Tender & Bid Specialist - Manufacturing & Defence

seek.com.au; Melbourne; On-site; AUD 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Ownership of tender lifecycle

Autonomy

Direct management access

Diverse tender opportunities

Job summary

AC Laser Cutting, a Thomastown-based sheet metal manufacturer, seeks a commercially minded Tender & Bid Specialist to own the tender process from opportunity identification to submission. You will work with Directors, estimating and production teams to win manufacturing contracts across government, defence, infrastructure and commercial sectors.

The role offers ownership, autonomy and a chance to shape tender processes within a family-owned Australian business with 30+ years of industry

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience preparing and managing tenders, bids or proposals.
• Strong business writing, communication and proposal development skills.
• Ability to interpret tender documentation and submission requirements.
• Experience coordinating input from estimating, production and management.

Responsibilities

• Identify and monitor government, defence, infrastructure and private-sector tender opportunities.
• Coordinate technical and commercial information with estimating and production.
• Prepare professional, persuasive and compliant tender responses.
• Develop capability statements, company profiles and supporting proposal documentation.
• Ensure submissions meet customer, procurement and contractual requirements.

Skills

Tender management

Business writing

Proposal development

Pricing & margins

Stakeholder coordination

Job description

Tender & Bid Specialist - Manufacturing & Defence

Tender & Bid Specialist – Manufacturing & Defence

AC Laser Cutting | Thomastown, Melbourne VIC

$90,000–$110,000 + Superannuation | Full-Time | Monday–Friday

Don't Just Submit Tenders. Help Win Them.

Are you an experienced tender or bid professional with a proven track record of turning opportunities into new business?

Join AC Laser, an established Australian sheet metal manufacturing business with over 30 years of industry experience.

We specialise in precision laser cutting, CNC bending and metal fabrication, supporting customers across manufacturing, engineering, construction and other industrial sectors.

As we continue expanding our capabilities and pursuing new commercial opportunities, we're looking for a commercially minded Tender & Bid Specialist who can help us identify, pursue and win new manufacturing contracts.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of the tender process, work directly with senior management and play a meaningful role in growing an established Australian business.

Why Join AC Laser?

• $90,000–$110,000 + superannuation, depending on experience.
• Real commercial impact: Help secure valuable new manufacturing contracts.
• Ownership and autonomy: Take responsibility for the tender lifecycle from opportunity identification through to submission and follow-up.
• Direct management access: Collaborate with Directors, estimating and production teams.
• Diverse tender opportunities: Pursue government, defence, infrastructure and commercial manufacturing work.
• Established business: Join a family-owned Australian manufacturer with over 30 years of industry experience.
• Career development: Opportunity to develop and shape the company's tender and bid processes.
• Monday-to-Friday hours: Full-time position based in Thomastown.

The Opportunity

We're looking for someone who has a proven track record of winning Tender bids in the Manufacturing industry and understands that successful tendering requires more than completing forms and submitting paperwork.

You'll be responsible for identifying suitable tender opportunities, evaluating their commercial potential, coordinating technical and pricing information, and preparing compelling, compliant submissions.

You'll work closely with the Directors and operational teams to understand AC Laser's capabilities and present them effectively to prospective customers.

Your objective is to help AC Laser win more commercially attractive manufacturing contracts.

Key Responsibilities

Tender Identification & Business Development

• Identify and monitor government, defence, infrastructure and private-sector tender opportunities.
• Research procurement portals, industry opportunities and potential customers.
• Assess tender suitability against AC Laser's manufacturing capabilities.
• Develop and maintain a qualified tender pipeline.
• Provide recommendations to management on which opportunities to pursue.

Tender Preparation & Submission

• Manage the end-to-end tender process, including requirements, schedules, documentation and submission deadlines.
• Interpret tender specifications, scope-of-work documents and technical requirements.
• Coordinate technical and commercial information with estimating, production and management.
• Prepare professional, persuasive and compliant tender responses.
• Develop capability statements, company profiles and supporting proposal documentation.
• Ensure submissions meet customer, procurement and contractual requirements.

Commercial Strategy & Winning Work

• Contribute to tender strategies, competitive positioning and value propositions.
• Help communicate AC Laser's technical capabilities, quality standards and manufacturing strengths.
• Coordinate pricing inputs and commercial reviews with the relevant internal teams.
• Manage clarification requests, submission follow-ups and customer communications.
• Track tender outcomes, success rates and feedback.
• Identify opportunities to improve future bid performance.

Process Development

• Develop and maintain tender templates, supporting documents and a central bid library.
• Maintain records of submissions, deadlines, customer requirements and results.
• Establish efficient tender workflows and reporting processes.
• Provide regular tender pipeline updates to management.

What We're Looking For

Essential

• Demonstrated experience preparing and managing tenders, bids or proposals.
• Track record of successful tender bids.
• Experience working with commercial, government or business-to-business procurement processes.
• Strong business writing, communication and proposal development skills.
• Ability to interpret complex tender documentation and submission requirements.
• Sound commercial judgment and understanding of pricing, margins and contractual considerations.
• Excellent organisation, time management and attention to detail.
• Confidence working independently and coordinating input from multiple stakeholders.
• A proactive, solutions-focused approach with an interest in business development.

Highly Regarded

• Experience in manufacturing, engineering, metal fabrication, construction, infrastructure or defence-related industries.
• Experience preparing submissions for government procurement portals.
• Understanding of industrial manufacturing capabilities and technical specifications.
• Experience with supplier panels, prequalification processes and capability statements.
• A demonstrated record of contributing to successful tender outcomes.
• Experience developing bid processes, templates and tender pipelines.

You don't need to come directly from sheet metal manufacturing. We're interested in experienced tender professionals from related industries who can bring strong commercial thinking and transferable bid-management expertise.

Who Will Succeed in This Role?

You'll be someone who:

• Takes ownership and follows opportunities through to completion.
• Understands how to develop a competitive, compelling proposal.
• Can balance attention to detail with commercial priorities and deadlines.
• Builds effective relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Identifies opportunities proactively rather than waiting for instructions.
• Enjoys improving processes and measuring results.
• Wants to make a visible contribution to business growth.

Make a Real Impact

This is a chance to help develop and strengthen the tender function within an established manufacturing company.

You'll have the opportunity to contribute ideas, improve how opportunities are pursued and play a key part in securing new work for AC Laser.

If you're motivated by winning business and want your expertise to make a tangible difference, we'd love to hear from you.