Capture Manager

Navantia; West of England; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

Navantia UK seeks an experienced Bid and Programme Manager to lead high-value UK defence and maritime bids. You will drive end-to-end bid processes, coordinate across engineering, finance, legal, and operations, and maintain governance to win strategic contracts.

Balancing strategic bid thinking with hands-on project execution, you will manage timelines, budgets and resources, while maintaining alignment with security and company obligations.

Qualifications

• Degree in Project Management, Business, Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred but not essential).
• Extensive experience in project & programme management, bid management, or similar roles.
• Proven experience managing complex engineering bids or proposals in a competitive environment.
• Strong understanding of project management frameworks and tools (PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, Kanban, EVM, Predict! or equivalent).
• Experience working in cross-functional and international teams.
• Experience managing projects or programmes within defence, shipbuilding, heavy engineering or construction sectors.

Responsibilities

• Provide programme leadership across functions to drive successful bid delivery for major Navantia UK opportunities.
• Lead and continuously improve project scope, objectives, governance, deliverables, and performance.
• Plan, execute, monitor and enhance projects using established methodologies and tools (PID, PMO, Agile, SAP experience).
• Control project schedules, budgets, and resources across projects and business units.
• Coordinate with engineering in product development, costs, risks, assumptions and dependencies.
• Influence internal stakeholders and external partners to ensure successful delivery.
• Track progress and report performance to senior management and clients; escalate issues.
• Identify and mitigate project risks and opportunities proactively.

Skills

Project management

Bid management

Cross-functional leadership

International teams

Risk management

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in Project Management, Business, Engineering, or related field

Tools

PMP

PRINCE2

Agile

Kanban

EVM

Job description

Navantia UK is a new force in British industry, supporting the UK’s defence, energy and maritime ambitions. We’re doing this by creating state-of-the-art sovereign defence capabilities, investing in the UK to modernise industrial facilities, and bolstering the nation's energy security. Established in 2022, Navantia UK is a subsidiary of Navantia SA, a Spanish state-owned company with over 300 years of naval shipbuilding history. In January 2025, Navantia UK completed the acquisition of Harland & Wolff and its four historic facilities in Belfast, Appledore, Methil, and Arnish. By combining Harland & Wolff’s proud heritage and facilities with Navantia’s global expertise, Navantia UK is well-positioned to strengthen Britain’s defence, maritime and energy industrial capabilities, supporting jobs and economic growth across the UK.

Job Description

To lead the preparation, execution and winning of competitive proposals fornew strategic and high value contracts for Navantia UK including CAT A UK MOD Programmes (£400M+). This role sits at theintersectionofproject execution andbids, requiringthe application of professional project management, commercial awareness and cross-functional and organisation leadership.

The successful candidate is ahands-on, structured professionalwho can balancestrategic thinking (winningbids)withoperational execution (delivering projects).

The Role

• Provision of programme leadership across functions to drive successful bid delivery for major Navantia UK opportunities.
• Lead and continuously improve effective project scope, objectives, governance, deliverables, and performance.
• Plan, execute, monitor and enhance projects using established methodologiesand tools(e.g. PID, PMO, Agile, SAP experience-SAFRAN).
• Control project schedules, budgets, and resources effectively coordinating across projects and business units.
• Work jointly with engineeringinthe product development, costs, risks,assumptions and dependencies
• Influence and coordinateinternal stakeholders and external partners to ensuresuccessful delivery.
• Track progress and reportperformanceto senior management and clients, effectively escalating and resolving issues.
• Identify andmitigateproject risks and issues proactively whilst actively exploiting opportunity.
• Provide project management rigour to deliver competitive futurebids whilst meeting wider company obligations and security requirements.

BidLifecycleManagement

• Work with Bid Managers and wider functions to lead theend-to-endbidprocess, from qualification through submissionto successfullysecure new contracts.
• Support business development objectives and lead response toMarket Engagement/RFI/RFP/RFQ documents whilst defining and improving thewin strategy andbidplan.
• Work closely with sales, technical, finance, legal, and operations teams to developcompelling and compliant proposals.
• Manage timelines, milestones, and deliverables to ensureon-time, high-quality submissions.
• Lead, reviewand improve bidcontent,includingtechnical, commercial, and project delivery sections.
• Ensure effective deliver and drive deliverables and requirements, assign project timelines and lead gateway reviews according tobid/ project requirements
• Drive effective risk and opportunity management withinbids and proposemitigation strategies.
• Support pricing strategies and cost estimationincollaboration with finance teams.
• Manage equivalent activities for product development project lifecycles as needed

Stakeholder Management

• Act as a keyinterface betweenclients,business development, andinternal teams.
• Management and communication of all key documentation andinformation
• Facilitate workshops,bidand performancereviews, and project meetings.
• Maintain strong relationships with stakeholders to support bothbidsuccess and project delivery.

Process Improvement

• Contribute to continuous improvement ofbidand project management processes.
• Ensure maintenance and updateof bidlibraries, templates, and lessons learned.
• Ensure adherence tointernal governance and best practices.

Qualifications

• Degree in Project Management, Business, Engineering, or related field (Masters preferred but not essential).
• Extensive experience in project & programme management, bid management, or similar roles.
• Proven experience managing complex engineering (ideally maritime) bids or proposals in a competitive environment.
• Strong understanding of project management frameworks and tools (e.g., PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, Kanban, EVM, Predict! or equivalent).
• Experience working in cross-functional and international teams.
• Experience managing projects or programmes, within defence, shipbuilding, heavy engineering or construction sectors

Additional Information

***Please note as part of the onboarding process all candidates will need to complete BPSS security clearance***

We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination.

We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.