Lead Bids & Tenders

Universal Business Team; Poole; On-site; GBP 48,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company seeks a Lead Bids & Tenders professional in Poole. In this fast-paced role, you'll coordinate and manage multiple high-value bids across various departments, significantly impacting commercial success. Join a supportive culture while earning a competitive salary and driving impactful business decisions.

Benefits

Strong company culture

Opportunity for significant impact

Qualifications

• Solid experience in bid writing and coordination, ideally in FMCG or regulated industries.
• Ability to build relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Strong writing skills with a sharp eye for detail.

Responsibilities

• Owning the full bid lifecycle from early scoping to final submission.
• Collaborating with subject matter experts to gather persuasive content.
• Creating tailored, high-quality proposals aligned with brand tone.

Skills

Bid writing

Project management

Stakeholder management

Attention to detail

Diplomatic negotiation

Job description

Location: Poole, Dorset | Salary: £48,000–£52,000 | Full-time, Office-based

Are you the kind of person who thrives on deadlines, loves pulling people together to hit a shared goal, and can turn complex info into compelling content?

We’re looking for a Lead Bids & Tenders professional who knows how to coordinate chaos into calm, craft high-impact submissions, and bring clarity and structure to big opportunities. This is more than a writing role — it’s a chance to be at the heart of major commercial wins.

You'll be the central point between sales, supply chain, finance, marketing, and leadership — steering every bid from the initial expression of Interest to contract award. Whether it’s a multi-million-pound utility contract or a major national account, you’ll help shape the way we win work across critical industries like utilities, logistics, rail, and maritime.

Why this role?

• It's full-on and fast-paced — with up to 8 major bids on the go at peak times.
• You'll work across all divisions, especially in the booming Power & Utilities sector.
• You’ll be empowered to bring rigour to the process — setting deadlines, managing stakeholders, and holding others accountable (in a respectful, people-first way).
• The scale of work is significant — typical bid values start at £120k and often exceed £500k.

What you’ll be doing:

• Owning the full bid lifecycle — from early scoping to final submission.
• Collaborating with subject matter experts across the business to gather accurate, persuasive content.
• Creating tailored, high-quality proposals aligned with brand tone, win themes, and client expectations.
• Managing project plans, timelines, and resource needs — ensuring every submission is on time and on point.
• Building and maintaining a bid library and knowledge base for future efficiency.
• Supporting bid/no-bid decisions and contributing to pricing strategies.

• Have solid experience in bid writing and coordination — ideally in FMCG, regulated industries, distribution, or a similar commercial environment.
• Can build relationships quickly and work confidently with senior stakeholders.
• Know how to juggle multiple bids without dropping the ball.
• Have excellent writing skills with a sharp eye for detail and structure.
• Understand how to balance persistence with diplomacy — getting things done while keeping people on side.
• Are proactive, organised, and thrive when trusted to run your own show.

What’s in it for you?

• A chance to shape one of the most commercially impactful roles in the business.
• A strong and supportive company culture that values collaboration, communication, and shared wins.
• A solid salary of £48,000–£52,000 and the chance to make a real impact in a period of significant growth.

If you're ready to take the lead on high-stakes bids, influence major decisions, and work alongside teams that actually value your input — this could be the perfect next step.

IND25