Bid Manager

We are seeking an experienced and detail-driven Sales Bid Manager to coordinate and support across the business the development of competitive, compliant, and compelling Sales bids for defence electronics systems and solutions.

The role involves working with Sales managers, Project Managers, Commercial and Technical staff to deliver an efficient end-to-end bid process, from initial qualification through the internal governance processes to contract award.

This will ensure the bid meets with customer requirements, internal governance and strategic objectives.

The ideal candidate will have proven expertise in defence or complex engineering sectors, excellent bid and related project management skills, and the ability to bring together multi-disciplinary teams to deliver winning proposals in highly regulated environments to defined time scales

Responsibilities:

• Supporting the Business Development team and IPTs through the provision of timely and accurate information relating to customers, products, platforms and issues which might influence Capture Plans and customer relationships
• Bid Planning – With Sales, identify the appropriate governance process route, bid team and bid milestones.
• Proposal Development – Coordinate and Schedule inputs from Sales leads, technical, engineering, commercial, finance, legal, and delivery teams. Ensure clarity, consistency and accuracy of all data.
• Bid Compliance and Risk – Ensure compliance with procurement rules, identify both bid and delivery risks and support mitigation planning and tracking (closure of risk).
• Pursuing bid submissions until order receipt and acceptance.
• Framework Bidding Support – Support delivery of responses for competitive entry frameworks (before technical requirements are released, i.e. capability-based entry), including managing inputs across departments to ensure a compliant response.
• Manage Sales SAP B2 data to ensure it accurately reflects the status of the proposal position.
• Conduct win/loss analysis and customer debrief reviews to identify lessons learned and improve future bid performance.
• Manage bid budgets and monitor resource utilisation to ensure efficient use of business development investment.
• Contribute to ongoing or longer-term contributions such as improving processes or supporting departmental goals and identifying duplication, re-use or other synergies that offer efficiency.
• Work with business development and sales teams to develop bid-win strategies, value propositions, and differentiators that increase the probability of success.

Experience: 

• Experience in MoD procurement, competitive tendering and framework submissions.
• Experience in Engineering Services sales (electronic, mechanical, software, system of systems, ILS).
• Experience in Product sales (electro-mechanical goods, support).
• Bid management experience with proven ability to manage multiple concurrent bids under tight deadlines.
• Skilled in ERP ideally SAP B2, MS Project and Excel.
• Desirable: APM/Prince qualifications
• Plan and facilitate proposal reviews, including compliance, peer, management, and formal bid reviews, ensuring feedback is incorporated effectively. Desirable: Shipley process qualifications
• Interpersonal skills to develop close business relationships with internal and external stakeholders, senior management, and government/military customers
• The ability to communicate effectively at all levels within the wider business and with external consortia
• Have a working understanding of best practice bid processes and tools (e.g. for bid planning, Black Hat, Red Team, Price to Win, etc.)

Skills: 

• This role will be at the centre of the Sales Bid team, coordinating closely with key department and project leads across Sales, Programmes, Engineering, Purchasing, Production, Commercial and Finance departments.
• Very strong cross-functional communication, organisational and structured problem solving, commercial judgement and leadership skills to bring the whole company team to a successful bid position.
• Cross department relationships building will be key relying on excellent judgement and trust establishment.
• Clear, concise communication, Executive communication, Expectation setting, Listening and interpretation to ensure company and customer needs are met.
• Organisational and Process skills must include scheduling discipline, prioritisation, process ownership and attention to detail.
• Additional soft skills will include translation ability, for example converting engineering language into customer value; Diplomatic Assertiveness to push teams firmly but respectfully, Risk framing to help leadership teams understand impact and mitigation options.

• 25 Days holiday plus Bank holidays (increasing with service)
• The opportunity to work flexibly and to work your contracted hours over the week so that you can enjoy an early finish on a Friday.
• 4-times Death-in-Service Benefit (after 3 months of service)
• BUPA Healthcare & Dental-Care Insurance (after successful completion of probationary period)
• Long Service Rewards
• Employer Pension contributions of 6.8%
• Salary sacrifice scheme for Cycle to Work
• Discounted Ferry Bookings
• Discounted Gym Membership
• Bi-Monthly on-site massages
• Excellent Training Opportunities
• Recommend a friend scheme
• Excellent canteen facilities with a state-of-the-art kitchen, pool table and tuck shop
• Staff social events throughout the year

Due to our pre-employment checks, we require applicants to have lived in the UK for at least 5 years.

To apply, please send your CV to joel.fletcher@rheinmetall.com