Bid Manager

Wates; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Company car

Site travel allowances

Private medical

8% pension

26 days holiday + bank holidays

Family leave benefits

Learning & development

Job summary

Wates is seeking a talented Bid Manager specialising in 2nd stage delivery to join our Construction team in the West Region (Manchester or Birmingham). You will drive the 2nd stage/PCSA process, converting opportunities from preferred bidder to contract award and shaping buildable, commercially viable solutions in collaboration with Design, Commercial and Delivery teams.

In this pivotal role within Pre-Construction, you will strengthen client relationships, manage risk and programme, and ensure

Qualifications

• Proven experience as a Bid Manager within a Tier One/ Two contractor environment.
• Experience delivering 2nd stage / PCSA processes for public sector schemes (MOJ experience desirable).
• Strong understanding of design development, commercial strategy and pre-construction delivery.
• Ability to build credible, long-term client relationships and influence outcomes.
• Confident leading cross-functional teams and managing stakeholders at all levels.
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to manage risk and programme.

Responsibilities

• Lead the 2nd stage / PCSA process from preferred bidder to contract award.
• Develop and deliver a conversion strategy aligned to client objectives and targets.
• Coordinate with Design, Commercial and Operations to ensure buildable, viable solutions.
• Build and maintain strong client, consultant and stakeholder relationships.
• Manage risk, value engineering and design development through pre-construction.
• Lead governance and ensure approvals, cost plans and programmes are robust.
• Support a seamless handover into delivery teams for project success.

Job description

Wates are seeking a talented Bid Manager specialising in 2nd stage delivery to join our dynamic Construction team in the West Region ( Manchester or Birmingham) working with our clients, including the MOJ.
This is a pivotal role within our Pre-Construction function, focused on converting successful bids through PCSA into contract award, working closely with design, commercial and delivery teams to shape high-quality, buildable solutions. If you thrive in a collaborative, delivery-focused environment and enjoy turning strong client relationships into secured projects, we'd love to hear from you., Our 2nd Stage Bid Managers play a critical role beyond the initial win. In this position, you'll lead the second stage process, ensuring projects transition smoothly from preferred bidder through to contract close, maintaining momentum, managing risk, and strengthening client confidence. You'll work across internal and external teams, driving alignment between design development, commercial strategy and programme, while maintaining a strong focus on client outcomes.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead the 2nd stage / PCSA process, managing delivery from preferred bidder to contract award
• Develop and deliver a conversion strategy aligned to client objectives and business targets
• Work closely with Design, Commercial and Operations teams to ensure solutions are coordinated, buildable and commercially viable
• Build and maintain strong client, consultant and stakeholder relationships to support successful contract conversion
• Manage risk, value engineering and design development through the pre-construction phase
• Lead governance, ensuring all internal approvals, cost plans and programmes are aligned and robust
• Support a seamless handover into delivery teams, setting projects up for success

Requirements

• Proven experience as a Bid Manager within a Tier One/ Two contractor, with a strong focus on 2nd stage / PCSA delivery
• Experience working on complex, public sector schemes - MOJ experience highly desirable
• Strong understanding of design development, commercial strategy and pre-construction delivery
• Ability to build credible, long-term client relationships and influence outcomes
• Confident leading cross-functional teams and managing stakeholders at all levels
• Strong commercial awareness and ability to manage risk and programme

Benefits

• Competitive salary & bonus
• Car allowance / company car
• Travel covered to any of our sites (subject to HMRC advisory rates)
• Private medical, 8% pension, wellbeing support and more
• 26 days holiday + bank holidays
• Industry-leading family leave benefits
• Ongoing learning and development opportunities