Proposal Manager in Havant

As part of the United Infrastructure Group, we are a dynamic and innovative specialist engineering services, solutions and products provider focused on servicing our clients’ immediate and future needs. We do this through the development of industry-changing cleantech products as well as through engineering delivery excellence. We specialise in the design and delivery of process, mechanical, electrical and ICA engineering-based projects, products and solutions. Regardless of the project, they all pursue the same goal: to improve the efficiency and sustainability of our water, wastewater and waste treatment.

We have a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals with extensive consulting and contracting experience, including engineers, scientists and commercial managers. Our knowledge and expertise spans more than 30 years, across industries including: water, wastewater, marine, energy and power sectors. At AFECO, we cover all stages of the innovation and project delivery cycle from concept through to operations. Our aim is simple – to provide the most effective solutions and products on the market and thus, exceed clients expectations through market-leading technology.

Role Purpose

The Proposal Manager is responsible for leading, managing, and delivering high-quality, compliant, and competitive bids for major opportunities within the water sector. This role focuses on complex, high-value, and strategically important tenders across water and wastewater infrastructure, treatment, networks, and asset management frameworks. The role requires strong leadership of multidisciplinary bid teams, deep understanding of water sector procurement, and the ability to translate technical, commercial, and operational inputs into compelling, client-focused proposals.

Key Responsibilities

• Bid & Proposal Management
  • Lead end-to-end management of significant and strategic bids from opportunity identification through submission and post-bid review.
  • Develop and own bid plans, programmes, and governance for complex water sector tenders.
  • Ensure all submissions are fully compliant with client requirements, procurement regulations, and internal approvals.
  • Manage multiple concurrent bids with varying values, timescales, and complexity.
• Water Sector Expertise
  • Apply detailed knowledge of the water industry, including AMP cycles, regulatory drivers (e.g. Ofwat, EA, DWI), and client priorities.
  • Understand delivery models such as frameworks, alliances, joint ventures, D&B, DBO, and capital maintenance contracts.
  • Interpret water company objectives around resilience, sustainability, customer outcomes, carbon reduction, and innovation.
• Stakeholder & Team Leadership
  • Collaborate with multidisciplinary bid teams including engineering, commercial, planning, delivery, sustainability, digital, and supply chain.
  • Act as the central point of coordination between internal teams, partners, and joint venture organisations.
  • Influence senior stakeholders to secure resources, approvals, and timely inputs.
• Proposal Development & Quality
  • Develop win strategies, value propositions, and key messages aligned to client scoring criteria.
  • Oversee and, where required, author high-quality written responses that are clear, persuasive, and evidence-based.
  • Ensure proposals demonstrate strong understanding of risk, opportunity, and whole-life value.
• Commercial & Risk Awareness
  • Work closely with commercial and estimating teams to ensure proposals align with pricing, risk, and delivery assumptions.
  • Contribute to bid/no-bid decisions, risk assessments, and commercial strategies.
  • Ensure proposals clearly articulate commercial robustness, value for money, and risk mitigation.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Capture lessons learned from bid outcomes and feedback from clients.
  • Develop and maintain bid best practice, templates, and standard responses.

Key Skills & Competencies

• Proven experience managing significant or complex bids within the water or wider utilities/infrastructure sector.
• Strong understanding of water sector procurement processes and client expectations.
• Excellent written communication and proposal development skills.
• Ability to manage multiple stakeholders and deadlines under pressure.
• Strong planning, organisation, and attention to detail.
• Confident facilitator with the ability to challenge and influence senior contributors.
• Experience working with UK water companies and AMP frameworks.
• Knowledge of NEC, alliancing, or framework-based contracting models.
• Familiarity with sustainability, carbon, digital delivery, and innovation themes in water.
• APMP (or equivalent) qualification.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree or equivalent experience in engineering, business, commercial management, or a related discipline.
• 5+ years’ experience in bid management, proposals, or work-winning roles within water, utilities, or infrastructure.
• Experience of leading bids valued at £10m+ (or strategically significant frameworks).

Additional information

• Salary and benefits: Medicash plan, Life insurance, Benefits portal, Company pension, 25 days holiday (plus bank holidays).

Join us at AFECO and be part of our mission to deliver innovative and sustainable solutions to the complex infrastructure needs of the UK.