Head of Bid (Maternity Interim Cover)

Term - 12 month FTC maternity interim cover

Role and Responsibilities

Supporting the Isio business growth strategy, the Head of Bid is a crucial role in leading and successfully overseeing the entire cycle of the bid process, including qualifying opportunities; supporting win strategy development; generating high quality, persuasive business winning pitches and proposals; coaching presentation teams and understanding debriefs and embedding lessons learned. The role is also responsible for analysing our overall success/failure rates and identifying and implementing improvements so we can continuously strive for excellence against a competitive market.

Department

The Head of Bid is part of a marketing communications and client development team. The team leads and implements all marketing, communications and client development programmes within Isio. The team is a fully integrated and valued component of our Isio strategy, playing a key role in developing and delivering the firm’s strategy with an integrated approach to sales and marketing.

Objective

To help Isio win more work through tenders and bids. To support the business in delivering bid strategy including managing the bid pipeline, providing guidance on win strategy, producing documents and coaching presentation teams. Play a key role in the development and execution of a bid process self‑serve system alongside strategic prioritisation. This role will involve working closely with the rest of the regional business and service division teams whilst managing a small team of bid managers.

Responsibilities

• Using project management techniques to ensure a strategically planned and operational efficient bid process that supports our business
• Ensure a clear win strategy for varying levels of bid support (based on strategic client prioritisation framework)
• Ensure strategy is implemented throughout the process of bid & tender support
• Managing bid meetings confidently, inspiring enthusiasm and support for the bid
• Manage a small team that provides execution support against a clear process that may include the drafting, editing, formatting and production of bid documents and pitches through to completion
• Enable high impact, winning bid and pitch documentation – varying support level
• Coaching and guiding on effective presentation techniques, both through ad hoc workshops and pitch rehearsal as part of the bid process, delivering feedback
• Working with the sales and marketing team to manage the bid pipeline, maximising the chances of success when the bid invitation arrives
• Set up a self-serve bid library for operational efficiency – maintaining and reviewing high quality materials for use in proposals as standard response
• Consistently advance and improve implementation of bid best practice
• Responsible for bid activity review to ensure best practice is benchmarked against competitors and the market
• Lead clear debriefs and feedback on our performance on bids, whether won or lost, and use this intelligence to improve the quality of future bids
• Define and promote best practice proposal processes across the business

Skills and Experience required

• Would suit an individual who has experience of leading a bid function and team, process improvements and who can implement best practice (B2B professional or financial services)
• Experience working with marketing and client development teams
• Experience working within financial, benefits or wealth markets
• In-depth knowledge of pitch presentation skills and best practice
• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills
• Self‑starter with the ability to work independently
• Highly collaborative and effective in team environments
• Skilled at managing complex workloads and multiple concurrent projects
• Experience of supporting a small team from a performance and line management perspective
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience using design software and bid management software

Demonstrated Commitment to our Core Purpose

• Power in Partnership: We work in partnership with our clients & each other – building open and trusted relationships. Working together allows us to deliver the best for our clients.
• Future Focus: We want to push our industry forward by solving problems in better ways that benefit both our clients & society.
• Strength in Difference: We work with diverse perspectives to find better solutions. Working with differences makes us stronger.
• People First: We recognise that pensions is a people business. People are the source of Isio’s expertise and it is people’s lives that we affect through our advice.

What we offer you

Isio is a people business, and we’re committed to helping our great colleagues gain a wide variety of experience, significant development opportunities and progression through the business. The variety of work that’ll be available to you will enable you to do this.

About Isio

Isio was ‘born’ in 2020 from the sale of KPMG UK’s Pension Practice to a private equity firm. An industry-leading challenger, we provide diverse expertise spanning Pensions, Investment, Benefits and Wealth to give clients an integrated experience. Isio is built by challengers, innovators and forward‑thinkers, grounded around a vision which strives to deliver greater financial confidence for everyone. We empower and develop those who join us – valuing curious minds and giving people the freedom to outperform. Known and respected for our agility, we harness specialist experience, bold thinking and the desire to push the boundaries of what we can achieve for our clients, from small to blue chip, public to private. At Isio, we are committed to fostering an inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, in which our colleagues feel they belong, regardless of background or difference. We uphold the values of respect, fairness, and inclusion in our actions and decisions. We believe that by adhering to these principles, we will create a stronger, more innovative, and supportive environment for all, as well as ensuring that the advice and support we provide to our clients is more creative, more insightful and leaves a lasting impact. We have offices across the UK and many of our roles offer a hybrid, flexible approach to work to help create a work‑life balance that works for you. Isio Group is an equal opportunities employer and we welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates.