Bid Manager

Phoenix Software; Pocklington; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Phoenix Software is recruiting a Bid Manager to lead end-to-end bid responses for public sector opportunities, collaborating with sales, technical, commercial, legal and delivery teams. The role focuses on developing winning strategies, maintaining compliant submissions, and driving profitability across framework competitions and direct awards.

The successful candidate will write and edit customer-focused responses, manage multiple opportunities to tight deadlines, and utilise AI-enabled tools

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing successful public sector bids within IT reseller, MSP, SI, or technology vendor.
• Strong knowledge of UK public sector procurement and framework agreements.
• Experience responding to framework competitions, mini-competitions, further competitions, and direct awards.
• Excellent writing, editing and proposal development skills.
• Strong project management with the ability to manage multiple bids to deadlines.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of pricing and bid profitability.
• Strong planning, organisation and attention to detail.
• Ability to translate complex technical solutions into clear customer benefits.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
• Experience using CRM, bid management, and AI-assisted proposal tools is desirable.
• APMP certification or equivalent bid management experience is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end bid process from qualification through submission and contract award.
• Manage public sector tenders, framework competitions, further competitions, and direct awards.
• Develop bid plans, compliance matrices, submission schedules, and governance activity.
• Work with sales, technical, commercial, legal, and delivery teams to develop winning bid strategies.
• Write, review, and edit compelling, customer-focused responses aligned to evaluation criteria.
• Ensure all submissions are compliant, high quality, and submitted on time.
• Coordinate clarification responses and customer communications throughout the procurement process.
• Support commercial and pricing discussions to maximise competitiveness and profitability.
• Manage bid risks, assumptions, and dependencies throughout the opportunity lifecycle.
• Maintain bid collateral, knowledge libraries, templates, and reusable content.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives, including the use of AI-enabled bid tools and bid best practice.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and strategic vendor partners.

Skills

Bid management

Public sector procurement

Proposal writing

Stakeholder mgmt

Pricing awareness

Education

APMP certification (desirable)

Tools

CRM tools

Bid management software

AI-assisted proposal tools

Job description

Overview of the role

Phoenix is a leading UK IT solutions and managed service provider, with a deep specialism in the public sector. We work with organisations across government, healthcare, defence, public safety, education, housing, and the charity sector - helping them modernise with confidence across cloud, data and AI, cyber security, and managed services.

Through strategic partnerships with the world's leading technology providers - and a trusted place on the major public sector frameworks - our work has a direct impact on the services that millions of people rely on every day.

Due to continued growth, we are hiring a new Bid Manager to lead bid responses from qualification through to submission, collaborating with sales, technical specialists, commercial teams, legal, partners and our strategic technology vendors.

What will you be doing?

• Lead the end-to-end bid process from qualification through to submission and contract award.

• Manage public sector tenders, framework competitions, further competitions, and direct award opportunities.

• Develop bid plans, compliance matrices, submission schedules, and governance activity.

• Work with sales, technical, commercial, legal, and delivery teams to develop winning bid strategies.

• Write, review, and edit compelling, customer-focused responses aligned to evaluation criteria.

• Ensure all submissions are compliant, high quality, and submitted on time.

• Coordinate clarification responses and customer communications throughout the procurement process.

• Support commercial and pricing discussions to maximise competitiveness and profitability.

• Manage bid risks, assumptions, and dependencies throughout the opportunity lifecycle.

• Maintain bid collateral, knowledge libraries, templates, and reusable content.

• Support continuous improvement initiatives, including the use of AI-enabled bid tools and bid best practice.

• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and strategic vendor partners.

Why should you apply?

At Phoenix, our ambition is to be the UK's leading IT solutions and managed service provider - and we know that only happens because of our people. Culture isn't an afterthought here; it's the thing we work hardest on.

We're proud to be certified as a Great Place to Work®, and to be recognised on their UK Best Workplaces lists for Women, Wellbeing, and Development. These aren't badges we chase - they're the result of how we genuinely choose to treat each other, and how seriously we take our colleagues' careers, health, and lives outside of work.

When you join Phoenix, you can expect:

• A culture built on trust and belonging: set out clearly in our Culture Blueprint, lived day-to-day, and reflected in our consistently strong colleague feedback.

• Real investment in your development: structured learning pathways, funded industry certifications, mentoring, and the encouragement to stretch into new areas.

• A workplace that takes wellbeing seriously: from mental health support and flexible working to active employee networks and a leadership team that listens.

• A commitment to equity and inclusion: where we actively work to make Phoenix a brilliant place to build a career, whoever you are.

• Work that matters: supporting the public sector organisations that keep the UK running, from government and healthcare to defence, public safety, education, housing, and the charities serving the most vulnerable in our communities.

• Working with the best of the industry: alongside genuine experts, and with strategic partnerships across the world's leading technology providers, you'll be at the front of the conversations shaping how UK public services modernise.

We believe in encouraging, supporting, and skilling our people up so that you can be the very best you can be at work - and we'd love you to consider being part of it.

Take a look at our Culture Blueprint to get a real sense of who we are.

What are we looking for?

The right person for this role will be a highly organised and commercially minded Bid Manager who thrives in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment. You'll be an exceptional writer with a talent for turning complex technical solutions into compelling customer-focused proposals. Confident managing multiple opportunities simultaneously, you'll build strong relationships across the business, challenge constructively where needed, and take ownership of delivering high-quality submissions that help Phoenix win and grow strategic public sector business.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Proven experience managing successful public sector bids within an IT reseller, MSP, systems integrator, or technology vendor.

• Strong knowledge of UK public sector procurement and framework agreements.

• Experience responding to framework competitions, mini-competitions, further competitions, and direct awards.

• Exceptional writing, editing, and proposal development skills.

• Strong project management skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent bids to tight deadlines.

• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills.

• Commercial awareness and understanding of pricing and bid profitability.

• Strong planning, organisation, and attention to detail.

• Ability to translate complex technical solutions into clear customer benefits.

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

• Experience using CRM, bid management, and AI-assisted proposal tools is desirable.

• APMP certification or equivalent bid management experience is desirable.

Practical stuff

Where is the role based?
Primary location is our HQ in Pocklington (YO42)with 2 days per week in the office

How many interviews?
Following a screen with the Recruitment Team you can expect a two-stage interview process, one online and one in-person.

What are the benefits?
You can read about the benefits on offer here

*Important* BPSS Check

As part of our recruitment process due to the nature of the work we do, all employees are required to undertake a Baseline Personal Security Standard (BPSS) check. While some employees require further security clearance, the BPSS check is a must-have requirement and all offers of employment are conditional pending the passing of this check

Have you made it this far?

If you're still reading, we think there's a strong chance you might be our kind of person.

Here's the thing, though - research suggests that 60% of women and underrepresented people might have already talked themselves out of applying. Even if you don't check every box above, we want to encourage you to introduce yourself.

We believe a diversity of perspectives and experiences makes a team stronger - and the stronger our team, the more successful we will be.