Proposals Manager

Job Description

At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.

A little more about your role…

As part of the strategic proposals team in the Property and Buildings business unit, the Proposal Manager will work closely with civil & structural, building services and specialist disciplines to position WSP and win profitable business.

Reporting to the Sales and Strategic Growth Lead, they will participate in the capture planning process. Once allocated to an opportunity, the Proposal Manager will establish and manage the bid team, liaising with clients and partners as required, organising the appropriate reviews & approval meetings and submitting the proposal. They will lead the development of win strategies, tender planning, written responses, reviews and response delivery including handover to delivery teams of won opportunities.

The role may require UK travel.

Core Functions:

• To lead and manage bids as proposal manager or other roles depending on size and complexity of the bid.
• Produce high quality written content as required
• To ensure that the appropriate bid governance and bid review processes are followed.
• Support the bid capture planning process
• Work with Prospect Directors to develop winning strategies for the prospect
• Assist in prospect qualification throughout
• To understand internal and external customer requirements and support as required.
• Convert knowledge from operational and business development staff into winning solutions and proposals.
• To provide challenge to operational, technical, commercial and financial proposals to facilitate the development of solutions that provide greatest benefit for the businesses while delivering customer requirements and needs
• Support lessons learnt from bids. Analyse each bid, including customer feedback, to identify and share good practice with operational, bid and business development staff across the business and suggest improvements to process and team dynamics.
• Contributing to the overall development of the SBU proposal team and its services
• Collate market and competitor information that will be useful to WSP in the future.

Requirements:

• Thorough understanding of private and public sector procurement process, including e-portals.
• Sound understanding of the end to end business development process.
• Effective verbal and written communicator, team player, collaborative approach.
• An acknowledged manager with a demonstrable record of success in winning bids.
• A meticulous approach to detail and quality.
• Strong project and time management skills with the ability to prioritise.
• A pro-active approach, use initiative and take responsibility for own actions.
• Ability to assimilate large volumes of information and understand, plan and manage associated workflows.
• Develop strong relationships and rapport with external clients and internal colleagues.
• Excellent people skills to lead, encourage, motivate and enthuse others.
• A passion for quality and continuous improvement with a focus on delivery.
• Confidence to delegate to all levels, where required.
• Support and promote a culture of continuous improvement.

Role Accountabilities:

• Provide leadership to deliver the optimum quality / price solution, keeping the team well informed, organised and clear of their objectives in terms of the outputs required and their associated timelines.
• Work collaboratively with Prospect Directors, bid colleagues, operational managers, sector and commercial teams to develop and/or advise on the development of tailored solutions in response to tender invitations.
• Work to understand client needs and advise on and develop the quality and integration of the solution, setting the standard of quality required.
• Build relationships quickly to deliver efficient and effective working within newly created bid teams
• Convert knowledge from operational and business development staff into winning solutions and proposals.
• Analyse each bid to identify and share good practice with operational, bid and business development staff across the business, providing support to cross cutting initiatives and bids in order for WSP to achieve its corporate objectives.
• Collate market and competitor information that will be useful to WSP in future propositions and bids.

Qualifications:

• Qualified to degree level in an appropriate subject
• Committed to achieving APMP Foundation as a minimum
• IT Literate, in particular use of Desktop Publishing (In Design)
• Experience in engineering or construction

Knowledge / Experience:

• Good experience of producing tenders in the markets that WSP operates in.
• An acknowledged bid manager with a demonstrable record of success in winning bids
• A good awareness and understanding of bid governance and bid review processes. Good bid writing and management skills, and commercial skills.

WSP is committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing. We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences and enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work.