Head of Bid Management in Southampton

Join Millbrook Healthcare Group as our Head of Bid Management, leading a national function responsible for delivering complex, high-value healthcare bids across NHS and private sectors (typically £10m–£60m+). This is a strategic leadership role where you will shape winning bid strategies, embed best-in-class governance and processes, and drive continuous improvement in bid quality and win rates while leading and developing a high-performing team.

Working closely with senior stakeholders across commercial, operational, clinical, and executive teams, you’ll influence major pursuits, champion innovation through AI and digital tools, and ensure compelling, compliant submissions that reflect our values and integrated service offering. We’re seeking a commercially astute, inspiring leader with proven experience in complex bid environments, strong stakeholder management skills, and a passion for excellence.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Lead the delivery of bid responses that positively demonstrate our service offering, promote our values and our ways of working.
• Lead and develop the national bid management function, driving consistency, quality, and best practice across regions.
• Provide strategic oversight and direction on major, complex bids (often £60m+), including direct leadership of priority opportunities.
• Define and embed bid governance, methodologies, and frameworks to support scalable, repeatable success.
• Partner with the company leadership to shape win strategies, value propositions, and competitive positioning.
• Build, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team of bid writers and contributors.
• Drive the adoption of AI and digital tools to improve efficiency, content quality, knowledge reuse, and decision-making.
• Establish and maintain a bid knowledge management framework, including reusable content libraries and lessons learned.
• Lead executive bid reviews, governance forums, and decision checkpoints.
• Ensure robust risk management and commercial alignment across all bids.
• Analyse performance and continuously improve win rates, processes, and team capability.

Skills and Experience:

• Proven track record of leading and developing bid teams or functions.
• Deep understanding of end‑to‑end bid lifecycle, governance, and commercial strategy.
• Experience delivering solutions that combine clinical, logistical and software in complex environments (e.g., healthcare, FMG and contract management).
• Strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at executive level.
• Excellent communication and storytelling capability, with strong attention to detail.
• Experience implementing or leveraging AI/digital tools to enhance bid management processes.
• Experience in healthcare, clinical services and/or commissioned NHS services.
• Familiarity with local public sector authority procurement processes (CCG/LA/ICB).
• Experience working across national, multi‑cultural teams.

Personal Attributes:

• Strategic, commercially astute, and outcome‑focused.
• Inspiring leader with a collaborative and inclusive approach.
• Resilient and composed in high‑pressure, high‑stakes environments.
• Proactive and continuously seeking innovation and improvement.
• Forward‑thinking, with a strong interest in leveraging AI and technology.
• High integrity, accountability, and ownership.
• Team player.

Qualifications:

• APMP certification or equivalent.

What can we offer you?

• Up to £85,000 depending on experience.
• Monday – Friday 08.30 -17.00 (40 hours a week).
• Opportunities to network with internal and external stakeholders.
• Up to 33 days holiday (including bank holidays) plus optional 5 unpaid days.
• Company Pension Scheme.
• Life Assurance.
• A rewards scheme – 200+ exclusive perks and discounts from leading retailers and leisure outlets.

Millbrook Healthcare Group are an inclusive and caring employer who understand that not everyone’s job needs are the same. Therefore we are open to supporting flexible working requests such as part time working, job shares and flexible hours wherever possible, to support our colleagues' lifestyle differences.

Our ambition at Millbrook Healthcare is to become the leading provider in the assisted living sector whilst ensuring our core company values ‘CARES’ remain unchanged. We are always looking to recruit hard working and talented individuals to become a part of our ongoing growth and success.

This role is working in a regulated activity and may be subject to a standard DBS disclosure and Social Media Screening.