Bid Manager: Thales

Location: Crawley, United Kingdom

Thales people provide armed forces customers with operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defence mission systems solutions at land, sea, and air. Our platforms extend across the battlespace including Above and Sonar, Electronic Combat, and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance systems. Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us.

At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Bid Manager Location: Crawley - Hybrid working arrangement (3d in office vs. home), flexible working hours.

Are you a problem solver with an eagerness to learn? Do you have experience interacting with customers? Do you have an interest in developing a career in Bid Management? Got your interest…. Look no further! Do you have basic level experience in bid or project management that you’re looking to develop and build a career upon? This is a fantastic opportunity to join Thales as a Bid Manager in a developmental opportunity on one of the largest, high profile projects in Thales UK. Whilst obtaining exposure on a complex programme, you will be joining a fantastic, knowledgeable bid team, who pride themselves on team collaboration and flexible working. You will be supported every step of the way as well as benefit from excellent career and learning prospects!

What the role has to offer:

• Great opportunity to gain experience and develop a career in Bid Management
• Opportunity to work in a fast paced, exciting and dynamic environment
• Able to contribute to the business growth plans
• Variety of work on a major, high profile programme including support contract

Core Benefits:

• On offer is a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes;
• Performance-related bonus
• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00pm
• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) plus opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)
• 24 hours volunteering paid for
• Private healthcare (grade dependent)
• Pension scheme
• Life cover
• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app
• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers
• Gym membership discounts

The role:

Working closely with the Bid Management and Programme team, you will be responsible for bid-management activities on a variety of new and existing UK and international contract growth opportunities, ensuring successful delivery of a bid or number of bids. The role is required to bring structure, clarity and governance to the process and discipline relating to bid management activities. It requires the successful management of the relationship with internal and external key UK and international customers and the effective management of multi-disciplinary bid teams to deliver high quality business winning proposals.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks:

• Manage the preparation of prequalification response submissions to customers with the objective of securing an invitation to bid.
• Lead bid reviews and meetings in accordance with Thales’ processes, providing bid management direction and engagement with the Bid Team.
• Manage the creation of the bid deliverables and ensuring review and governance, leading to the creation of a high quality proposal.
• Work effectively with Capture Leader to generate win themes that link customer needs with defined benefits of the Thales offering
• Ensure that cost estimates / target budgets are provided with support of Systems Engineering / Product Management.
• Ensure that cost estimates are effectively reviewed to ensure competitive and winning pricing
• Ensure that effective Gate Business Cases are prepared for specific opportunities.
• Support the Sales/Capture Lead in any customer negotiations and presentations.

About you

• You will have experience of bid or project management activities i.e. contract changes or associated transferable skills
• You will be experienced and adept at building and managing effective relationships with customers and internal teams
• You will possess excellent communication and influencing skills
• You will enjoy learning new things as well as problem solving
• Commercial, financial and business acumen

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working. Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process.

Great journeys start here, apply now!