Senior Manager – Bid & Cost Management

The Sanad Group; Brasília; On-site; BRL 614,000 - 1,023,000; Full time

Job summary

The Sanad Group in Abu Dhabi seeks an experienced Senior Manager - Bid & Cost Management to lead Bid Management and Cost and Profitability Control within the Commercial & Sales Department, guiding staff and ensuring disciplined tender processes and robust commercial modelling.

The role interfaces with Sales, Account Management, Invoicing and Operations, driving sustainable profitability, risk assessment, and cost-saving initiatives while supporting complex negotiations with customers and

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics.
• Minimum of 10 years of experience in commercial management, bid management, pricing, cost analysis, financial analysis or business development.
• At least 5 years of progressive leadership experience managing specialists or cross-functional teams.
• Proven experience in complex Engine MRO proposals, business modelling, risk assessment and profit improvement.

Responsibilities

• Strategic leadership and oversight for Bid Management and Cost and Profitability functions with clear objectives.
• Oversee end-to-end bid processes, coordinating stakeholders to meet customer deadlines under time pressure.
• Develop and validate cost models, revenue projections, risk simulations and profitability analyses.
• Engage with Sales, Account Management, Finance, Operations and IT to align bids with strategy.
• Monitor financial metrics, provide reports and drive cost-saving initiatives.

Education

Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics

Job description

The job based in United Arab Emirates - Abu Dhabi

JOB PURPOSE/SUMMARY:

The Senior Manager - Bid & Cost Management is responsible for Bid Management (new Business) and Cost and Profitability Control (existing Business) functions within the Commercial & Sales Department of Sanad Aerotech including leading the respective staff. The Senior Manager - Bid & Cost Management is responsible for Bid Management (new Business) and Cost and Profitability Control (existing Business) functions within the Commercial & Sales Department of Sanad Aerotech including leading the respective staff. The role provides strategic direction and operational governance across both functions, ensuring disciplined tender processes, competitive and accurate commercial proposals, robust cost and revenue modelling, effective risk assessment and sustained improvement of contract and operational profitability. The Senior Manager drives financial performance, process compliance, data quality and continuous improvement of Bid-, Cost- and Profit improvement processes. The role acts as a key interface between Sales, Account Management, Invoicing, Operational Departments and Senior Leadership, ensuring that commercial commitments support growth while protecting target profitability. Additionally, the Senior Manager supports complex customer negotiations, management decision-making, team capability development and the implementation of measurable cost-saving and profit improvement initiatives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES AND ACCOUNTABILITIES

1. Strategic Leadership and Departmental Oversight

• Provide strategic direction and operational oversight for the Bid Management and Cost and Profitability Control functions, ensuring both operate effectively and in alignment with departmental and organisational goals.
• Set clear performance objectives, KPIs and service standards for the Commercial Engine MRO Bid Manager and Cost and Profitability Control Lead, conducting regular reviews to monitor progress and drive accountability.
• Lead workforce planning, talent development and succession planning activities across both functions.
• Champion a culture of continuous improvement, identifying and implementing enhancements to bid governance, calculation methods, data quality, reporting and profitability management.
• Represent the Bid & Cost Management function in senior leadership discussions, contributing to strategic planning, business development and commercial decision-making.

2. Bid Management

• Oversee the end-to-end bid and internal sales process, ensuring adherence to required governance steps and achievement of customer deadlines under high time pressure.
• Guide the Bid Manager in coordinating Engineering, Operations, Finance and other stakeholders to define customer requirements and develop comprehensive Engine MRO offers.
• Review bid briefings, commercial proposals and approval materials, ensuring clear presentation of proposed solutions, pricing, financial returns, assumptions and risks.
• Oversee the preparation of business models, cost calculations, revenue projections, sensitivity analyses and risk simulations for opportunities ranging from single shop visits to long-term fleet programmers
• Ensure agreed pricing strategies, key offer terms and risk mitigations are reflected in customer proposals and contracts, and support negotiations when required.
• Improve established Calculation and Business Plan tools to ensure high data quality and accuracy for complex, multi-year and multi-product Business Models

