Proposals Manager

Avove Utilities; Coventry; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Company pension

Life assurance

Family-friendly policies

Lifestyle benefit options

Financial wellbeing programme

Employee assistance program

Volunteer days

Charity matched giving

Qualifications rewards

Job summary

Avove Utilities is seeking a Proposals Manager to lead the bid function for the Severn Trent Water framework. You will manage opportunities from pipeline through tender submission, governance, and final approvals, coordinating cross-functional teams to ensure high-quality submissions.

The role requires strong bid management, Excel proficiency, and experience in utilities or construction. Location flexibility within Severn Trent coverage is supported, with a focus on delivering competitive,

Qualifications

• Experience in managing a Bid team or similar role.
• Experience in a Bid team (writing or coordination).
• Excel and strong key skills.
• Problem solving.
• Customer focused.
• Good organisation skills.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to encourage collaboration while focusing on client requirements.
• Project management skills.
• Experience in utilities, civils or construction sectors.
• Project management background or time served experience considered.
• Estimating, operational delivery or commercial background.

Responsibilities

• Complete governance documentation in line with internal processes and standards.
• Manage the timely submission of bids in accordance with bid programmes.
• Analyse data throughout the tender process to support informed decision-making.
• Oversee and manage the account pipeline of opportunities, ensuring accurate tracking and progression.
• Coordinate and deliver Director-level approval presentations, including preparation of sign-off packs.
• Gather and evaluate information to produce clear, accurate reports and presentations.
• Facilitate and lead tender meetings, ensuring effective collaboration and progress.
• Identify growth opportunities and gaps in the market or current service offering.
• Maintain oversight of proposal content, ensuring client requirements are fully addressed and aligned with bid strategy.
• Support account leads with KPI reporting and related actions.
• Provide quarterly performance updates to the client, including promotion of additional services.

Skills

Bid team management

Bid team coordination

Excel

Problem solving

Customer focus

Organisation

Communication

Collaboration

Project management

Utilities/Civils/Construction sector

Estimating/Commercial background

Time-served experience

Job description

Working here isn’t just a job. You can advance your career at Avove, and we’ll reward you with a range of benefits that recognise great work. We provide full training and continuous development to help you reach your potential. We strive to create an inclusive working environment where everyone can be themselves. Join us and take the next step towards a fulfilling career.

About The Role

Due to continued growth within our Severn Trent Water framework, we are looking for a Proposals Manager to join our team. As a Proposals Manager, you will take the lead in managing the bid function, overseeing the full lifecycle of opportunities from initial pipeline management through to tender submission, governance, and final approvals. You will play a key role in coordinating cross-functional teams, ensuring high-quality submissions, and driving best practice throughout the bidding process.

Salary

£50,000 - £65,000 (Depending on experience)

Benefits

Competitive package including enhanced annual leave entitlement, matched pension contributions, and a range of family-friendly policies.

Location

Due to the nature of the role, we are willing to consider applicants based anywhere within the Severn Trent coverage region ( East & West Midlands)

Responsibilities

• Complete governance documentation in line with internal processes and standards.
• Manage the timely submission of bids in accordance with agreed bid programmes.
• Analyse data throughout the tender process to support informed decision-making.
• Oversee and manage the account pipeline of opportunities, ensuring accurate tracking and progression.
• Coordinate and deliver Director-level approval presentations, including preparation of sign-off packs.
• Gather and evaluate information to produce clear, accurate, and insightful reports and presentations.
• Facilitate and lead tender meetings, ensuring effective collaboration and progress.
• Identify growth opportunities, as well as gaps in the market or current service offering.
• Maintain oversight of proposal content, ensuring client requirements are fully addressed and aligned with organisational bid strategy.
• Support account leads with Key Performance Measure (KPM) reporting and associated actions.
• Provide quarterly performance updates to the client, including the promotion of additional services and value opportunities.

Skills/Experience Required

• Experience in managing a Bid team or similar role.
• Experience in a Bid team (writing or coordination)
• Excel / Strong key skills.
• Problem Solving.
• Customer focused.
• Good organisation skills.
• Strong Communication skills.
• The ability to encourage collaboration and creativity whilst maintaining sight of the client’s requirements.
• Project Management skills.
• Experience working within a similar sector (Utilities, Civils or Construction)
• Project Management background or relevant time served experience considered.
• Estimating, Operational delivery or Commercial background

What’s In It For You

We offer a rewarding salary that is tailored to your skills and experience. But that’s not all! We celebrate hard work and give recognition to our colleagues. In addition to this, we understand that one size doesn’t fit all so everyone has access to a variety of flexible benefits that work for you.

• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays
• Company pension scheme
• Life assurance
• Family friendly policies
• A selection of lifestyle benefit options
• Financial wellbeing programme
• Employee assistance program for health and wellbeing and onsite mental health first aiders to support our colleagues.
• We love to give back so we offer you volunteering days in your community and charity matched giving where we will boost your fundraising.
• Rewards initiative for achieving recognised professional qualifications.

About Us

We design, build and maintain the UK’s utilities infrastructure to help transform local communities for the better. We provide cutting-edge and sustainable engineering solutions and play a critical role in helping to keep the water running, the lights on and people connected.

We are an expert, responsible and agile partner, providing vital services to water, power and telecommunications sectors. We work closely with our clients to help protect and improve their assets, enhance customer experience and protect the natural environment. Everything we do is designed to drive continual improvement and move life forward.

We are proud to work in partnership with leading utility providers, including Severn Trent, United Utilities, Yorkshire Water, Northern PowerGrid, Northumbrian Water Group, Welsh Water, and Scottish Power Energy Networks.

We are an equal opportunities employer

We welcome applications from candidates of all races, genders, disabilities, religions, ages and sexual orientations. We know that having a diverse workforce encourages new perspectives, inspires creativity and creates an engaging workplace and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment where all colleagues can thrive. When it comes to inclusion, we’re making sure we keep up the progress with our Communities of Practice, who help us do just that.

What Next

We encourage you to apply for this role as soon as you can. We recognise talent waits for no one, so we progress candidates individually through all stages of recruitment process. If you have any questions, please reach out for an informal discussion.