Bid Manager

Arriva Group; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Hybrid working

Free travel on Arriva rail services

Arriva Village discounts

Employee Assistance Programme

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS) is seeking an experienced Bid Manager in Derby, offering hybrid working. You will own bids from qualification to submission, coordinating Operations, Finance, Legal and HR to deliver winning proposals.

Reporting to Head of Commercial Bids, you’ll develop content, model commercial solutions and manage multiple opportunities in a fast-paced environment, supporting growth and operational mobilisation.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing the full bid lifecycle from qualification to award.
• Strong bid writing and proposal development skills.
• Experience working within formal tender and procurement environments.
• Commercial awareness with pricing or modelling support.
• 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.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office and CRM systems.

Responsibilities

• Manage the full bid lifecycle from qualified opportunity through to submission and contract award.
• Develop persuasive bid responses tailored to customer requirements.
• Coordinate contributions from Operations, Finance, Legal and HR teams.
• Maintain bid plans, timelines and governance processes for successful submissions.
• Develop costed, commercially viable proposals and support pricing development.
• Identify risks, assumptions and opportunities within proposed solutions.
• Engage with suppliers and supply chain partners to support bid development.
• Support bid/no-bid decisions through commercial assessment and CRM updates.

Skills

Bid lifecycle management

Bid writing & proposals

Tender & procurement environments

Pricing / commercial modelling

Project management

Multi-bid management

Stakeholder engagement

Mentoring junior colleagues

MS Office & CRM

Education

APMP qualifications

Tools

CRM system

eTendering platforms

Job description

Location: Derby (Hybrid Working)

Contract: Permanent

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 assessment
• Maintain 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

• Competitive salary
• Hybrid working
• 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

Ready to Help Drive Our Growth?

If you're an experienced Bid Manager looking for an opportunity to make a real impact within a growing organisation, we'd love to hear from you.