Research Bids Manager

Royal United Services Institute; Greater London; On-site; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading research think-tank in Greater London is seeking a Bids Manager to enhance their research fundraising efforts. The successful candidate will lead the lifecycle of strategic bids, focusing on delivering high-quality proposals by managing resources and developing effective strategies. This role requires exceptional interpersonal skills and a strong background in bid management and proposal writing, ensuring alignment with the organization’s goals. Competitive salary and benefits package included.

Benefits

25 days annual leave

Generous pension contributions

Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme

Enhanced maternity and paternity leave

Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing research bids for key funders.
• Proven ability to develop competitive financial bids.
• Familiarity with institutional donor requirements.

Responsibilities

• Lead the lifecycle management of strategic bids.
• Ensure the accuracy and competitiveness of project budgets.
• Collaborate with teams to improve bid processes.

Skills

Bid management

Interpersonal skills

Budget development

Research proposal writing

Stakeholder management

Education

APMP qualification

Relevant degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Summary

Reports to: Director Research Business Development

Team: Business Development

Salary range: £60,000 per annum based on skills and experience

Location: 61 Whitehall, London

Contract: Full-time Permanent

About RUSI

The Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) is one of the world's leading research think‑tanks in the field of defence, security, and geopolitics. The Research Business Development team was established in 2023 to support RUSI's seven research groups to meet their annual funding targets by responding to competitive bids, proactively identifying new funding opportunities, and sharing best practice across the organisation.

Main purpose of the post

We are seeking to appoint a Bids Manager with experience in managing the development and submissions process for successful research bids, to be an integral part of a wider team that spearheads RUSI's research fundraising efforts. Reporting to the Director, Research Business Development, the successful candidate will lead the process for preparing select strategic bids, provide high‑quality contributions to other research bids, including providing quality assurance on content and budgets against scoring criteria, and be responsible for building central resources to improve and facilitate effective bids to key funders.

This is a highly collaborative and demanding role that requires exceptional interpersonal skills. The post‑holder must be adept at building very strong internal relationships across all levels of the organisation, skilfully managing competing priorities, diverse personalities, and strict deadlines. It should be noted that the role involves periods of intense, overlapping deadlines linked to funder cycles.

We are seeking a pragmatic, resilient, and positive team player who is committed to continuous improvement. The ideal candidate will enjoy immersing themselves in RUSI's research areas and building stronger systems and processes to make our Business Development efforts more efficient, successful, and globally competitive.

Key tasks

1. Strategic Bid Management and Ownership

The post‑holder will have end‑to‑end ownership of the bid lifecycle for select strategically important, high‑value, and complex institutional bids. This includes those that are cross‑programmatic and/or involve multi‑office coordination (RUSI UK and RUSI Europe) targeting major funders such as the UK FCDO and the European Commission. Strategic bids will be decided by Senior Leadership and/or Research Directors, who will make the final go/no‑go decision and give approval for final submission.

• Strategic Bid Leadership: Lead the full lifecycle management of selected major tender responses, complex funding applications, and large‑scale requests to participate (e.g. consortium bids).
• Contractual & Partnership Negotiation: Manage early‑stage contractual and legal work, including the negotiation and finalisation of teaming agreements, pre‑bid agreements, and prime contractor partnerships.
• Informed Decision‑Making & Intelligence: Maintain and proactively disseminate a comprehensive, centralised knowledge base detailing funder practices, key deadlines, bid cycles, preferences, and relevant institutional data (e.g., outcomes, impact statistics) to underpin evidence‑based bid strategies.

2. Bid and Proposal Coordination, Compliance, and Collaboration

• Tender Analysis and Strategic Positioning: For all strategic bids and other research bids as required, conduct a thorough initial review of all tender documentation to extract critical requirements, evaluation criteria, and key risks. Use this analysis to inform go/no‑go decisions and determine the optimal competitive positioning and alignment with institutional strategy.
• Process Coordination & Communication: For research bids as required, provide expert information and administrative support, detailed templates to facilitate a smooth drafting process, and quality assurance support. Coordinate internal and external communications to clearly define roles, responsibilities, and timelines for all stakeholders, ensuring absolute clarity on evaluation criteria.
• Budget review and approval:
  • Review project budgets for accuracy, competitiveness, cost recovery, and adherence to RUSI policies and funder requirements.
  • Act as the official liaison to secure necessary sign‑off from the Chief Financial Officer (CFO).
• Content Development Support: Collaborate with research leads to translate complex technical information into persuasive, high‑quality bid language, and draft core institutional and administrative sections of proposals (with support from the Business Development Coordinator/Officer).

