Bid Manager

Job title: Proposal Lead

Years of experience: 5-10 years (A/E/C industry)

Reports To (title): Proposal Managers (Canada) and Win Work Team lead

Company brief:

AtkinsRalis is one of the worlds leading engineering design and programme management consultancies operating at the forefront of the infrastructure, transportation, and construction industry sectors. We’re recruiting for an experienced Proposal Lead to be responsible for managing different phases of the company’s proposal process and oversee all required activities to develop RFP-compliant, competitive, and quality marketing materials, proposals, statements of qualification, and presentations.

You will be working closely with regional win work/technical leads and business development & the engagement team across AtkinsRalis and the wider organisation to produce compelling bids. As a member of the central Bid Management team, you will also be responsible for contributing to the continuous improvement of the win-work capability (people, processes, tools, information, and governance).

Main skillset required for the role are:

1. Lead the development and application of proposal/bid themes. Develop organization chart with the pursuit team. Coordinate communication between SMEs and proposal writers. Lead teams through strategic reviews as per internal schedule.
2. Exercise considerable initiative and independent judgment about content, wording, completeness, correctness, and appropriateness of proposal contents and graphics materials, making recommendations directly to pursuit team. Makes sound decisions.
3. Supervise marketing assistants and/or less experienced proposal coordinators. Give work directions to graphic artists and marketing assistants involved in proposal production.
4. Have experience leading pursuit responses – the larger and complex ones. Experience managing teams to deliver by established deadlines.
5. Understanding of Architectural-Engineering and project and construction management industry standards and disciplines. Can translate abstract ideas or narrative text into graphical concepts to illustrate concepts more effectively. Works independently yet functions effectively as a member of a team.
6. Ensuring that the proposal is run in accordance with best practice and the win work capture plan and pursuit process, and in compliance with the Service Delivery Process.
7. Provide client service, commitment, communication, innovation & continuous improvement, professionalism, quality and teamwork. (Note that "Clients" may be internal managers and staff.)

Added advantage if you have experience in capture planning

• Implement and facilitate capture planning process
• Facilitate kick off workshops and Go/No Go call
• Facilitate win theme sessions and supporting strategies
• Initiate and drive Go No Go calls and risk cat tool

Expected Role Duties

• Portal Management (CRM tools) and Review procurement documents and attachments.
• Create and maintain a Proposal Management Plan.
• Develop compliance matrix, Storyboard templates and allocate bid deliverables.
• Review / approve response for standard prequalification questions.
• Check PQQ responses from JV partners (if applicable).
• Graphics co-ordination, (colour schemes; word templates; document covers and dividers; images / photos; graphics / charts / graphs (where applicable) and Graphics approval in accordance with company’s Branding Guidelines.
• Work involves knowledgeable application of quality control as well as standard procedures and criteria to the coordination of proposals which are of critical importance to the firm.
• Assist in the development of preparation for Stage-gate reviews – and facilitate bid go/no-go decision.
• Support development of CVs.
• Work with the Business Development team to schedule & co-ordinate communications activities necessary to identify customer issues, hot buttons and the associated win themes and win strategy statements. Occasionally contact upper management for required signatures.
• Support the production of case studies / evidence scenarios.
• Coordinate with support services (legal, accounting, HR) on administrative sections of the pursuits (e.g., forms, statistics).
• Take constructive feedback and apply it to enhance the delivery.

Submission

• Final quality review of documents, post-formatting and after Bid Coordinator proofread / sense check.
• Final proofread / compliance check of tender documents.
• Close-out actions with JV partners (if required).

Client Presentation, Negotiate & Contract, Feedback, Handover

• Lead, review, approve and disseminate Lessons Learnt feedback – Proposal Lead to lead the session with support from the Bid Co-ordinator.
• Support response to Client Queries.
• Support preparation for client interviews / presentations.
• If preferred bidder assist the Bid Manager in the development of preparation for Stage-gate 2

  .

Desired skills, experience and capabilities:

• Promote and demonstrate team values and behaviours in line with the win work team practices
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Relationship building
• Ability to multi-task and manage several projects at once
• Attention to detail
• Collaborative approach
• Time management skills
• Enthusiastic, initiative and the confidence to start things from scratch
• Confident using digital tools and learning new ones
• Promote the use of AtkinsRalis work winning processes and tools
• In-still a culture where others share knowledge, insights and learning

Specific Skills Required:

• A strong communicator with strong grammar, spelling, composition, and proofreading abilities.
• Able to evaluate, monitor and present ideas and data.
• Analytical with solid organisational skills, scheduling and prioritising activities.
• A flexible but methodical approach to supporting bids.
• Computer skills required and proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe Creative Suite, CRM, and other software programmes including LLMs.
• Comfortable and effective when working across all levels of an organisation.
• Makes sound decisions, but also works with other stakeholders (e.g., sales lead, capture lead, PM) to gain buy-in.