Samantha Kalmar, now leading Major Proposals, Pursuits & Solutions at MinterEllison, is shaking things up by bringing back “pursuits” into the proposal process. The idea is to get ahead of the game—engaging clients early, using AI to save time, and focusing that time on what really matters. She’s all about coaching her team to find purpose in their work, helping them see proposals not just as tasks, but as a real career path.

She stays hands-on with proposals herself to stay sharp and relevant, and recently brought in design thinking to boost creativity and focus. Samantha’s also leading the charge on integrating AI into their workflow—using it for everything from drafting bios to checking RFP compliance. Her goal? A culture of innovation and accountability, where AI supports the team’s creativity and leadership stays grounded in the real work.

Marnie Payne agrees that one of the challenges of working in bids and pursuits (whether working on proposals or managing pursuit teams) is there are always deadlines to be managed and rarely enough time to get everything you want done.

This can result in an overly narrow focus and burnout if not managed, and one of the best ways I have found to prevent this is to invest time in professional development and making connections with other proposal professionals. This year I did so by extending a planned business trip to the UK so I could travel to Ireland to attend APMP’s Bid & Proposal Con (BPC) Dublin.

There’s an art and a science to proposal management, says Railene Turner.

That’s what I love about this profession—it’s strategic and challenging, dynamic, and rewarding. I didn’t set out to work in this field, but I fell into it and never looked back. We sit at the crossroads of communication, collaboration, and commercial insight. We influence business outcomes, guide strategy, and deliver value. And yet, for all the knowledge and experience we bring, there’s always more to learn.

Procurement has evolved significantly since Covid, gaining recognition for its adaptability and alignment with business needs. Jonathan Dutton FCIPS from JD Consultancy explores key trends such as digital transformation, supply chain resilience, ESG priorities, and collaborative contracting models that have shaped its transformation.

In this blog, BidWrite Principal David Lunn explores five current procurement trends bidders need to be aware of when seeking to craft truly client-centric proposals.

Boost Your Win Rate with Better Reviews
Learning doesn’t stop at submission. In this blog, Lessons Learned: Post Submission Reviews that Drive Future Proposal Success, APMP ANZ Content Writer Britt Ward explores how post-submission reviews can help your team identify gaps, refine processes, and win more work.

AI in Bids: Friend or Foe?
In Can AI Help You Win More Bids? Separating Hype from Reality, APMP ANZ Content Writer Madhur Advani explores how AI can boost bid team productivity—without replacing the critical thinking and storytelling that drive wins.

Leading a bid or proposal team isn’t exactly an ‘easy breezy’ task. You need technical knowledge, interpersonal skills, the ability to inspire a diverse group of individuals, and the skills to manage several moving parts to deliver high-quality proposals, often under tight deadlines.

These 9 top tips can help you to hone your leadership skills and boost outcomes for your team.