Melissa Donadio

Creative and empathetical individual seeking to secure a position within a meaningful environment with strong experience in various IT technology industries, managing complex bids, for multi-million-dollar opportunities.

Profile:

Creative and empathetical individual seeking to secure a position within a meaningful environment with strong experience in various IT technology industries, managing complex bids, for multi-million-dollar opportunities.

Work Experience:

SAS Institute (Canada) Inc. – Toronto 

Senior Proposal Manager, Team Lead, Sales Organization

October 2011 – Present (Team Lead since 2018)

Leadership + Strategic: 

• Provides leadership and mentorship to proposal center staff for the development and production of professional responses to formal and informal customer solicitations. 
• Ensures that all projects are completed on schedule and meet or exceed customer requirements and business drivers while simultaneously working with SAS business organizations 
• Document creation of an end-to-end proposal management best practices guide, from qualification to close-out.
• Build and maintains positive and mutually beneficial relationships with internal stakeholders (across all regions) critical to successful proposal production, i.e., sales, sales managers, consultants, technical resources, legal professionals, marketing, human resources, external partners as required to complete and submit the proposal.
• Identifies and implements quality standards and continuous process improvements.
• Collaborates with the sales team to ensure appropriate messaging and strategy is reflected in the proposal, including support developing custom Executive Summaries with focus on adherence to requirements from RFP and pre-RFP activities, including the recommendation of improvements that enhance the quality of the response.
• Ensures RFP content repository is up to date; in addition to adding new content to library.
• Identifies, develops, and implements templates, tools, and processes to support efficient proposal development and production.
• Participates in global bid community initiatives/workshops. 
• Hire, train, and mentor/coach new employees; including administrative duties related to managing staff, delegating work assignments, establishing performance goals/criteria.

Tactical Responsibilities: 

• Creation of response templates (including formatting) ensuring corporate brand standards and proper branding and messaging throughout RFP is adhered too.
• Develops and manages comprehensive project plans and ensures the support team is staffed, engaged, and equipped to fulfill respective tasks. 
• Identify and communicate proposal development milestones, actively monitoring writing team members’ progress. 
• Regular team meetings complete with meeting minutes/action items to ensure effective communications of status/changes. 
• Ensure the bid team understands proposal process, deliverables, and deadlines.
• Tracks the status of each client deliverable and escalates issues in a timely manner.
• Ensures the delivery of high-quality and completed proposal responses, on time.
• Review, copyedit, and quality check RFx responses developed by key stakeholders during and prior to submission.

Awards at SAS:

• Vice Presidents Award of Distinction in 2019 (recognition for outstanding contribution and continued pursuit of excellence).
• Sales Support of the Quarter - Q4 2015; Q2 2017; Q2 2020.
• Channels IMPACT AWARD - individual who contributed the most in improving and solidifying SAS’ relationship with the partners – 2021.

Hewlett Packard (Canada) Co. – Mississauga

Proposal Manager, HP Enterprise Services, Global Sales Support

May 2010 – September 2011

• Support Canadian sales organization by providing proposal/project management support for multi-million-dollar business opportunities in the services field (including Canadian Government opportunities).
• Overall responsibility for assembling, producing, and publishing written proposals.
• Understand all aspects of customer RFI, RFQ, RFP.
• Develop, schedule, and conduct writer storyboard sessions.
• Ensure win themes and sales messages are appropriately woven into response messaging.
• Develop proposal schedule. 

Proposal Manager, HP Enterprise Business, Sales Operations

November 2006 – May 2010 

• Support the North American sales organization by providing independent proposal/project management for moderate to complex opportunities (including Canadian Federal government and State and Local Government opportunities); manage multiple RFPs/RFIs simultaneously in a reactive environment.
• Take ownership and responsibility for the RFP process, ensuring the final proposal follows HP's operational goals and guidelines while ensuring adherence to process and quality control standards, and compliance with customer's requirements and deadlines.
• Analyze customer RFP requirements/documents and develop proposal project plans, schedules, and outlines/templates; engage subject matter experts. 
• Effectively position products and services to drive sales; facilitate development of proposal strategy and win themes; strategic business writing; ensure consistency and quality of messaging.
• Best Practices Initiative team co-lead; managing team of 8 peers for FY09.
• Member of the Association of Proposal Management Professionals (APMP); Attended APMP 3-day workshop conference in 2004.
• Presenter AMS Enablement for the software division; ASO Academy recorded presentation lead.

Personal Skills: 

• Excellent customer service skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – both verbal and written.
• Strong writing and editing skills. 
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage conflicting deadlines.
• A well-developed sense of urgency.
• Very thorough and detailed oriented.
• Record of coaching, training, mentoring, and conveying ideas/concepts.
• Process documentation.
• Ability to work under pressure to meet deadlines. 
• Lifelong learner stimulated by challenge and growth and motivated to make a difference.
• Project management and leadership skills; strong team building and motivation skills.
• Ability to build relationships at all levels including senior management and across business units, including external relationships (i.e., partners).
• Canadian Government Security Clearance Level: SECRET.
• APMP Foundation Certification.

Bachelor of Arts – York University, Major: Sociology

This academic choice has helped enhance analytical and rational thinking ability, thereby using an objective approach to resolving problems in any situation. It has also incorporated open-mindedness to researching, gathering, and interpreting information