Work Winning Lead - Cities, Planning, and Design in Southampton

Joining Arup’s purpose, shared values and collaborative approach has set us apart for over 75 years, guiding how we shape a better world. Arup is the creative force at the heart of many of the world’s most prominent projects in the built and natural environment. Working in more than 140 countries, the firm’s designers, engineers, architects, planners, consultants, and technical specialists work with our clients on innovative projects of the highest quality and impact.

The Opportunity

Location: We will consider suitable candidates across the UK, preferably those who reside within commutable distance to any of Arup's UK office locations.

The Work Winning Lead oversees Priority Pursuits and bid support needs in the CPD Portfolio in the UKIMEA region, while also partnering with the portfolio leadership team to shape and implement work winning strategies. The role blends tactical bid delivery with strategic pipeline development, client engagement plans, bidding, performance insight and analysis.

The Work Winning Lead coordinates and inputs to pursuits, develops bids with proposal teams, and supports client-specific Business Development activities. They also work closely with Portfolio and Business Development leadership to design and embed work winning frameworks, knowledge management, upskilling, and client‑centric strategies that increase win rates and operational confidence.

The Work Winning Lead manages the UKIMEA CPD work winning team, assigns tasks, gives advice and direction on bid practice, and guides their professional development. The Work Winning Lead continually role models and promotes bidding best practice and improvement. The overall remit of the team is to help increase win rates.

Key Responsibilities

• Work with the CPD portfolio leadership to establish and manage a pipeline of opportunities
• Lead proposal management and bid coordination across CPD teams in UKIMEA
• Guide pursuit and positioning strategy, scheduling, compliance and submission production through the full capture and bid cycle – with a view to increasing quality of capture, bids, win rate and return on investment
• Work closely with the CPD marketing business partner to maintain the Arup brand through all stages of the capture, work winning and delivery cycle
• Collaborate with technical teams, bid directors, bid managers and MCBD colleagues to deliver winning submissions
• Drive client engagement planning and pre‑positioning for Priority Pursuits, using an integrated approach
• Promote structured use of CRM and bid lifecycle tools to enhance pipeline visibility and efficient reporting, bid production and bid quality
• Supervise work winning team members and contribute to talent development and succession planning to ensure it has the right capabilities now and for the future
• Oversee consistency and excellence in Arup’s work winning process and submissions by taking part in win strategy workshops, answer planning sessions, pink reviews and red reviews
• Contribute to and champion wider work winning and relationship improvement initiatives via the MCBD skills network
• Embed knowledge management and insights reporting to inform future pursuits

Is this role right for you?

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, business or related field
• APMP certification (desirable)
• Proven success in leading work winning teams located across different geographies and of contributing to winning major CPD sector bids
• Strong understanding of procurement practices and relevant regulations, particularly in the public sector
• Knowledge of the CPD sector and markets, including key clients, partners and competitors
• Knowledge of the Design & Build market, key contractors and characteristics of such bids
• Experience in managing a pipeline of Priority Pursuits, including the use of digital tools such as MS Dynamics CRM
• Experience of leading and contributing to improvement initiatives that directly affect the skills, tools and processes relevant to winning work
• Ability to work collaboratively with others under pressure
• Competitive drive and dedication to delivering high-quality submissions within challenging deadlines
• Ability to identify and communicate work winning priorities and strategies to a wide variety of stakeholders, including internal technical colleagues and external partners
• Ability to lead and develop others so that they are able to flourish and progress their career within Arup
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a dynamic environment
• Commitment to Arup’s values: humane organisation, quality of work, and honourable dealings

What We Offer You

At Arup, we care about each member's success, so we can grow together. Guided by our values, we provide an attractive total reward package that recognises the contribution of each of our members to our shared success. As well as competitive, fair and equitable pay, we offer a career in which all of our members can belong, grow and thrive – through benefits that support health and wellbeing, a wide range of learning opportunities and many possibilities to have an impact through the work they do.

We are owned in trust on behalf of our members, giving us the freedom, with personal responsibility, to set our own direction and choose work that aligns with our purpose and adds to Arup’s legacy. Our members collaborate on ambitious projects to deliver remarkable outcomes for our clients and communities. Profit Share is a key part of our reward, enabling members to share in the results of our collective efforts.

Different people, shared values

Arup is an equal opportunity employer that actively promotes and nurtures a diverse and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds, regardless of age (within legal limits), gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, neurotype or mental health, race or ethnicity, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, and whether you’re pregnant or on family leave. We are an open environment that embraces diverse experiences, perspectives, and ideas – this drives our excellence.

Guided by our values and alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, we create and contribute to equitable spaces and systems, while cultivating a sense of belonging for all. Our internal employee networks support our inclusive culture: from race, ethnicity and cross-cultural working to gender equity and LGBTQ+ and disability inclusion – we aim to create a space for you to express yourself and make a positive difference.

We are committed to making our recruitment process and workplaces accessible to all candidates. Please contact lia.wiltsher@arup.com to let us know if you need any assistance or reasonable adjustments throughout your application or interview process, and/or to perform the essential functions of the role. We will do everything we can to support you.

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