Job Summary
We’re looking for talent; that special combination of skills and experience that make for a good bid manager. We need the planner & project manager, communicator, analyst, and completer finisher with an eye for detail.
This doesn’t mean to say we don’t want people who can ‘think outside the box’. Being creative and diverse in our thinking is part of what gives us the competitive edge, and our bid managers are at the heart of creating new value propositions for our growing client base.
This position is in the Aerospace, Defence, Security & Technology (ADS&T) division of SNC Lavalin’s Atkins business of Engineering, Design & Project Management. As a member of ADS&T’s core Business Development team you will be responsible for managing bids through the win-work lifecycle and successfully on to contract with our clients.
We are looking to appoint an experienced and motivated individual, to be based in one of our main offices in Bristol or London. The individual may, however, be expected to spend some time working in other UK locations as necessary.
You will be working closely with technical experts, consultants and business development staff across ADS&T and the wider organisation to produce compelling bids. As a member of the core business development team, you will also be responsible for contributing to the continuous improvement of the division’s win-work capability (people, processes, tools, information and governance).
Responsibilities
Overall
Ensuring that the bid is run in accordance with Atkins bid best practice and the Atkins bid process, and in compliance with the Atkins Service Delivery Process.
Specific responsibilities:
Bid Plan
The Bid Manager is the owner of the bid plan and has overall responsibility for producing a compelling proposal, on time and within an agreed bid budget. This includes:
• Identifying the resources required to undertake bid preparation and delivery activities; highlighting any resource, skill or capability gaps.
• Defining and agreeing a bid budget and schedule baseline (with the Bid Director) and controlling the bid budget and schedule against these agreed baselines.
• Planning, organising and scheduling activities in accordance with bid best practice, including the scheduling of applicable review activities and the allocation of appropriately qualified reviewers.
• Ensuring all necessary information, guidelines and supporting documentation is available to successfully undertake commercial and quality review activities.
• Planning, organising and scheduling activities necessary to comply with the Service Delivery Process, including the attendance of appropriately authorised approvers.
• Ensuring all necessary information and documentation is available to successfully undertake Service Delivery Process Stage Gate Reviews and gaining the requisite approvals.
Content Plan
The Bid Manager is responsible for the design and development of the content plan such that the bid response document is in full compliance with the customer's stated requirements and best emphasises Atkins’ proposition. This includes the co-ordination and management of:
• The dissemination of information to all members of the bid team.
• The scope, quality and timeliness of input received from bid authors and contributors.
• The identification and provision of boilerplate and collateral information - such as case studies, CVs and company policy/procedure documents.
• The Atkins brand compliance and customer requirements compliance of the bid response document.
Win Strategy
• Work with the Bid Director in establishing and testing the win strategy, including co-ordinating and supporting any required customer relationship and stakeholder management campaign activities.
• Scheduling and co-ordinating activities necessary to identify customer issues, hot buttons and the associated win themes and win strategy statements.
• Scheduling and co-ordinating activities necessary to identify the “price to win”.
• Scheduling and co-ordinating activities necessary to develop the proposed solution and identify any technical design, commercial and/or programme constraints.
Requirements
The below criteria indicate the skills and experience that the successful candidate is likely to possess, however we recognise the right person may not satisfy all of these, and this should not discourage an application. First and foremost, we are looking for someone with relevant knowledge, the right attitude and potential.
• Experience of successfully delivering bids, from early inception and client information capture, through PQQ and ITT stage, onto client interviews, feedback and lessons learnt.
• Experience of structured bid processes, for example the Shipley bid process, and using these to produce high quality bid submissions.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to communicate well at all levels and in all forums from one-to-ones to group workshops and facilitation.
• Ability to maximise the use of tools such as Office365, MS Project, CRM and industry recognised sales techniques such as Miller Heiman and Huthwaites
• Experience liaising with external and internal contacts at a range of levels.
• Commercial awareness / understanding.
• Commitment to quality and attention to detail.
Security Clearance
This role may require security clearance and offers of employment will be dependent on obtaining the relevant level of clearance. If this is necessary it will be discussed with you at interview.
If applying to this role please do not make reference to (in conversation) or include in your application or CV, details of any current or previously held security clearance.
