Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage high-quality public sector bids, ensuring timely submissions.
- Company: Dynamic organisation focused on making a positive impact in the community.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, remote work, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative environment with excellent career advancement potential.
- Why this job: Make a difference by driving impactful projects that change lives.
- Qualifications: Experience in bid management and strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
We are looking to recruit an experienced Bid Manager on a full-time, permanent basis. The ideal candidate for the job will be expected to lead and manage the end-to-end delivery of high-quality public sector bids – orchestrating people, risks, governance and contributors so that each submission clearly articulates the organisation’s value proposition and supports us to change the lives of even more people every day.
Responsibilities will include:
- Active leadership and management of bids, including relationship development, risk management, project management and bid writing, to produce high-quality bids in line with bid deadlines.
- Planning, coordinating, quality assuring and submitting high-quality tenders for existing and new commissioners, drafting content directly where required to support contributors and maintain pace.
- Leading bid teams within a matrix management structure, setting clear roles, responsibilities and deadlines for contributors and holding them to account for delivery.
- Identifying, recording and actively managing bid risks throughout the bid lifecycle – including commercial, delivery, mobilisation, TUPE, social value and reputational risks – escalating to senior leadership where appropriate and ensuring mitigations are reflected in the bid response.
- Owning the bid governance process for assigned opportunities, including preparation and chairing of bid kick-off meetings, qualification (bid/no-bid), strategy reviews, internal sign-off gateways and lessons learned, ensuring decisions and assumptions are clearly documented.
- Building and managing strong working relationships with internal stakeholders – including operations, finance, HR, IT, quality and bid leadership – and with external partners, subcontractors and consortium members, to secure the inputs, sign-offs and commitments each bid requires.
- Allocating responsibilities across the bid team, maintaining a clear RACI and bid plan, tracking progress against milestones, and proactively unblocking issues so that submissions are completed accurately, compliantly and on time.
- Working as part of a team in developing both small and large-scale tenders of strategic value.
- Joint work with operational teams and support service functions to understand bid requirements and build bid responses that meet the requirements and exceed the expectations of our commissioners.
- Delivery of presentations and attendance at face-to-face meetings with clients.
- Research to support the bid writing process.
Requirement
- Education and Training – Desirable Not Essential
- Equivalent industry experience – preferably from Employability, Justice & Care – Public Sector
- University degree
- Member of Association of Bid and Proposal Management Professionals (APMP)
Skills, knowledge and abilities
- Working in a networked role, working under pressure and to demanding deadlines.
- Ability to proactively develop and manage a network of subject matter experts.
- Ability to identify and re-work existing pre-written content where relevant.
- Ability to communicate and influence at a senior level.
- Strong written English language skills.
- Ability to identify, assess and actively manage risk across the bid lifecycle, including escalation to senior leadership where required.
- Strong stakeholder and relationship management skills, with the ability to build trust quickly across operations, support functions and external partners.
- Ability to lead, direct and hold to account contributors in a matrix structure without direct line authority.
Experience
- Demonstrable evidence of working on complex bids to tight deadlines.
- Project management experience.
- Experience of working with multi-layered (matrix) sales/implementations/operations teams on the bid process.
- Proficient user of Microsoft Office (PPT/Word/Excel), SharePoint, and other bid/proposal-related tools.
- Experience in a similar role, especially within the employability, justice or community sectors.
- Experience of owning and maintaining a bid risk register and using it to inform bid strategy and senior decision-making.
- Experience of running bid governance gateways – including bid/no-bid qualification, strategy reviews and internal sign-off – and producing the supporting documentation.
- Experience of managing partnership, consortium or supply chain relationships during a bid, including securing commitments and resolving conflicting positions.
Bid Manager employer: Sovereign & Bale
Contact Detail:
Sovereign & Bale Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Bid Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the industry and let them know you're on the hunt for a Bid Manager role. You never know who might have the inside scoop on an opportunity or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to bid management. Think about how you can showcase your experience with risk management and stakeholder relationships. We want you to shine when it comes to articulating your value!
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just apply anywhere; focus on companies that align with your values and expertise. When you find a role that excites you, apply through our website to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves!
✨Tip Number 4
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way in keeping you top of mind. Mention something specific from your conversation to show you were engaged and are genuinely interested in the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Bid Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Bid Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing bids and working with stakeholders, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your skills; give us examples of how you've used them in past roles. Whether it's project management or risk assessment, we want to see how you’ve made an impact in your previous positions.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it straightforward. We appreciate clarity, so make sure your points are easy to read and get straight to the point. This reflects the quality we expect in bid submissions!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets into the right hands and shows us you're serious about joining our team at StudySmarter.
How to prepare for a job interview at Sovereign & Bale
✨Know Your Bids Inside Out
Before the interview, make sure you thoroughly understand the bid management process and the specific requirements of the role. Familiarise yourself with the types of bids the company handles, especially in the public sector, and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their needs.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Bid Manager, you'll need to lead teams effectively. Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed bid teams in the past, highlighting your ability to set clear roles, responsibilities, and deadlines. Be ready to discuss how you handle conflicts and ensure accountability within a matrix structure.
✨Demonstrate Risk Management Expertise
Risk management is crucial in bid management. Come prepared with examples of how you've identified and mitigated risks in previous bids. Discuss your experience with maintaining a bid risk register and how it informed your strategy and decision-making processes.
✨Build Relationships on the Spot
Strong stakeholder management is key for this role. During the interview, demonstrate your ability to build rapport quickly. Share experiences where you've developed relationships with internal and external stakeholders, and explain how these relationships contributed to successful bid outcomes.