Technical and Operational Authority - Pre Award

Ocean Infinity; Southampton; On-site; GBP 99,000 - 121,000; Full time

Job summary

Ocean Infinity, a technology leader in offshore operations, seeks a senior operational leader to own the bid design, risk, and execution framework across our global tender portfolio. The role demands strategic influence, cross-functional leadership, and a proven ability to deliver competitive, technically credible solutions.

Based in the United Kingdom, you will collaborate with the Heads of Business Development and Tender to shape operational strategies that improve win rates and margin,

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in offshore operations and tender planning.
• Ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams and manage complex information flows.
• Strong communicator with influence across all levels and familiarity with ITT/tender processes.

Responsibilities

• Own the operational design and delivery model for major tenders in conjunction with SMEs.
• Lead operational reviews and approvals for bids and ensure compliance across technical and specification aspects.
• Align operational solutions with commercial margin objectives and pricing considerations.
• Embed lean operations, remote capabilities, and advanced technology into proposals.
• Drive handover readiness and risk reporting to execution teams.

Skills

Offshore operations

Tender planning

Strategic leadership

Stakeholder management

Job description

We are a technology company that is transforming operations at sea to enable people and the planet to thrive.

We are open-minded and fearless in our approach to innovation and don't believe in boundaries. We challenge everything and have massive ambitions to drag aging industries into the tech era.

We take safety, equality and education very seriously, and our responsibilities don't stop at our front door. Our business is built on the belief that there's definitely a more environmentally responsible way to operate at sea.

We only employ the best people. People with a desire for excellence, a curious nature, people who are thoughtful, humble, collaborative and accountable.

We reward our people well. Beyond what's usually considered to be the 'market average'.

The opportunities for people in our business can be limitless, spanning a multitude of disciplines and open to all, regardless of background and experience level.

We are not your average workplace.

Ocean Infinity is seeking a senior operational leader to own and elevate the operational competitiveness of our global tender portfolio. This is not a coordination role. This is a high-impact position responsible for shaping how we design, challenge, and optimise operational solutions across all bids — ensuring they are commercially sharp, technically credible, and differentiated in the market.

As the single point of operational authority within the tendering process, you will operate with significant autonomy and executive visibility, influencing go/no-go decisions, shaping delivery models, and directly contributing to win-rate improvement and margin performance.

You will sit at the intersection of Operations, Technology, and Commercial, ensuring our bids fully leverage Ocean Infinity’s remote capabilities, lean operating model, and advanced technology platform in our tender submissions and directly to our Key Accounts.

This position works in total synergy with the Head of Business Development and Head of Tender to ensure we have the most impactful operational solutions presented to our key clients and within our tender submissions.

Success is winning more, growing faster, transforming operations at sea faster.

Purpose of the Role

To lead and continuously improve the operational strategy behind every critical tender submission, ensuring solutions are operationally robust, commercially competitive, technically differentiated, scalable, and aligned with Ocean Infinity’s innovation agenda.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Ownership of Global Bids

• HSE first for all submitted Technical and Operational solutions
• Fully responsible for all tendering, operational, technical and specification compliance
• Full responsibility for Technical reviews and approvals
• Own the operational design and delivery model for major tenders in conjunction with SMES
• Manage process for SME input, review and collaboration
• Critically assess schedules, resourcing models, productivity assumptions, and risk allocations.
• Challenge stakeholders to ensure robust and defensible operational plans.
• Align operational solutions with commercial strategy and margin objectives.
• Contribute to bid/no-bid and pricing discussions from an operational risk perspective.
• Selling our innovative Operational Solutions directly to our key clients

Executive Influence & Strategic Visibility

• Present operational strategies and risk assessments at executive reviews.
• Provide data-driven insights into operational trade-offs and competitiveness.
• Act as the operational voice in client interactions during tender phases.
• Ensure transparency of operational assumptions and risk exposure.

Driving Competitive Advantage

• Embed lean operations, remote capabilities, and advanced technology into proposals.
• Identify opportunities to optimise cost, reduce risk, and improve efficiency.Apply lessons learned from previous tenders and projects.
• Support development of repeatable operational bid frameworks.

Continuous Improvement & Capability Building

• Develop and refine an operational bid playbook.
• Improve workflow between Operations and Commercial.
• Enhance transparency of assumptions and risk registers.
• Identify digital tools and automation opportunities within tender workflows.
• Analyse win/loss feedback to refine operational positioning.

Project Handover

• Ensure operational assumptions are clearly documented prior to mobilisation.
• Support structured handovers to delivery teams.
• Reduce execution risk through improved clarity between bid and operations.

• Extensive experience in offshore operations and operational planning for tenders with in all our vast range of service lines, including ROV, AUV, Light & Heavy Geotech services.
• Proven ability to coordinate multi-disciplinary teams and manage complex information flows.
• Comfortable challenging the status quo to drive better, more competitive solutions.
• Demonstrated familiarity or understanding of the tender lifecycle and/or Invitation to Tender (ITT) documentation.
• Strong communicator with the ability to influence at all organisational levels.
• Skilled in balancing strategic objectives with operational realities under tight deadlines.
• Enthusiastic about innovation, collaboration, and delivering excellence for people and the planet.

Salary - up to 110,000 per annum