Bid Specialist

Roles and responsibilities

Interfaces with business line growth team and operations to support the process of winning work. Leads responses to client RFI/RFQ/RFPs and applies standard pursuit processes to ensure efficiency in schedule and bid compliance. Responsible for print, electronic and oral proposal deliverables. Provides market research and competitive intelligence and leverages data systems and tools to support proposal strategy and business strategic planning efforts.

Job Summary

• Leads large proposals and presentations from capture through to interview stage. Supports capture managers in development of the win strategy during capture through interview preparation.
• Leads win strategy development and owns the work winning process on major pursuits for the Middle East Business, engaging with senior management, technical teams, commercial teams, creative teams and working in partnership with the capture manager.
• Creates annotated outlines and content plans and provides recommendations to technical teams on section structures. May serve as lead writer and editor for tailored resumes, past performance sections, executive summaries, and/or management approaches for proposals.
• Facilitates colour reviews (Pink, Red and Gold team), quality reviews, and applies lessons learned to add value to proposals. Manages the implementation of proposal and presentation revisions based on direction from review teams.
• Participates by providing recommendations in go/no-go and greenlight analyses in compliance with delegation of authority guidelines, capture planning and positioning activities as they pertain to preparation for the proposal.
• Completes internal debriefs for proposals they lead, leverages past pursuit debrief information. Supports team during win/loss debriefs and gathering of client feedback on proposals to ensure and demonstrate continuous improvement.
• Supports marketing or pursuits strategy and content development related to clients/markets, marketing communications, campaigns, account managers (CAMs) and business lines, as necessary.
• Coaches entry level proposal team members
• Performs a self-check of work prior to submitting to others for review/approval

Desired candidate profile

1. Bid Management

• Tender Document Preparation: Ability to prepare, structure, and compile bid documents, ensuring that all requirements are met and the submission is clear, concise, and compliant.
• Bid Coordination: Coordinating the entire bid process, from initial tender review through to submission, ensuring deadlines are met and all internal stakeholders are aligned.
• Proposal Writing: Writing compelling and technically accurate proposals that highlight the company’s strengths, addressing the client's needs, and presenting tailored solutions.
• Cost Estimation and Budgeting: Understanding the cost structures and pricing strategies to create competitive and profitable bid proposals, often working with cost estimators or project managers.
• Compliance and Risk Management: Ensuring that all bids adhere to legal, regulatory, and client-specific requirements, identifying and managing risks in the bidding process.

2. Industry Knowledge and Understanding

• Sector-Specific Knowledge: Deep understanding of the industry in which the bidding occurs (e.g., construction, engineering, IT, energy) to effectively tailor bids to client needs and industry standards.
• Understanding of Procurement Process: Familiarity with public and private procurement processes, including various tendering systems, RFPs (Requests for Proposals), RFQs (Requests for Quotations), and ITTs (Invitations to Tender).
• Market Intelligence: Ability to research and gather intelligence on market trends, competitor activity, and customer requirements to position bids effectively and competitively.

3. Collaboration and Teamwork

• Cross-Department Collaboration: Collaborating with internal teams (e.g., technical, legal, finance, and project management teams) to gather the necessary information and resources for the bid proposal.
• Client Communication: Engaging with clients to understand their requirements, expectations, and preferences, ensuring that the bid submission reflects their needs and stands out.
• Stakeholder Management: Managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders involved in the bid process, including senior executives, legal teams, and third-party vendors.

4. Project and Time Management

• Deadline Management: Coordinating and managing timelines to ensure that all elements of the bid are completed on time and submitted before deadlines.
• Multitasking: Ability to juggle multiple bids at once, often under tight deadlines, while ensuring quality and attention to detail.
• Prioritization: Being able to prioritize tasks within the bid process, ensuring that critical elements are addressed first while managing less pressing details efficiently.