Senior Proposal Manager - Strategic Bids Team

Newcastle Upon Tyne, England, United Kingdom

12/18/2024

Job Description

As a member of the Strategic Bids team, this person will play a key role in securing profitable business for WSP by managing our most important bid projects. Reporting to the Head of Strategic Bids, they will be involved in the capture planning process and may be required to lead it.

In addition to their bid responsibilities, the Senior Proposal Manager will lead the formulation of winning strategies, client solutions, tender planning, and response delivery. They will also champion best practices in work-winning through personal projects, coaching, and training initiatives, overseeing the management and development of any staff under their management.

Responsibilities

• To lead and manage complex and high value strategic bids as bid manager or other senior support roles as required depending on size and complexity of the bid.
• To ensure that the appropriate bid governance and bid review processes are followed.
• Provide input to the strategic bid capture planning process
• Work with client and the Prospect Director to develop customised solutions that meets the client's specific needs and helps them achieve their objectives.
• Assist in prospect qualification throughout
• To understand internal and external customer requirements and provide resource expertise, providing support, management and leadership of strategic bids
• 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
• Work with the bid authors /solution architects to convert knowledge from operational and business development staff into winning solutions and proposals.
• 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.
• Train and coach colleagues on the bid process and associated skills
• Contributing to the overall development of the UK Strategic Growth team and its services
• Taking responsibility for liaison with one or more business sectors and attendance at sector meetings to represent the proposals team
• Collate market and competitor information that will be useful to WSP in the future.
  
  

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

• Thorough understanding of public sector procurement process
• Strong and effective verbal and written communication, team player, collaborative
• Robust project management skills with a meticulous approach to detail and quality
• Strong time management skills and ability to prioritise.
• Adopt 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
• A strong use of oral and written English, with the ability to present complex ideas in a straightforward and simple way
• Exhibit and demonstrate behaviours and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values to create a team culture and promote excellent communications.
• Support and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
• Be able to commute to one of the following offices Birmingham, Bristol, London or Manchester
  
  

Role Accountabilities

• Provide leadership to their appointed bids 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
• Member of relevant professional institution preferable but not essential
• APMP Foundation as a minimum
• IT Literate
• Experience in a Proposals Manager position
  
  

Knowledge/ Experience

• Good experience of producing tenders in the markets that WSP operates in.
• An acknowledged senior 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.
  
  

About Us

We are WSP - Join us and make your career future ready!

In today’s world it’s important to work for a company that has clear purpose, giving back to communities and supporting what is truly important in the world.

When considering a career move its vital to work for a business that is aligned to your values and goals, a place where you can belong.

To find out more about our business click on the following link and discover what awaits you at WSP: Who We Are | WSP

What’s In It For You

Work-life balance?

WSP recognises that work is only one part of your life and making time for other things is important – whether that’s for your families, friends, or yourself.

Our hybrid working policy allows the flexibility to work from the comfort of your own home as well as collaborating in our contemporary offices across the UK.

Inclusivity & Diversity?

We want our people to achieve rewarding careers, bringing their whole selves to work. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing diversity to create a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP.

Our employee resource groups VIBE (LGBTQ+ employees), CREED (Championing Racial Equality and Ethnic Diversity) and our Gender Balance Group, in tandem with WSP’s Neurodiverse Community Group, WSP Connect Group (visible and non-visible disabilities) help us promote the right environment for you to reach your full potential.

Health & Wellbeing?

We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.

Med24 gives you and your family unrestricted telephone access to an NHS doctor where you can call day or night or have a face-to-face video consultation.

Flex your time?

For improved work life balance, WSP offers the “WSP Hour” which enables you to take one hour per day to do as you wish and make up the time earlier or later that day. We also offer part time and flexible working arrangements plus the option to flex your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.

Your development?

We appreciate that development and training is important to you and that’s why we have a supportive environment that invests in your development, whether that’s chartership, training or mentoring.

APPLY NOW AND BE THE FUTURE OF WSP!

#WeAreWSP

Here at WSP we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.

Please note WSP reserves the right to close the vacancy before the advertised closing date.