Senior Bid Manager

Thales Group; Crawley; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading defense technology company is seeking a Senior Bid Manager for a hybrid role based in the UK. The successful candidate will lead bid teams, manage client relationships, and ensure the delivery of compelling proposals. Applicants should have a strong background in bid management and stakeholder engagement, with the ability to navigate complex bid processes. Security Clearance may be required for this position. Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits are included.

Benefits

Performance-related bonus

Half day every Friday

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

24 hours volunteering paid for

Private healthcare

Pension scheme

Life cover

Employee Assistance Program

Discount shopping schemes

Gym membership discounts

Qualifications

• Proven track record in managing and delivering successful bids.
• Experience with large, complex bids.
• Knowledge of industry-standard bid management approaches.

Responsibilities

• Lead multi-disciplinary bid teams to deliver high-quality proposals.
• Manage relationships with internal and external customers.
• Ensure successful bid production and delivery.

Skills

Bid management

Stakeholder management

Negotiation

Commercial management

Leadership

Job description

Overview

Location: Templecombe, United Kingdom. Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar. We offer opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their careers with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Our health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer flexibility where possible to suit lifestyle and ambitions.

Job title: Senior Bid Manager

Location: Templecombe (Somerset), or Reading (Berkshire), or Crawley (West Sussex) - hybrid working: 3 days per week in the office vs. home

Hours: Full time or part time opportunities available

Do you have a positive attitude combined with excellent interpersonal and motivational skills? Do you enjoy generating or initiating innovative solutions? Do you pride yourself on leading bid teams, shaping compelling and competitive offers to clients? Then look no further…

What the role has to offer

• Working in an exciting dynamic fast paced environment

• Working on high tech interesting projects

• Working in a team environment with individual work tasks

Core Benefits

On offer is a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes;

• Performance-related bonus

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00

• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) plus opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)

• 24 hours volunteering paid for

• Private healthcare (grade dependent)

• Pension scheme

• Life cover

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

• Gym membership discounts

Our Opportunity

This is a truly demanding and interesting role where you will gain exposure across a wide variety of bids and where you will be responsible for leading the bid team to ensure successful bid production and delivery. You will put your professional bid management capabilities to the test by giving rigour to change control, commercial awareness and stakeholder management.

Key responsibilities

• Bringing structure, clarity and governance to the bid process.

• Helping shape solutions to provide compelling offers to our customers.

• Managing strong relationships with internal and external key UK and international customers.

• Managing multi-disciplinary bid teams to deliver high quality business winning proposals.

• Applying business acumen to maximise Thales’ position to secure new business.

• Managing the preparation of prequalification response submissions to customers with the objective of securing an invitation to bid.

• Leading in Bid Kick-Off meetings, providing bid management direction and engagement with the Bid Team.

• Managing the creation of the bid deliverables, shaping a compelling offer and ensuring review and governance, leading to the creation of a high-quality proposal.

About You

We would be keen to see an application from you if you have the following skills/experience:

• A proven track record of managing and delivering successful bids in contexts relevant to Thales: defence, heavy engineering (aerospace, rail, energy, marine), or construction, or IT infrastructure backgrounds.

• Experience managing large, complex bids.

• Full business/bid lifecycle management, including capture, qualification and developing capture plans and winning strategies.

• Experience of working across boundaries, including knowledge of commercial management, finance functions.

• A working knowledge of industry standard approaches to bid management (such as Shipley Capture Bench).

• The ability to successfully manage a bid team and to drive solutions to successful conclusion.

• Negotiation skills with the ability to deal with customers, partners, suppliers and other parts of the business (stakeholder management skills).

Security Clearance requirements

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance.

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

#LI-DNI

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!