Bid Manager / Bid Writer
Salary: £40,000 – £50,000
Location: Remote
Contract: Full-time, Permanent
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced and driven Bid Manager / Bid Writer to join our team on a full-time, permanent basis. This is a pivotal role responsible for leading the end-to-end delivery of high-quality public sector bids.
You will orchestrate people, processes, risks, and governance to ensure every submission clearly communicates our value proposition and supports our mission to positively impact lives every day.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and manage bids from inception through to submission, ensuring high-quality outputs within strict deadlines
- Plan, coordinate, quality assure, and submit compelling tenders for both new and existing commissioners
- Write and edit bid content directly where required to maintain pace and quality
- Lead cross-functional bid teams within a matrix structure, setting clear roles, responsibilities, and deadlines
- Identify, manage, and mitigate bid risks (commercial, delivery, mobilisation, TUPE, social value, reputational), escalating where appropriate
- Own bid governance processes including bid/no-bid decisions, strategy reviews, and internal approvals
- Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders (operations, finance, HR, IT, quality) and external partners
- Maintain bid plans, RACI matrices, and track progress against milestones
- Collaborate with operational and support teams to produce responses that exceed commissioner expectations
- Support presentations and attend client meetings where required
- Conduct research to strengthen bid responses and ensure competitive positioning
Key Requirements
Education & Training - Desirable but Not Essential
- Degree-level education or equivalent industry experience
- Background in employability, justice, care, or wider public sector services
- Membership of APMP (Association of Bid & Proposal Management Professionals)
Skills & Knowledge
- Strong written English and bid writing capability
- Ability to work under pressure and meet demanding deadlines
- Skilled at managing stakeholder relationships and influencing at a senior level
- Experience working in matrix environments without direct line authority
- Ability to manage subject matter experts and coordinate inputs effectively
- Strong risk identification and management capability across the bid lifecycle
Experience
- Proven track record of delivering complex bids to tight deadlines
- Project management experience within bid environments
- Experience working across multi-functional teams (sales, operations, delivery)
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel), SharePoint, and bid tools
- Experience within employability, justice, or community sectors (highly desirable)
- Experience managing bid risk registers and informing senior decision-making
- Experience running governance processes (bid/no-bid, strategy reviews, approvals)
- Experience managing partnerships, consortiums, or supply chain relationships
