Senior Bid Writer

Serco; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus

Company Car

Private Medical Insurance

Pension up to 6%

Job summary

Serco is seeking a Senior Bid Writer to join the UK & Europe Growth function, playing a leading role in securing complex opportunities. You will own the written response development, craft compelling propositions and maximise our score to win.

You'll lead bid teams, work with Solution Leads, SMEs and Commercial colleagues, coach other writers, and shape capability and processes across Serco UK & Europe. Travel flexibility and SC security may apply.

Qualifications

• Significant bid writing experience in competitive environments.
• Experience on complex sales opportunities and structured proposal processes.
• Public sector/outsourcing experience would be desirable.
• APMP qualification desirable but not essential.

Responsibilities

• Lead written response development for large bids from ITT release to final submission.
• Develop compliant, customer-focused responses to maximise scores.
• Analyse procurement docs to identify response requirements.
• Coordinate with Solutions Leads, Workstream Leads and SMEs to craft strong bid responses.
• Coach and line-manage Bid Writers and contractors.

Skills

Bid writing

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Public sector experience

Proposal management

Job description

Location: Hybrid attached to Hook/London/Solihull

Band 3 / £55,000 to £65,000 PA + Bonus + Company Car + Private Medical Insurance + Pension up to 6%

Full Time/ Permanent

The Opportunity

We’re looking for an experienced and influential Senior Bid Writer to join Serco’s UK & Europe Growth function and play a leading role in securing complex and strategically important business opportunities.

As a Senior Bid Writer, you’ll bring significant bid writing expertise to some of Serco’s largest and most complex bids. You’ll take ownership of the written response development process, shaping compelling propositions that respond directly to customer requirements and maximise our score to win.

You’ll be a key member of bid leadership teams, working closely with Solution Leads, Bid Leads, Workstream Leads, SMEs, Commercial and Business Development colleagues. You’ll use your expertise to challenge constructively, solve complex problems and ensure Serco’s right to win is clearly articulated throughout the bid.

Alongside your delivery responsibilities, you’ll provide leadership and coaching to other Bid Writers, including contractors, and contribute to developing capability, best practice, processes and standards across Serco UK & Europe.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Leading the written response development for complex and large bids, from ITT release through to final submission.
• Developing compelling, compliant and customer-focused responses designed to maximise scores against evaluation criteria and address both explicit and implicit customer needs.
• Analysing customer specifications, requirements and procurement documentation to identify key response requirements and areas requiring clarification or negotiation.
• Working with Bid Leads and Solution Leads to articulate Serco’s right to win and support score-to-win analysis, including consideration of investment, available marks and competitor positioning.
• Leading engagement with Solutions Leads, Workstream Leads and SMEs to develop the strongest possible bid response.
• Applying bid writing and proposal management best practice throughout the bid lifecycle, using Serco’s Bid Playbook and relevant processes.
• Managing and allocating work to other Bid Writers, including contractors, while monitoring quality and ensuring delivery against agreed milestones.
• Providing coaching, guidance and constructive challenge to Bid Writers throughout the bid process.
• Line managing Bid Writers, supporting performance, development and career conversations.
• Supporting the Deputy Head of Bid Writing and Head of Commercial and Sales Enablement with specific capability, process and team priorities.
• Contributing to the recruitment, retention and development of Bid Writing capability across UK & Europe.
• Supporting the design and delivery of training and development activity, sharing best practice across Bid Writing and the wider Serco community.
• Contributing to the development and implementation of bidding policies, processes and systems.
• Sharing expertise across the wider Bid Writing team and providing coaching and support on specific opportunities.
• Building strong relationships across Growth and the wider business, influencing stakeholders and providing confident, constructive challenge where required.

What You’ll Bring

• A demonstrable track record of successful bid writing and winning in competitive environments, delivering profitable and sustainable business outcomes.
• Significant experience working on complex sales opportunities and within structured proposal management processes.
• Public sector and/or outsourcing experience would be desirable.
• Experience managing or coordinating Bid Writers, contractors or wider bid resources would be advantageous.A relevant professional bidding qualification such as APMP would be desirable but is not essential.
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to engage with senior colleagues across Solutions, Commercial, Business Development and Operations.
• The ability to challenge constructively, influence decision-making and build lasting relationships across diverse stakeholder groups.
• A strong growth mindset and commitment to continuous improvement.

Why join us?

As a Senior Bid Writer at Serco, you’ll be working on some of the most complex and important opportunities across our UK & Europe business. Your written propositions will play a direct role in shaping how we present Serco’s capabilities, solutions and value to customers.

You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside senior Bid, Solution, Commercial and Business Development professionals, gaining broad exposure to the full bid lifecycle and developing your influence across the organisation.

The role also gives you the opportunity to make an impact beyond individual bids coaching other Bid Writers, sharing expertise, improving our processes and helping build the capability of the wider Bid Writing community.

If you’re an experienced bid professional who can combine exceptional writing capability with commercial thinking, leadership and the confidence to influence complex bid teams, we’d love to hear from you.

Flexibility to travel will be required, and Security Clearance up to SC level may be required depending on the opportunities you support.

A Little Bit About Us

At Serco, everyone plays a vital part in delivering essential public services that make a real difference. As a global team of 50,000 people across Defence, Transport, Justice, Immigration, Healthcare, Leisure and Citizen Services, we’re united by a shared purpose: to improve the services that communities rely on. Guided by our values of Trust, Care, Innovation and Pride, our people make meaningful impact, every single day.

Our Inclusive Recruitment Commitment

• Guaranteed Interview Scheme: Applicants with disabilities, veterans and people with convictions, who meet the minimum job criteria, are guaranteed an interview. Simply opt into the relevant scheme on the application form.
• Ban The Box: We also support fair access for those with unspent criminal convictions through our ‘Ban the Box’ pledge (some roles may have security exemptions).

For support with your application, please contact [e-mail].