Strategic Bid Manager – Proposals & Commercials

Smiths Detection; Hemel Hempstead; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/remote working

Job summary

Smiths Detection in Hemel Hempstead is seeking an experienced Bid Manager to join our Commercial Programmes team. This newly created role coordinates bids across Sales, Programmes, Service and Commercial teams to ensure robust commercial terms and well-managed risks from opportunity through submission.

This is a commercially focused rôle that requires strong negotiation skills, proposal writing ability and cross-functional influence.

Qualifications

• Experience as a Bid Manager, Contracts Manager, Commercial Manager or Senior Commercial Officer.
• Strong commercial and contractual knowledge.
• Experience reviewing and negotiating terms and conditions.
• Experience developing customer proposals and Statements of Work.
• Knowledge of the full contract lifecycle.
• Strong risk management and mitigation experience.
• Ability to challenge stakeholders constructively and influence decisions.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience working within engineering, technology, defence, manufacturing, infrastructure or similarly complex environments would be advantageous.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate bid activities from opportunity through to submission.
• Review customer contracts, terms and conditions, and identify commercial risks.
• Develop and write high-quality proposals and Statements of Work.
• Coordinate contributions from Sales, Programmes, Finance, Supply Chain, Quality and other support functions.
• Challenge cost assumptions and ensure all risks are properly identified, mitigated and costed.
• Produce bid review materials and support governance processes.
• Support commercial negotiations where required.
• Ensure bid submissions are commercially sound and aligned with business objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement across bid management processes and templates.

Skills

Bid management

Commercial awareness

Contract negotiation

Stakeholder management

Proposal writing

Risk management

Engineering/defence knowledge

Job description

Smiths Detection in Hemel Hempstead is seeking an experienced Bid Manager to join our Commercial Programmes team. This newly created role coordinates bids across Sales, Programmes, Service and Commercial teams to ensure robust commercial terms and well-managed risks from opportunity through submission.

This is a commercially focused rôle that requires strong negotiation skills, proposal writing ability and cross-functional influence.