Bid Manager in Preston

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced Bid Manager to play a key role in securing new business and driving the success of a leading engineering and technical services organisation. This position is ideal for a proactive, commercially astute professional who thrives on leading complex bids, motivating teams, and delivering exceptional results under pressure.

You’ll take ownership of the end-to-end tender process from opportunity identification through to submission and handover, ensuring all proposals are compliant, compelling, and commercially robust. Working closely with business development, engineering, and project delivery teams, you’ll coordinate inputs across the business to develop winning bids that showcase technical excellence, innovation, and value.

• Lead the full bid and tendering process, ensuring timely, compliant, and high-quality submissions.
• Collaborate with business development and delivery teams to make informed bid/no-bid decisions based on commercial and strategic considerations.
• Develop and maintain an accurate forecast of potential tender opportunities.
• Define and articulate win themes that differentiate the business and align with client needs.
• Coordinate technical and commercial inputs from subject matter experts to ensure robust, compliant, and competitive solutions.
• Review and write executive summaries, proposal letters, and tender responses to a consistently high standard.
• Ensure risk and opportunity assessments are completed early in the bid process to support profitable project delivery.
• Oversee and continuously improve bid processes, ensuring consistency, best practice, and alignment across all departments.
• Present bid proposals to clients and internal stakeholders, clearly communicating key messages, value propositions, and competitive advantages.
• Manage and maintain a comprehensive information library to streamline future submissions (PQQs, ITTs, RFIs, RFQs).
• Track and report on bid performance and progress against annual sales targets.
• Work closely with project controls teams to ensure all proposals include accurate, well-resourced programmes and cost estimates.
• Represent the company at client meetings and industry events, helping to build and maintain strong relationships with commercial and procurement teams.
• Lead, mentor, and develop the bid team, fostering a collaborative, high-performing culture.
• Estimate, manage, and control bid budgets effectively.

• Proven experience managing high-value, complex bids within engineering, construction, nuclear, or related technical sectors.
• Strong understanding of commercial, contractual, and technical aspects of tendering.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce compelling and persuasive bid documents.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate multidisciplinary teams and meet tight deadlines under pressure.
• Strategic thinker with strong business acumen and attention to detail.
• Proactive leader who encourages collaboration, continuous improvement, and professional excellence.

Commitment to continuous improvement, both personally and within the team. Dedicated to maintaining up-to-date professional and technical competence through ongoing development.

Reports to: Business Winning Manager
Direct Reports: Bid Coordinator, Bid Administrator, Estimator

The successful candidate will demonstrate professionalism, integrity, and a commitment to excellence in all aspects of their work, fostering a culture built on respect, collaboration, and delivery.