Bid Manager

Arriva Road Transport Services; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Free rail travel on Arriva services

Arriva Village discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

Arriva Road Transport Services is seeking a proactive Bid Manager to own the full bid lifecycle, from qualification to submission, working with operations, finance and commercial stakeholders to deliver winning proposals.

The role focuses on developing costed, commercially viable bids, managing multiple opportunities in a fast-paced environment, and mentoring the Commercial Bids Executive as the business grows in the UK market.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing the full bid lifecycle from opportunity through to award.
• Strong bid writing and proposal development skills.
• Experience working in formal tender and procurement environments.
• Commercial awareness and experience supporting pricing or commercial modelling activities.
• Excellent project management and organisational skills.
• Ability to manage multiple concurrent bids and deadlines.
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills.
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior colleagues.
• Proficiency with MS Office and CRM systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead full bid lifecycle from qualification through submission and contract award.
• Develop persuasive, high‑quality bid responses tailored to customer needs.
• Coordinate contributions from Operations, Finance, Legal and HR teams.
• Manage bid plans, timelines and governance for on-time submissions.
• Maintain bid content libraries and supporting documentation.

Skills

Bid lifecycle management

Bid writing

Tender & procurement experience

Pricing & commercial modelling

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

Education

APMP certification

Tools

Microsoft Office

CRM systems

eTendering platforms

Job description

Company: Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS)

Who We Are

Are you a talented bid professional looking for your next challenge? Do you have the commercial awareness, writing skills and drive to help win new business and support ambitious growth plans?

If you're looking for a role where your contributions are valued, your ideas make a real impact and you're part of a growing and collaborative team, we'd love to hear from you.

At Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS), we exist to prove that alternative transport can be better than the journey it replaces. Every year, we deliver over 80,000 rail replacement journeys, facilitate more than 20,000 train crew taxi journeys, and provide dedicated frontline support to customers across the UK.

As we continue to grow, we're expanding into new markets and seeking a Bid Manager to play a key role in securing new business opportunities and helping shape the future of our organisation.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Commercial Bids, you'll take ownership of bid opportunities from qualification through to submission, working closely with operational, finance and commercial stakeholders to develop winning solutions and compelling proposals.

This is a hands‑on role for an experienced Bid Manager who enjoys developing bid content, designing commercially viable solutions and managing multiple opportunities within a fast‑paced environment. You'll also support the development of a Commercial Bids Executive and contribute to the continued growth of the ARTS business.

What You'll Be Doing

Bid & Proposal Management

• Manage the full bid lifecycle from qualified opportunity through to submission and contract award
• Develop persuasive, high‑quality bid responses tailored to customer requirements
• Coordinate contributions from Operations, Finance, Legal and HR teams
• Manage bid plans, timelines and governance processes to ensure successful submissions
• Maintain and continuously improve bid content libraries, case studies and supporting documentation

Solution Design & Commercial Development

• Translate customer requirements into practical, deliverable transport solutions
• Work with operational teams to develop costed and commercially viable proposals
• Support pricing development and commercial modelling activities
• Identify risks, assumptions and opportunities within proposed solutions
• Engage with suppliers and supply chain partners to support bid development

Pipeline & Opportunity Management

• Manage multiple live opportunities across a varied pipeline
• Support bid/no-bid decisions through commercial and strategic assessmentMaintain CRM records and provide regular pipeline updates
• Manage tender portals, clarification questions and submission requirements
• Work closely with the Commercial Bids Executive to ensure seamless opportunity handover and progression

Client & Stakeholder Engagement

• Represent ARTS during client meetings, presentations and clarification discussions
• Build positive relationships with procurement teams and key stakeholders
• Support the transition of successful bids into operational mobilisation
• Ensure contractual commitments and commercial assumptions are effectively handed over to delivery teams

What We're Looking For

• Proven experience managing the full bid lifecycle from opportunity through to award
• Strong bid writing and proposal development skills
• Experience working within formal tender and procurement environments
• Commercial awareness and experience supporting pricing or commercial modelling activities
• Excellent project management and organisational skills
• The ability to manage multiple concurrent bids and deadlines
• Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• Experience mentoring or supporting junior colleagues
• Strong Microsoft Office and CRM system skills

Experience within transport, rail, logistics, infrastructure or managed services environments would be advantageous. APMP qualifications and experience using eTendering platforms would also be desirable.

Why Join Arriva

At ARTS, you'll join an ambitious and growing business where you'll play a direct role in shaping our future success.

We offer:

• Free travel on Arriva branded rail services across the country
• Arriva Village employee discounts
• Employee Assistance Programme with 24‑hour confidential support
• Opportunities for professional development and career progression