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- Tasks: Lead major bids and coordinate multi-disciplinary teams to achieve key milestones.
- Company: Join UWS, a rapidly growing company with world-leading sonar products.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, professional development, and a supportive team environment.
- Why this job: Be part of an exciting business area and contribute to long-term strategies.
- Qualifications: Proven track record in bid management and strong leadership skills required.
- Other info: Work from home 2 days a week and collaborate with a highly regarded team.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Are you a Bid Manager looking for an exciting challenge and the opportunity to lead some major bids that are critical to the long term strategy of a company? Then look no further…
Location: Crawley (West Sussex), Cheadle (Greater Manchester), or Templecombe (Somerset) - hybrid working arrangement 3 days per week in the office vs. home.
What the role has to offer:
- UWS is growing at a rapid pace.
- Due to the success of programmes within UWS and with a portfolio of world leading products across the sonar domain, we have an extensive prospect list, consisting of a significant number of strategic bids.
- This role is an opportunity to lead some major bids that are critical to the long term strategy of UWS and Thales.
- You will be working as part of an established team in one of the most exciting areas of the business.
- Working with a highly regarded team who will support your learning and development.
- Hybrid working (3 days in the office / 2 days from home).
Key responsibilities:
- Embedding a strong sense of delivery accountability and a proactive risk and opportunity management culture (for both ‘winability’ and ‘deliverability’) at all levels of the Bid team.
- Creating and controlling the Bid schedule and resource plan; leading and coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to achieve key milestones.
- Establishing and controlling the requirements baseline (technical and non-technical), including compliance traceability, allocation to Work Packages and the end to end estimating process.
- Ensuring the creation of robust Initial Project Baselines for delivery post-contract award.
- Supporting the management of customer, supplier and partner relationships – building trust and confidence through open dialogue.
- Tailoring and application of Bid Governance as appropriate, including Bid Stage Gates, Bid Reviews and Project Characterisation.
- Coordination and control of the Master Assumptions, Dependencies and Exclusions List, ensuring alignment across all Bid artefacts including the Project execution baseline, estimates and proposal/commercial terms.
- Coordination of proposal development, including the use of colour/peer reviews as appropriate.
- Ensuring appropriate focus on CASH management and achieving a positive net cash profile associated with the Initial Project baseline.
- Leading and coordinating PQQ responses, including reviews, governance and final sign-off.
- Contributing to the identification of customer hot buttons/win strategy and alignment of Bid activities to address these.
- Creating initial Project plans for the execution of the contract as required for the proposal.
- Management and control of Bid Budgets (including status and forecast) for all Bids within their working perimeter and liaison with PMO to reflect in appropriate tools E.g. Oracle, P6.
Note: for particularly large or complex Bids a PM-designate and/or Proposal Manager may be appointed to support the Bid Manager with some of the activities listed above.
About you:
The role requires strong leadership, professional Bid and Project management expertise, excellent stakeholder management, commercial awareness and a proactive approach to identifying and mitigating risk. We are looking for someone with:
- A proven track record of delivering successful Bids on framework contracts.
- Experience leading and managing multi-disciplinary teams in achieving challenging timelines and with a proactive focus on risk and opportunity management.
- Internal stakeholder and customer/supplier/partner relationship management experience.
- Ability to construct compelling proposals and/or solutions that meet customer needs.
- Experience of Gate Bid Lifecycle processes; efficiently applying reviews and ensuring that business risk is appropriately managed.
Bid Manager employer: Thales
Contact Detail:
Thales Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Bid Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific requirements of the Bid Manager role at UWS. Understand their focus on risk management and stakeholder relationships, as these are crucial for success in this position.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees of UWS to gain insights into their bid processes and culture. This can provide you with valuable information that can help you tailor your approach during interviews.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with multi-disciplinary teams and how you've successfully managed bids in the past. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your leadership and project management skills.
✨Tip Number 4
Research the sonar domain and UWS's portfolio of products. Being knowledgeable about their offerings will demonstrate your genuine interest in the company and the role, making you a more compelling candidate.
We think you need these skills to ace Bid Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in bid management and project leadership. Use specific examples that demonstrate your ability to deliver successful bids and manage multi-disciplinary teams.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that not only outlines your qualifications but also expresses your enthusiasm for the role. Mention how your skills align with the key responsibilities listed in the job description, such as risk management and stakeholder engagement.
Showcase Relevant Experience: In your application, emphasise your proven track record in delivering successful bids, particularly on framework contracts. Include metrics or outcomes where possible to illustrate your impact.
Research the Company: Familiarise yourself with UWS and Thales, their products, and their strategic goals. This knowledge will help you tailor your application and demonstrate your genuine interest in contributing to their success.
How to prepare for a job interview at Thales
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
As a Bid Manager, demonstrating your leadership abilities is crucial. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led multi-disciplinary teams in the past, focusing on your proactive approach to risk and opportunity management.
✨Understand the Bid Lifecycle
Familiarise yourself with the Gate Bid Lifecycle processes. Be ready to discuss how you have efficiently applied reviews in previous roles and how you managed business risks effectively.
✨Prepare Compelling Proposals
Think about instances where you constructed proposals that met customer needs. Be prepared to share these examples and explain your thought process behind tailoring solutions to specific client requirements.
✨Build Rapport with Stakeholders
Since stakeholder management is key, come equipped with strategies you've used to build trust and confidence with customers, suppliers, and partners. Highlight your communication skills and how they contributed to successful bid outcomes.
