Bid Manager in Solihull

Are you a meticulous bid professional ready to take total ownership of the tender landscape for a market-leading scientific group? Due to the group's continued growth, we are seeking a high-calibre Bid Manager to spearhead bid activity across all divisions. Following a significant private equity investment and a successful "buy-and-build" strategy, our client has transformed from a niche consultancy into a multi-disciplinary laboratory powerhouse. Bringing together some of the UK's most specialist forensic and analytical laboratories, the group combines almost a century of expertise with state-of-the-art facilities and internationally recognised quality standards.

This is a rare opportunity to join a group that combines the agility of an entrepreneurial scale-up with the technical "Tier 1" prestige of a legacy firm. Operating within a specialist and highly regulated environment, you will be the driving force behind securing new work through the delivery of high-quality, compliant, and competitive tender submissions.

The Opportunity

As the Bid Manager, you will step into a standalone role and hold full ownership of the bid lifecycle across the entire group. This is a business in its "v2.0" phase; following major rebranding and a period of rapid acquisition, the infrastructure is in place for significant scaling. Rather than chasing a relentless, high-volume pipeline, success in this role is measured strictly on quality, consistency, and true ownership of a manageable volume of high-value opportunities. You will be working alongside a talented and ambitious Business Development team, as well as senior leadership, backed by a leading UK private equity firm.

The Role

• Full Bid lifecycle management: Coordinate and deliver all tender activity from initial opportunity identification and monitoring procurement portals through to submission and post-tender review.
• Content & strategy: Author and edit high-quality, tailored responses that align perfectly with client requirements, while building and maintaining a credible, up-to-date bid library.
• Stakeholder collaboration: Act as the central hub across the business, working closely with subject matter experts, commercial teams, and senior stakeholders to align pricing, technical solutions, and the overall narrative.
• Process & governance: Ensure all submissions are flawlessly compliant, accurate, and aligned with rigorous quality standards and regulatory frameworks.
• Reporting & improvement: Maintain an accurate tender pipeline log, provide proportionate reporting on performance to the executive team, and actively capture feedback to drive continuous improvement.

Who We Are Looking For

• Proven Bid expertise: A track record of managing bids end-to-end, ideally within highly regulated environments such as Scientific, Testing, Legal, Manufacturing, or Public Sector procurement frameworks. It would be a major plus if you have worked on bids for public sector bodies or local authorities, but we are open to other sector experience.
• Standalone capability: A confident, hands-on professional who is comfortable operating independently, establishing a structured bidding framework.
• Exceptional writing skills: Stellar communication and editing skills with a keen eye for detail, ensuring technical accuracy is balanced with a compelling commercial narrative.
• Operational rigour: An organised multi-tasker who can manage competing priorities, track critical compliance criteria, and navigate complex procurement portals seamlessly.
• Regulatory mindset: Comfortable adhering to strict quality standards, assurance systems, and industry-specific codes of conduct.
• Security clearance note: Due to the highly sensitive nature of the casework involved, applicants must have five years continuous UK residency. Criminal convictions may prevent security clearance from being granted.

Why join us?

Our client is a profitable, ambitious, growing group of companies, but they consciously maintain a small-company culture that truly accommodates and balances life outside of the business. They support and encourage their people to grow alongside the company, offering a comprehensive benefits package.