Proposal Writer

About Button
Since 2018, Button has been building reliable technology for government and private-sector clients with the goal of creating a more sustainable future through digital transformation. Our agile, multi-disciplinary team works on truly impactful technology projects – from climate action to major funding programs. We create secure, easy-to-use systems through deliberate consideration and iteration. We are passionate about creating stronger communities through technology and continuing to grow across Canada and beyond.

You will work closely with our operations team and subject matter experts to develop responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bids, government procurements, and private-sector competitive opportunities.

Your work will include:

• Reviewing solicitation documents and identifying requirements, evaluation criteria, and submission risks.
• Interviewing subject matter experts to gather technical, operational, and business information.
• Asking thoughtful questions to uncover information that may not be immediately apparent.
• Synthesizing complex technical concepts into clear, compelling, and persuasive written responses.
• Developing proposal content that aligns with evaluation criteria and scoring rubrics.
• Identifying information gaps and working collaboratively to gather what is needed before writing.
• Using AI tools appropriately to support research, organization, and drafting while applying strong editorial judgment to ensure accuracy, quality, and confidentiality

While producing written work is the outcome of the job,  knowing WHAT to write is key to success. You'll need to ascertain highly specialized and often technical information and ensure it's translated in a way that speaks directly to the assessment criteria. 

Direct experience with public-sector procurement processes, government funding programs, and writing against scoring rubrics is considered a strong asset.

You may have experience in:

• Proposal writing
• Grant writing
• Government procurement responses
• Management consulting
• Public policy
• Research
• Technical communications
• Academic writing (Master's or PhD research)
• Strategy or business analysis

You don't need to be a subject matter expert or technical yourself but you do need to be experienced and comfortable working with subject matter experts. The strongest proposal writers are exceptional listeners.

You don't simply record what subject matter experts say, you identify what's missing, ask follow-up questions, and uncover the information needed by the evaluators. 

While you will not be expected to provide technical architecture or deeply technical summaries, the nature of our work involves delivering digital and technical solutions to our clients. A familiarity and comfort level with technology and technical conversations is important. 

You'll likely be successful if you have proven experience:

• Working with technical subject matter experts
• Conducting interviews and extracting information from stakeholders, including technical recruiting
• Turning incomplete or ambiguous information into well-structured written content
• Writing against evaluation criteria or scoring rubrics
• Working in fast-paced environments with competing deadlines
  

We operate in a fast-paced environment and the work will typically be offered in “chunks” as opportunities arise. A flexible schedule with some daytime availability is preferred to support collaboration with internal stakeholders. While the role is remote, most collaboration will occur during standard business hours (9–5 PST).

That said, proposal work is deadline-driven by nature and there will occasionally be “all hands on deck” moments to get a submission across the finish line. We’re looking for people who are comfortable operating in that kind of collaborative, fast-moving environment and who can deliver high-quality work under pressure.

This is a great opportunity for individuals with experience in proposal writing, grant writing, procurement responses, or related work. We are also open to candidates with strong academic writing experience in STEM-related fields (Master’s thesis, PhD, research writing, etc.) who are looking for flexible, on-call type work and can demonstrate strong communication and synthesis skills.

We recognize that AI tools are increasingly part of modern writing workflows and we do leverage these tools in our process; however, we expect candidates to use sound judgment, critical thinking, and strong editing skills to ensure all work is clear, accurate, thoughtful, and free from generic or low-quality “AI slop.” Candidates must also demonstrate experience in appropriate data handling practices and use of discretion regarding what information can and cannot be entered into public AI/LLM tools in order to maintain compliance with privacy, confidentiality, and data protection requirements.

This is being offered as an on-call-type independent contractor opportunity with an hourly rate range of $35–$50/hour depending on experience, expertise, and the nature of the work being assigned.