At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead complex NHS bid programmes and shape winning strategies.
- Company: Growing healthcare services organisation with a focus on NHS growth.
- Benefits: Up to £65,000 salary, bonus, hybrid work, and expenses covered.
- Other info: Work closely with senior leadership and influence NHS growth strategies.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by building a strategic bid function from the ground up.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading NHS bids and strong understanding of commissioning.
The predicted salary is between 65000 - 65000 £ per year.
Hybrid – Milton Keynes (1 day per week, expenses covered)
Up to £65,000 + Bonus
Urgent Appointment | Major NHS Bid Programme Launching June
I’m working exclusively with a growing healthcare services organisation at a pivotal point in its NHS growth journey. This is a genuinely exciting opportunity as they build an entirely new bid function from the ground up to shape how future NHS bids are built. This role will be integral in ensuring submissions are not just competitive, but operationally credible, commercially viable, and grounded in real-world service delivery.
This is not a “process admin” bid role. This is a high-impact opportunity for an experienced NHS bid leader to take full ownership of bid strategy, shape how the business competes, and build a more sophisticated, resilient approach to winning NHS contracts. The business needs someone who understands how NHS commissioners think, what drives scoring decisions, and how to build submissions that are genuinely winnable. You’ll be the person who bridges the gap between operational capability and commissioner expectation.
What you’ll own:
- End-to-end ownership of complex NHS bid programmes from qualification through to submission
- Defining bid strategy, win themes, positioning and differentiation
- Leading bid/no-bid decision making to focus effort on high-quality, commercially viable opportunities
- Translating commissioner priorities into compelling submission strategy
- Coordinating internal stakeholders and external bid writing resource to deliver exceptional outputs
- Running post-bid debriefs and embedding continuous improvement into future submissions
- Building scalable bid processes, governance and templates to eliminate historic single-point-of-failure risk
What we’re looking for:
Essential:
- Proven experience leading complex NHS bids end-to-end
- Strong understanding of NHS commissioning, contracting, scoring and evaluation frameworks
- Experience within primary care commissioning, NHS contracting, procurement, or transformation environments
- Strong strategic thinking with commercial delivery focus
- Able to influence and challenge senior stakeholders confidently
- Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail under pressure
Highly desirable:
- Experience shaping strategic positioning against NHS competitors
- Horizon scanning / pipeline development capability
- Ability to combine both strategic and hands-on bid leadership
Why this role is different:
This role will help build a fit-for-purpose bid function with real strategic capability, one that doesn’t just submit bids, but wins the right contracts profitably and sustainably. You’ll work directly with senior leadership and have genuine influence over how NHS growth is delivered.
Strategic Bid Manager (Contract) in Milton Keynes employer: Practicus
Join a dynamic healthcare services organisation at the forefront of NHS growth, where your expertise as a Strategic Bid Manager will be pivotal in shaping a new bid function. Enjoy a hybrid work model in Milton Keynes, with competitive remuneration and bonuses, while benefiting from a culture that prioritises employee development and strategic impact. This is an exceptional opportunity to influence high-stakes NHS contracts and contribute to meaningful healthcare delivery.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Strategic Bid Manager (Contract) in Milton Keynes
✨Network with Local Healthcare Professionals
Getting a temporary role in health sciences administration is all about who you know! Hit up local healthcare meetups or professional gatherings to make connections. Chat with people already in the field; they might know about temporary gigs at places like Practicus before they even hit the job boards!
✨Leverage University Career Services
If you're still studying or recently graduated, don’t forget about your university's career services. They often have exclusive links to temporary roles in health administration—it's a goldmine for finding opportunities that might not be advertised publicly. Plus, they can help you polish your interview skills!
✨Use Online Job Boards Wisely
When hunting for temporary roles, make sure you’re using job boards that cater specifically to health administration. Websites like NHS Jobs or HealthCareers might have listings for roles at Practicus. Set up alerts for new postings, so you jump on any opportunities as soon as they come up!
✨Showcase Your Adaptability in Interviews
Temporary roles often require you to hit the ground running. Use your interviews to highlight any past experiences where you’ve had to adapt quickly, whether it’s in a volunteer position or a past job. This will show Practicus you’re ready to step in and make an immediate impact!
We think you need these skills to ace Strategic Bid Manager (Contract) in Milton Keynes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Highlight Your Health Sciences Knowledge:When applying for the Strategic Bid Manager (Contract) at Practicus, make sure to showcase any relevant courses or degrees you have in health sciences or related fields. This background helps to demonstrate that you understand the sector and can hit the ground running in a temporary role.
Emphasise Administrative Skills:Since this is an administrative role, it’s essential to highlight your organisational skills, attention to detail, and proficiency with software commonly used in health sciences administration. Mention any specific tools or systems you’ve used, as these can really make you stand out to Practicus.
Keep It Concise and Relevant:As this is a temporary role, brevity is key. Make sure your CV is succinct and focuses on your most relevant experiences. Highlight your ability to adapt quickly and learn on the job, which is crucial in a short-term position like this.
Tailor Your Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your enthusiasm for the health sciences sector and your interest in the specific tasks you'd be handling at Practicus. Being clear about why you're the perfect fit for a temporary position will help demonstrate your motivation and readiness to contribute.
How to prepare for a job interview at Practicus
✨Brush Up on Health Regulations
Given that you're diving into health sciences administration, make sure you're well-versed in the latest health regulations and compliance standards. It’s a temporary role, so showing that you’re up to speed with current guidelines will highlight your readiness to hit the ground running for Practicus.
✨Demonstrate Your Organisational Skills
In health sciences administration, organisational skills are key. Prepare examples of how you’ve managed multiple tasks or handled administrative challenges in the past. Be ready to speak about your tools—whether that's a particular software or a method of project management—that you use to keep everything in check.
✨Tailor Your Motivation to the Temporary Nature
As this is a temporary position, it’s essential to express your enthusiasm for the role during the interview. Talk about what you aim to learn and how you see this experience fitting into your overall career goals. Employers love to see that you’re eager to contribute, even if it's just for a short time!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
You might also encounter scenario-based questions during your interview. Be ready to demonstrate how you'd handle specific administrative challenges in a health setting. Think about common situations in health sciences and formulate your responses beforehand, so you come off as calm and capable when it counts.
