Proposal Manager

Schneider Electric; City of Brisbane; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Schneider Electric is seeking an experienced Proposals Manager to lead our Proposal, Tender and Quotation function across the Pacific region. This strategic role focuses on turning complex customer opportunities into competitive, commercially sound and winning proposals.

You will lead a team of proposal and tender professionals, collaborating with Sales, Engineering, Projects, Services, Finance and Legal to improve win rates, profitability and proposal quality across strategic opportunities.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing complex bids, tenders, proposals or quotations, ideally for multi-disciplinary solutions.
• Proven track record contributing to winning bids and commercially successful proposals.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including pricing, costing, margins and commercial risk.
• Good understanding of commercial, contractual, technical and operational dimensions of tendering.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end management of complex tenders, bids, proposals and quotations across strategic Capex and Opex opportunities.
• Participate in Go/No-Go and Bid/No-Bid decisions, assessing feasibility, commercial attractiveness, risk and our ability to win.
• Engage with Sales to understand requirements, qualify opportunities and develop winning strategies.
• Manage multiple bids in parallel and prioritize opportunities based on strategic value.
• Lead bid reviews and present strategies and risks to senior leadership for approval.
• Drive continuous improvement across tendering processes, tools, templates and governance.

Skills

Bid management

Tender management

Proposal leadership

Commercial judgement

Stakeholder management

Team leadership

Education

Tertiary qualification in Engineering, Business, Commerce, Project Management

Job description

We are looking for an experienced Proposals Manager to lead our Proposal, Tender and Quotation function across the Pacific region.

This is a strategic leadership role responsible for turning complex customer opportunities into competitive, commercially sound and winning proposals. Beyond managing the bid process, you will help determine where and how we compete, bringing commercial discipline to opportunity qualification, bid strategy, pricing, risk and execution feasibility.

You will lead a team of proposal and tender professionals and work closely with Sales, Engineering, Projects, Services, Finance, Legal and other stakeholders to improve win rates, profitability and proposal quality across strategic industrial opportunities.

What You Will Do

• Lead the end-to-end management of complex tenders, bids, proposals and quotations across strategic Capex and Opex opportunities.
• Participate in Go/No-Go and Bid/No-Bid decisions, assessing technical feasibility, commercial attractiveness, risk and our ability to win.
• Engage early with Sales to understand customer requirements, qualify opportunities and develop compelling bid and win strategies.
• Manage multiple bids in parallel, prioritising opportunities based on their strategic and commercial value to the business.
• Analyse RFQs, RFTs, customer specifications and commercial conditions and coordinate responses across multiple functions.
• Define bid strategies, timelines, governance, deliverables and ownership to ensure high-quality, compliant and on-time submissions.
• Lead commercial discussions around pricing, cost, margin, contractual terms, assumptions, risks and deviations.
• Review pricing models and cost estimates, balancing price-to-win, acceptable margin, execution feasibility and commercial risk.
• Lead bid reviews and present strategies, risks and commercial recommendations to senior leadership for approval.
• Work closely with Sales, Engineering, Project Management, Services, Finance, Legal and other stakeholders to develop compelling customer solutions and articulate our value proposition.
• Support customer clarification and negotiation processes and ensure a smooth handover from successful bid into project execution.
• Lead, coach and develop a team of Tender Specialists, Estimators and Proposal professionals, managing priorities and resources across multiple opportunities.
• Drive continuous improvement across tendering processes, tools, templates, governance and ways of working.
• Contribute directly to business growth by improving win rates, revenue secured, gross margin and overall commercial outcomes.

About You

You are an experienced Bid, Tender, Proposal or Commercial Manager who combines strong commercial judgement with the ability to bring together complex technical and commercial solutions.

Importantly, you understand that successful tendering isn't about pursuing every opportunity. You can critically assess where the business has a strong right to win, challenge assumptions and guide teams towards opportunities that deliver sustainable commercial value.

