At the third annual APMP Women’s Virtual Summit, Jennifer Cannizzaro, VP of Product Marketing at Responsive, led a discussion with Kate Pinchin, Director of Proposals at Dayforce, and Becky Beard, Global Proposal Team Lead at Qualtrics, to explore how AI is transforming roles, redefining team dynamics, and empowering women to embrace change and enhance their careers.
The panel dived deep into the evolution of roles within proposal teams, highlighting how junior members are developing technical expertise faster, while senior team members are focusing on leadership and client relationships. This shift not only enhances efficiency but also opens new doors for career growth and innovation.
In addition to discussing AI's evolving role in the proposal profession, the panel addressed the unique challenges women face in adopting new technology. From overcoming imposter syndrome to fostering a culture of experimentation, Jennifer, Kate, and Becky shared actionable insights and strategies to help women thrive in this rapidly changing professional landscape.
Read on to see how women working on strategic response teams can view AI in the coming years not as a threat, but as an opportunity to grow, innovate, and lead.
AI is a game-changer for career growth
AI has empowered teams to focus on what truly matters — strategic, high-value work. Jennifer emphasized AI’s power to drive efficiency and innovation during the discussion, encouraging people to view AI not as a threat, but as a potential to enhance their roles and expand career opportunities.
“AI is not about replacing roles; it’s about creating opportunities to work smarter."
Jennifer Cannizzaro
VP Product Marketing, Responsive
Kate shared how her team leverages AI to manage growing workloads effectively “We’re being asked to scale, and we can’t always just add people to that problem. AI allows us to embrace growth while keeping people at the center of our efforts.” This balance between technology and human expertise is vital as organizations face increasing demands.
Becky echoed this sentiment, highlighting how AI has shifted her team’s focus.
“Once we started using AI thoughtfully, we realized it’s a tool to enhance our work, not replace it,” she said. “It helps us move past routine tasks and concentrate on customizing responses and crafting meaningful messaging.”
Jennifer stressed how it’s important to embrace change as the industry itself changes, even when it feels uncomfortable. “We have to get comfortable being uncomfortable,” she said.
This mindset allows professionals to explore AI’s possibilities and unlock new opportunities for innovation and growth. For bid and proposal teams, this means shifting away from repetitive tasks and adopting AI as a collaborative partner in achieving greater efficiency and impact.
The continued evolution of roles in proposal teams
AI continues to redefine roles and responsibilities, enable team members to focus on higher-value contributions, shift dynamics within teams, and pave the way for faster career progression and more strategic work.
Kate explained how junior team members' roles have evolved at Dayforce.
“They don’t necessarily have to spend as much time on that first draft pass because AI can help us do that,” Kate said. “Now, I’m looking for skills like technical acumen, organizational capabilities, and the desire to learn and grow into more strategic thinkers.”
Kate Pinchin
Director of Proposals, Dayforce
By automating repetitive and time-intensive tasks, AI allows junior employees to spend more time developing essential skills and gaining a deeper understanding of the business. Senior team members, in turn, can focus on strategic thinking and fostering client relationships.
Becky noted, “AI is able to do a first pass, but that leaves a lot of time for our team to be more thoughtful and strategic. We’re customizing responses with a more use-case-specific approach rather than relying solely on boilerplate answers.”
This shift enables senior team members to dedicate more energy to creating meaningful, personalized proposals that resonate with clients.
One of the most exciting outcomes of AI adoption is the opportunity for faster career progression within proposal teams. By reducing the time spent on routine tasks, AI allows junior employees to develop technical and strategic skills earlier in their careers.
“AI’s ability to infer similarities and pull together accurate responses gives team members time to focus on learning, strategic messaging, and product expertise, which accelerates their growth,” Kate said.
Ultimately, AI is making the proposal profession more dynamic and appealing by shifting focus from repetitive processes to innovation and strategic contributions. These advancements enhance efficiency and create new opportunities for team members to grow in their careers.
As Becky put it, “Technology has always changed our jobs. The key is to embrace those changes and think about how we can use tools like AI to streamline tasks and unlock new potential.”
Addressing the gender gap in AI adoption
Jennifer brought up the gender gap in AI adoption, referencing a Slack Workforce Lab study revealing that Gen Z men are 25% more likely to have tried AI tools compared with Gen Z women.
Becky linked this gap to the prevalence of imposter syndrome among women. “According to Forbes, 75% of female executives experience imposter syndrome,” she said, explaining that this can create hesitation, as many women doubt their capabilities or feel they aren’t fully qualified.
“There’s this idea of, ‘I’m just pretending to know what’s going on,’” Becky added, summarizing the feeling as, “I’m three muskrats in a trench coat.” This self-doubt can make adopting new, unfamiliar technology like AI even more daunting.
Kate emphasized how experience and tenure sometimes exacerbate this reluctance.
“A lot of the women on my team are very tenured and have refined processes that work well for them. Embracing something new can feel intimidating, especially when it seems like AI might replace the methods they’ve mastered over years,” Kate said.
However, Kate also pointed out that adapting to technology is ultimately rewarding, allowing experienced professionals to leverage AI as a tool for greater efficiency and innovation. The panelists agreed that encouraging women to embrace AI requires intentional strategies. Transparency, open team discussions, and normalizing discomfort are key approaches.
Becky shared how her team openly acknowledged their fears and skepticism about AI in the early stages. “We sat down and got it all out there—the fears, the skepticism, the worry about being replaced,” she said. This collective honesty helped the team decide to move forward with AI adoption thoughtfully and strategically.
Workplaces can foster a culture that encourages experimentation and provides support to help women overcome hesitations and embrace AI’s potential. Whether it’s through education, collaborative conversations, or simply allowing time for trial and error, these efforts can help close the gender gap in AI adoption and ensure that women are well-positioned to thrive in a rapidly evolving workplace.
Key takeaways in embracing AI in your career journey
The insights shared at the APMP Women’s Virtual Summit underscored a central message: AI is not just transforming proposal teams—it is completely redefining career trajectories and leadership opportunities for women in all levels of strategic response teams.
Beyond the technological shifts, the panel also acknowledged the unique challenges women face in adopting new technology. From overcoming imposter syndrome to fostering a culture of experimentation, embracing AI requires both confidence and adaptability.
The key takeaway? AI is not a threat—it is a career accelerator. By adopting AI strategically, proposal professionals, especially women in SRM, can drive innovation, build influence, and shape the future of their field. The opportunity to lead is here—now is the time to seize it.