At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead high-value bids and collaborate with partners to drive success.
- Company: Join Osborne Clarke, a forward-thinking international legal practice.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous benefits, and a focus on wellbeing.
- Other info: Opportunity for growth and development in a supportive team culture.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by shaping winning strategies in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Experience in bids management and strong content writing skills required.
The predicted salary is between 51750 - 63250 £ per year.
As we roll out our 2030 strategy, we’re sharpening our sector focus and accelerating profitable growth so we can better advise and advance the businesses of tomorrow. We’re proud to help clients in the sectors shaping tomorrow’s world, including technology, media and communications, life sciences and healthcare, energy and utilities, financial services, real estate and transport and automotive. We’re evolving how we win, serve and grow our clients, moving from small change to big gains, and from tech‑enabled to AI‑native in how we work.
About the role
You’ll work closely with our Head of Bids and two other Bids Managers to continue embedding Bids “Centre of Excellence” best practice across the firm and provide expert support on live bids to increase our win rate and revenue. This is a highly visible role, working directly with partners and lawyers on strategic opportunities. You won’t just be delivering bid documents – you’ll be advising and influencing qualification, win strategies, content, presenting and pricing decisions that drive the firm’s performance and deepen key client relationships. You will support cross-sector and cross-functional bids, with an alignment to driving forward best practice bidding in at least one flagship sector and one growth service – Life Sciences & Healthcare and Disputes – supporting the firm’s strategic priorities.
What you’ll be doing
- Leading live bids
- Taking ownership of complex, high‑value bids across the full bid lifecycle
- Guiding partners and lawyers through best practice bidding, including bid/no‑bid qualification, win themes, compelling content, presenting and pricing
- Project managing bids to ensure timely, high‑quality submissions, often to tight deadlines
- Creating and editing persuasive, client‑focused content with an expert eye for detail
- Conducting win/loss debriefs and capturing learnings to improve future performance
Driving our Bids Centre of Excellence
- Proactively identifying and leading strategic improvements to our bids approach
- Devising solutions that enhance systems, processes and tools to increase win rate and revenue
- Taking accountability for key improvement workstreams, for example strategic pricing and bid content library development
- Using your experience to upskill Bids, BD and other Business Services teams, as well as lawyers, in best practice bidding
Collaborating across the business
- Working closely with the wider BD team to ensure bids are tailored to priority sectors and clients
- Collaborating with the Head of Pursuits/Mobilisation on forecast bids and mobilisation of wins
- Building strong relationships with partners, Sector Leaders, BD Directors/Managers, Finance, Osborne Clarke Solutions and Risk & Compliance to deliver joined‑up support
People leadership (as the team grows)
- Providing line management for Bids Executives/Assistants as the team expands
- Holding effective 1:1s, setting meaningful objectives and supporting development
- Leading by example to nurture a collaborative, high‑performing bids team
About you
We’re looking for a highly experienced, solution‑focused bids professional who is passionate about driving improvements and winning work. You will have:
- Significant bids experience within a professional services environment
- Proven bid project management skills across complex, multi‑stakeholder opportunities
- Strong content writing skills and the ability to shape differentiating, compelling propositions
- A sound understanding of strategic pricing approaches and experience influencing pricing to win
- Confidence in coaching and preparing teams for pitch meetings
- Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, including at partner/senior level
- The ability to question and challenge constructively to positively influence outcomes
- Strong resilience and the ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- A proactive, accountable approach – comfortable taking ownership and navigating challenges
- Absolute attention to detail and high standards of quality
- Curiosity, creativity and a desire to improve how we work, particularly through AI and technology
- A passion for people development and for working as a collaborative team
- A “firm first” mindset and a positive, “can do” attitude
Salary and benefits
We offer competitive salaries and generous benefits. We value the health and wellbeing of our people and our wide range of initiatives and benefits support this.
Our recruitment process
Please note that although we include closing dates for our roles as a guide, we review and progress applications on a rolling basis. At Osborne Clarke we do not make any recruitment decisions using automated decision-making. We are committed to providing an environment where you can perform to the best of your abilities at every stage of your recruitment experience and beyond. If you require any adjustments to be made during the application stage, interview process, or when working with us, please let us know in confidence.
About Us
Osborne Clarke is an international legal practice with over 330 Partners and more than 1,260 talented lawyers in 26 locations. Our sector-based approach enables us to help our clients tackle the issues they are facing today, and prepare for the ones that they will face tomorrow. Advising them both comprehensively and commercially. We love working closely with our clients on new deals, products and solutions which will transform their businesses, markets and even sectors. And our unique approachable culture is not an added extra, it's fundamental to our success. At Osborne Clarke we value difference and encourage applicants from all backgrounds. We want everyone to feel that OC is a place where you can be yourself and belong, and our range of interest groups and diversity networks - not to mention our great teams - are a part of making that a reality.
Bids Manager in Barbican employer: Osborne Clarke
Osborne Clarke is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work culture that prioritises employee development and well-being. With flexible working arrangements and a commitment to professional growth, this role as Strategic Talent Development Lead provides the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on the development of legal professionals in a supportive environment. The blend of office and home working ensures a healthy work-life balance, making it an attractive choice for those seeking rewarding employment.
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We think you need these skills to ace Bids Manager in Barbican
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Analytical Skills:In the business intelligence field, showcasing your analytical skills is a must. Make sure your CV includes relevant experience with data analysis tools, programming languages like SQL or Python, and any projects where you've interpreted complex data sets to drive business decisions.
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Tailor Your Documents for Us:When applying for a full-time role at Osborne Clarke, tailor your CV and cover letter to reflect our organisational goals and strategies. Mention specific tools and methodologies that align with what we do—this shows you’ve done your homework and are genuinely interested in our mission!
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How to prepare for a job interview at Osborne Clarke
✨Show off your analytical skills
In a business intelligence role, you're going to need to demonstrate your analytical prowess. Be prepared to discuss specific tools you've used, like SQL, Tableau, or Power BI. Have real-world examples ready where you’ve turned data into actionable insights – this is what makes us shine in interviews!
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✨Portfolio of Projects
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✨Know their business model
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