3. Cost and Profitability Management (25% of time)

• Oversee analysis of MRO processes, cost structures, contract performance and variances to identify cost saving and profitability improvement opportunities.
• Develop and implement improvement initiatives across MRO operations, supplier arrangements and customer contracts.
• Ensure periodic reviews of project and contract costs are completed and translated into clear recommendations for cost and profit optimisation.
• Oversee financial models and KPI reporting used to calculate savings, monitor cost and profitability developments, and support budgeting, forecasting and management decisions.
• Ensure improvement initiatives are tracked through implementation, financial benefit validation and sustained performance.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Cross-functional Collaboration (10% of time)

• Serve as the primary Bid & Cost Management interface with senior internal stakeholders including Sales ,Account Management, Finance, Engine Operations, Engineering & Operations Support, Supply Chain, Procurement, Logistics and Information Technology.
• Lead or participate in cross-functional meetings and steering committees to align bid priorities, costing assumptions, commercial risks and profitability improvement actions.
• Build and maintain effective relationships with customers, OEMs, suppliers and business partners in support of proposals, negotiations and commercial improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Director – Commercial & Sales to report on functional performance and contribute to commercial strategy.

5. Financial Performance and Reporting

• Monitor and report on key financial and operational metrics for both the Bid Management and Cost and Profitability Control functions, providing regular updates to the Director – Commercial & Sales.
• Identify risks and opportunities related to bid competitiveness, calculation accuracy, contract profitability and cost performance, and develop mitigation or improvement plans accordingly.
• Prepare reports, dashboards and ad hoc analyses required by senior leadership.
• Ensure compliance with internal commercial and financial controls, approval requirements, audit requirements and applicable company standards.

QUALIFICATIONS, EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

Minimum Qualifications:

(Education/Certification/

Licensure/Professional

Membership)

• Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related discipline.

Minimum Experience: Minimum of 10 years of experience in commercial management, bid management, pricing, cost analysis, financial analysis or business development, preferably within the Aviation or Aero Engine MRO industry.

• At least 5 years of progressive leadership experience, including management of specialists or cross-functional teams.
• Demonstrated experience in complex Engine MRO proposals, business modelling, risk assessment, cost control and profitability improvement.
• Proven track record of identifying and implementing measurable cost saving

Job Specific Competencies:

1. 1. Strategic Leadership: Ability to lead, inspire and develop specialist teams while aligning priorities with organisational strategy.
2. 2. Commercial Acumen: Strong understanding of aviation MRO industry dynamics, acquisition processes, revenue and cost management, pricing structures and profitability drivers.
3. 3. People Management: Demonstrated ability to manage, coach and develop specialists, fostering accountability and a high-performance culture.
4. 4. Bid and Tender Management: Strong ability to govern complex bids, manage deadlines, coordinate stakeholders and ensure high-quality customer proposals.
5. 5. Financial and Analytical Skills: Advanced capability in cost and revenue calculations, business modelling, sensitivity analysis, forecasting, savings validation and risk simulation.
6. 6. Cost and Profitability Management: Ability to identify financial improvement opportunities, translate analysis into actions and sustain measurable benefits
7. 7. Commercial Risk Management: Ability to identify, quantify, communicate and mitigate commercial, contractual, financial and operational risks.
8. 8. Cross-functional Collaboration: Strong ability to work across Sales, Account Management, Finance, Operations, Engineering, Procurement, Logistics, Supply Chain and Information Technology.
9. 9. Communication and Presentation: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to senior stakeholders and customers.
10. 10. Problem-Solving and Decision-Making: Ability to analyse complex commercial and operational challenges, develop effective solutions and make sound decisions under pressure.
11. 11. MRO Technical Understanding: Strong knowledge of Aero Engine Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul processes, cost drivers and value creation.
12. 12. Systems and Data: High proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint, ERP systems such as Oracle and data visualisation tools.
13. 13. Organisational and Time Management Skills: Ability to manage competing priorities across multiple functions and deliver accurate results within defined timelines.
14. 14. Intercultural Intelligence: Ability to effectively interact with and manage individuals from diverse culturalbackgrounds in an international aviation environment