You will bring:

• Significant experience managing complex bids, tenders, proposals or quotations, ideally for multi-disciplinary solutions.
• A track record of contributing to winning bids and commercially successful proposals.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including pricing, costing, margins and commercial risk.
• Good understanding of the commercial, contractual, technical and operational dimensions of tendering.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in a complex or matrix environment.
• Proven people leadership and coaching capability.
• Strong project management, planning and organisational skills, including the ability to manage multiple bids and competing priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills.
• The confidence to challenge assumptions, make recommendations and drive accountability.
• Exceptional attention to detail, combined with the ability to see the bigger commercial picture.
• The ability to work independently and make sound decisions in a complex environment.
• A tertiary qualification in Engineering, Business, Commerce, Project Management or a related discipline.

What Kind of Experience Are We Looking For?

Experience In Industrial Automation Is Desirable But Not Essential.

We are interested in candidates who have led complex, multi-disciplinary proposals in industries such as:

• Industrial technology and automation
• Energy and utilities
• Engineering and EPC
• Infrastructure
• Mining and resources
• Electrical or power solutions
• Construction
• Technology and digital solutions
• Other complex solution-based industries

What matters most is your ability to understand complex customer requirements, determine which opportunities are worth pursuing, coordinate technical and commercial stakeholders, manage risk and develop competitive and profitable proposals.

Why Join Us?

This is an opportunity to have a direct impact on how we win and grow our business across the Pacific region.

You will influence strategic opportunities from the earliest qualification stage through to contract award, working with senior stakeholders and leading an experienced team that plays a critical role in converting opportunities into profitable business.

You will join Schneider Electric, a global leader in energy management, automation and digitalisation, working at the intersection of technology, industrial transformation and sustainability.

If you are a commercially minded bid or proposal leader who knows how to bring people together, make disciplined commercial decisions and win complex opportunities, we would love to hear from you.

Rewards designed for you

Our Total Rewards is our way of saying: We see you and we value you. It’s more than just pay and benefits—it’s a meaningful investment in you. It is designed to help you perform, grow, feel safe, and elevate your potential. The package helps you care for yourself and your family, plan your future, grow your skills and career, collaborate in an inclusive workplace, and contribute to your community. At Schneider Electric, we’re here for what matters most to you. Discover more at our Career Page.

• Country-specific programs and initiatives may be available.

Looking to make an IMPACT with your career?

When you are thinking about joining a new team, culture matters. At Schneider Electric, our values and behaviors are the foundation for creating a great culture to support business success. We believe that our IMPACT values – Inclusion, Mastery, Purpose, Action, Curiosity, Teamwork – starts with us.

IMPACT is also your invitation to join Schneider Electric where you can contribute to turning sustainability ambition into actions, no matter what role you play. It is a call to connect your career with the ambition of achieving a more resilient, efficient, and sustainable world.

We are looking for IMPACT Makers; exceptional people who turn sustainability ambitions into actions at the intersection of automation, electrification, and digitization. We celebrate IMPACT Makers and believe everyone has the potential to be one.

€40 billion global revenue

+9% organic growth

150 000+ employees in 100+ countries

This position will be posted until filled.

Schneider Electric aspires to be the most inclusive and caring company in the world, by providing equitable opportunities to everyone, everywhere, and ensuring all employees feel uniquely valued and safe to contribute their best. We mirror the diversity of the communities in which we operate, and ‘inclusion’ is one of our core values. We believe our differences make us stronger as a company and as individuals and we are committed to championing inclusivity in everything we do.

At Schneider Electric, we uphold the highest standards of ethics and compliance, and we believe that trust is a foundational value. Our Trust Charter is our Code of Conduct and demonstrates our commitment to ethics, safety, sustainability, quality and cybersecurity, underpinning every aspect of our business and our willingness to behave and respond respectfully and in good faith to all our stakeholders. You can find out more about our Trust Charter here

Schneider Electric is an Equal Opportunity Employer. It is our policy to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities in the areas of recruiting, hiring, training, transferring, and promoting all qualified individuals regardless of race, religion, color, gender, disability, national origin, ancestry, age, military status, sexual orientation, marital status, or any other legally protected characteristic or conduct.