidate coordination, and market-informed compensation guidance. Hatch IT differentiates itself by prioritizing quality over quantity, deeply specializing in tech startups, and offering a seamless, cost-efficient hiring flow. Its goal is to simplify the hiring process for tech startups and small businesses so they can efficiently secure top engineering talent.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

N/A

Headquarters

McLean, Virginia

Founded

2012

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Hatchpad still offers a curated startup technologist audience with job search and events.
  • Tim Winkler’s long startup-recruiting history supports trust with seed through Series A founders.
  • The DMV and Raleigh-Durham startup focus matches active hiring markets for niche engineering talent.

What critics are saying

  • LinkedIn updates and site copy show little evidence of recent product or revenue acceleration.
  • Hatchpad’s 2026 redesign paused, signaling weak traction and uncertain community monetization.
  • Without a bigger brand, larger recruiters can replicate subscription staffing and squeeze margins quickly.

What makes Hatch IT unique

  • Tim Winkler built Hatch IT from a garage in Leesburg, Virginia in 2012.
  • Hatchpad, launched in 2020, blends recruiting, content, and community for startup technologists.
  • Subscription pricing and ATS, Slack, calendar integrations reduce contingency-fee churn and coordination friction.

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Benefits

  • Premium insurance
  • Mental health days
  • Caregiver leave
  • Time off
  • Internet reimbursement
  • Savings plan
  • Anniversary reward program
  • Additional benefits

Company News

WRAL TechWire
Feb 5th, 2020
Virginia-based recruitment startup hatch I.T. opens second office in Durham

DURHAM — Another fast-growing startup is expanding into the Bull City.