Bid Manager

Job Introduction

Do you enjoy working in a fast-paced environment? Are you used to turning work around quickly and working to strict deadlines? Do you enjoy being creative and working closely with the graphic design team during bids?

We are looking for an experienced bid manager to join the team, you will support the sales lead during the bid process from start to finish. You will need to be good at building relationships, working at pace and ideally will have worked within Corporate Service bids, although this is not essential.

You will actively manage the tender process for medium and complex bids, adding value and effective support to the segment sales team by leading all day to day bid activity, ensuring bid framework procedures and governance are followed and ensuring bid documentation is of a high standard.

Role Responsibility

• Provide active bid management support and lead all day to day bid activities for medium and complex bids (as identified using the project evaluation matrix) in line with the defined bid framework process
• Compile, issue and maintain the bid plan and compliance matrix, agreeing responsibilities and timeframes with the appropriate sales lead
• Log and track risk, assumptions and opportunities throughout the tender process, highlighting areas of concern with the sales lead
• Support segment bid writer/sales lead with content create for bids as required
• Act as a consultative counterpart to sales to provide a ‘fresh eyes’ perspective and provide effective challenge to decisions/solutions
• Create, publish and submit tender response documents in accordance with agreed timetables, collaborating where needed with the bid creative team for conceptual development, artworking and printing
• Own the master response files and collation of completed responses
• Prepare internal and client facing presentation materials relating to the bids as required throughout the bid process
• Ensure consistently high standards are maintained in all bid response documentation and sales materials
• Work with segment sales teams to identify, populate and maintain segment specific bid content within the BidNet library to ensure appropriate materials are available for use in all bids.

The Ideal Candidate

• Experience in managing bid processes within an FM services market
• Able to demonstrate the necessary personality and leadership skills to guide a diverse virtual team successfully through the bid process
• Able to build relationships with both internal departments and client representatives, and comfortable working at CEO/Director level
• Solid ability and desire to implement internal governance processes (bid framework)
• Proven ability to work under pressure to plan and deliver compliant, professionally produced proposals within client-defined timeframes, and to manage multi-workstream opportunities with many contributors
• Awareness of market trends, particularly within the FM sector
• Strong evaluation skills to respond effectively to client requests, including input into bid/no-bid decisions, identifying win strategies, solution design, and risk and opportunities logs
• Written English to a high standard; able to research, author, edit and challenge content
• Advanced MS Word skills and proficiency in MS Office – a working knowledge of InDesign would also be useful
• Experience of using O365 SharePoint to support bid management processes and document management
• Knowledge of recognised bid management methodology; APMP training and/or project management certification would be beneficial
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong time management/prioritisation skills
• Self-confident, diplomatic but firm under pressure
• A flexible approach to the working week to accommodate the peaks and troughs of the bid lifecycle, including working outside of normal working hours on weekdays and weekends when required 

Desirable

• Experience within a Corporate Servies environment

Package Description

Up to £42,000 plus bonus and flex fund 

23 days holiday

About the Company

In the UK and Ireland, Sodexo employs some 35,000 employees to deliver integrated facilities management services to clients at over 2,000 locations in the corporate, healthcare, education, leisure, defence and justice sectors. With an annual turnover of over £1bn, we provide everything from catering, cleaning and reception to security, laboratory and grounds maintenance services, enabling our clients to focus on their core business.

We are building on our support to the Armed Forces community through the development of specific pathways within our recruitment process to  support ex-forces personnel and reservists, those applying for jobs with us who meet the ideal candidate criteria for the role advertised are guaranteed to progress to the selection process