3. Business Development and Process Improvement

• Market Capture and Intelligence: Engage in proactive capture activities by attending Early Market Engagements, supplier days, and webinars. Build and maintain strategic relationships with key funder contacts, in partnership with the Business Development Director and Research Directors, to ensure clear foresight of upcoming opportunities and strategic priorities.
• Best Practice Implementation: Champion the adoption of robust, standardised bid and budget preparation best practices across all research groups. Ensure all key documentation and lessons learned are centrally captured in the ORBIT system and strategically leveraged to continuously improve future bids.
• System and Process Enhancement: Work collaboratively with the wider Business Development team to build, manage, and refine the organisational systems, processes, and tools that enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of all business development activities.

Person specification

Essential Skills and Experience

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following knowledge, experience, skills, and behavioural competencies:

Experience and Track Record

• Extensive track record of submitting high‑quality research project proposals to key funders (FCDO, European Commission, etc.), with a demonstrable history of driving process improvements and embedding lessons learned into practice.
• Proven track record of producing and reviewing budgets for small, medium, and large projects, including managing specific funder requirements to develop competitive financial bids.
• Experience in training colleagues on best practice for bids and budgets, and in developing associated guidance materials.
• Good understanding of contractual matters relevant to research bids and experience in identifying and resolving common contractual issues.
• Existing professional contacts or connections to partners within RUSI's key funding institutions and/or prime contractor organisations.

Knowledge and Qualifications

• Strong knowledge and awareness of common non‑technical requirements for bid submissions, including statements on duty of care, quality assurance, supply chain management, and gender, diversity, equity, and inclusion (GDEI).
• Detailed, demonstrable understanding of the proposal and contracting requirements for key institutional donors (e.g., FCDO, European Commission, US Government agencies).
• APMP (Association of Proposal Management Professionals) or other recognised bid management qualification.
• An interest in, and knowledge of, the fields of defence, security, and geopolitics.

Core Skills and Technical Capabilities

• Able to produce clear, accurate, and insightful written output, setting high standards and enhancing our external reputation through the production of strong, persuasive bids.
• Strong IT skills, particularly advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint).
• Exceptional ability to establish, communicate, and enforce robust internal bid processes and deadlines effectively across departments. Experience in change management.

Behavioural Competencies and Time Management

• Proven ability to build credibility and diplomatically manage relationships with senior internal stakeholders, peers, and external partners.
• Skilled at dealing with high‑pressure, deadline‑driven situations with sensitivity and in a calm, measured manner.
• Outstanding time management skills and a willingness to work flexibly, effectively juggling shifting priorities and competing deadlines.
• The ability to agree and uphold effective professional boundaries to protect workflow and time, with support from the Director of Research Business Development.

Team values

• Pragmatism - we solve problems and find solutions to complex issues. Action oriented.
• Drive - we are constantly learning and trying to improve, working to move the organisation forwards. Proactive and independent.
• Professionalism - we treat people with respect and assume good intentions to build strong relationships with our colleagues and other stakeholders. We deliver on our promises and communicate clearly.
• Positivity - we set an optimistic tone and focus on what we can reasonably do to make a positive difference to the organisation.
• Outcome‑led - we want to see results from our work and care about making a tangible difference.
• Curious - we keep an open mind, seek to understand, and bring a diverse set of experiences to the table.
• Sustainability - we think of the long‑term, taking the time to fix issues so they don't arise again and ensuring that our working patterns are healthy and productive.

Our expectations

We expect all staff to abide by and promote our RUSI's Vision and Values and Equal Opportunities Statement.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (rising with service).
• Additional days off during Christmas - RUSI Christmas closure days.
• Generous pension contributions at 6% employer contribution.
• Access to 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
• Life Assurance (after successful completion of 6 months in post).
• Rental deposit scheme (after successful completion of 6 months in post).
• Free access to RUSI's world leading programme of events and conferences, research materials and library.
• Trained Mental Health First Aiders.
• Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
• Enhanced sick pay.

Equal Opportunity and Values

At RUSI you will be appreciated and valued. Our stakeholders, transactions, and projects are international and diverse, so we work hard to create inclusive teams that support our efforts and each other. We are committed in promoting equality and diversity in our workforce and employment practices and take reasonable steps not to unfairly discriminate in any way in our recruitment practices. We therefore encourage you to apply regardless of your socio‑economic background, ethnicity, sexual preference, gender, or physical disability.

Application Process

To apply, please click on the apply button and follow the instructions. You will be asked to include: Your CV and a Cover letter.

Closing date

9th January 2026. Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis, and the closing date brought forward if needed. Early application is encouraged. Only shortlisted applicants will be contacted.