Associate Director - Bid Manager (Water) in Leeds

AECOM is a leading global infrastructure consulting firm, delivering professional services from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management across transportation, buildings, water, new energy and the environment. Our work helps communities thrive by improving commutes, ensuring clean water, and building resilience to climate change.

The Associate Director – Bid Manager works on the most strategic and complex major bids, guiding senior business leaders, technical teams and bid teams to efficiently deliver winning proposals. The role is primarily focused on the qualified pipeline of Enterprise Critical Pursuits (ECPs) that support our growth strategy. You will support bids across the UK and Ireland, addressing challenges around climate change, water scarcity and flood resilience.

What you’ll do

• Prepare and manage large/complex proposals involving multiple departments, regions and external partners from capture through to interview/lessons learned stage.
• Lead the creation and execution of win strategies, working with capture managers, client account managers, technical teams, leadership and marketing to communicate this clearly to the client.
• Oversee positioning and capture activities, facilitate win‑strategy workshops and collaborate with key internal stakeholders and leadership.
• Follow best practices, using AECOM processes and templates to produce compliant and compelling bids.
• Drive all bid stages, including kickoff, answer planning, review stages, document production and interviews, adding value as a subject‑matter expert.
• Analyze internal debriefs and client feedback to demonstrate continuous improvement and identify trends, lessons learned and best practices.
• Lead discrete projects within the work‑winning team to embed best practice across Water, such as delivering training.
• Assist the Water Work Winning Lead with active pipeline management and resource planning.
• Line‑manage Water Work Winning team members, coaching and supporting their professional development.

Enjoy the Perks

AECOM offers a range of core and personalized benefits, flexible hybrid working, career development opportunities, technical practice networks, AECOM University and volunteering days to support your wellbeing.

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience, with the ability to positively challenge and influence stakeholders.
• Proven experience working in a bids and proposals environment.
• Demonstrated success in winning high‑value/complex major pursuits (above £20 million) from capture to interview.
• Experience creating win strategies/themes for compelling and compliant bid responses.
• Excellent presentation and facilitation skills, both virtual and in‑person.
• Passion for line‑managing and developing people.
• APMP Practitioner/Professional level certification preferable but not essential.

We celebrate diversity, including neurodiversity, and welcome applications from all backgrounds. If you require a reasonable accommodation for the application process, contact ReasonableAccommodations@aecom.com. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and a Disability Confident Employer. All information will be handled confidentially in accordance with EEO guidelines.