Bid Manager

Excellerate; Sandton; On-site; ZAR 800,000 - 1,400,000; Full time

Job summary

CBRE Excellerate is seeking a Bid Manager in Sandton to lead end-to-end bid processes for FM services, including soft and hard services. You will ensure compliant, commercially sound submissions that win profitable work for the operations team.

Key duties include bid planning, proposal development, pricing support, and stakeholder engagement across internal departments and client evaluation teams. Strong writing, collaboration and strategic thinking are essential.

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing complex, multi-service bids in FM, support services or related sectors.
• Strong written communication and ability to turn technical input into persuasive client content.
• Knowledge of best practice bid and proposal management processes and templates.

Responsibilities

• Review tender opportunities and run bid/no-bid decisions with senior stakeholders.
• Develop bid strategies, win themes and value propositions tailored to each client.
• Build and manage bid plans, timelines and responsibility matrices, and keep the bid team on track against deadlines.
• Lead writing, coordination and editing of high-quality tender responses including method statements and KPIs.
• Collaborate with operations, HR, finance, HSE and technical teams to gather content.
• Ensure responses are compliant with client requirements and scoring criteria.
• Develop pricing models with Solutions Architect and Operations to assess costs and margins.
• Coordinate site visits, clarifications, presentations and client interviews.
• Maintain bid content library and track win rates and forecasts.

Skills

Bid management

Proposal writing

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Solution selling

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Bid Manager – Sandton, South Africa

Who are we?

We are the market leader in commercial real estate services and investments, offering our clients across Africa and the Middle East an integrated range of high-quality real estate services, including facilities management, advisory and transaction services, and project management.

We primarily support corporate clients who procure services on a contractual basis throughout the Middle East and Africa, and even globally, depending on their portfolio.

Why choose us?

Imagine more than just the future of work — with CBRE Excellerate, you can help shape it. Within our leading international group, you will discover a culture that encourages entrepreneurship, where your outstanding work is not only valued but also celebrated. Collaborate with talented people, benefit from exceptional resources, and thrive both professionally and personally throughout your career journey.

About the position

To lead the end-to-end bid process for new contracts, renewals and re-tenders across our facility management (FM) services, including soft services, hard services and integrated FM. The Bid Manager ensures that every submission is compliant, commercially sound and compelling, and that it wins profitable work that the operations team can deliver.

Key duties and responsibilities include:

Bid Planning & Governance

• Review tender opportunities and run bid/no-bid decisions with senior stakeholders.
• Develop bid strategies, win themes and value propositions tailored to each client.
• Build and manage bid plans, timelines and responsibility matrices, and keep the bid team on track against deadlines.
• Run kick-off meetings, S1 and solution reviews and sign-off processes.

Proposal Development

• Lead the writing, co-ordination and editing of high-quality tender responses, covering method statements, mobilisation plans, transition and S197/staff transfer, KPIs, SLAs, social value, ESG and health & safety etc.
• Work with necessary departments (e.g. operations, HR, finance, HSE, technical teams etc.) to gather accurate, persuasive content.
• Ensure responses are compliant with the client’s requirements, evaluation criteria and scoring methodology.

Commercial & Pricing Support

• Work with the Solutions Architect and Operations to build robust pricing models, covering labour, subcontractors, materials, lifecycle costs and margin.
• Identify and assess commercial, contractual and delivery risks, and agree mitigation approaches.
• Support contract negotiations and the preparation of best and final offers (BAFOs).

Stakeholder & Client Engagement

• Prepare and co-ordinate site visits, clarification questions, presentations and orals.
• Coach presenters and subject matter experts ahead of client interviews.
• Support relationship-building with prospects, consultants and supply chain partners.

Continuous Improvement

• Maintain and improve a library of bid content, case studies, CVs, policies and accreditations.
• Track pipeline activity and report on bid performance, win rates and forecasts

Decision Making Authority

Bid Manager typically has full authority over how a bid is run, but limited authority over what the company commits to. They own the process and the quality of the submission, while commercial, contractual and strategic commitments are approved by senior management. Works within specific prescribed policies and guidelines which includes:

• Bid plan, timeline, review schedule and internal deadlines
• Bid team structure, and assigning writing and input tasks to contributors
• Document structure, response approach and win themes (within the agreed bid strategy)
• Content standards, such as templates, formatting, tone and quality thresholds
• Whether a draft is ready to progress to the next review stage
• Which bid library content, case studies and CVs to use
• Escalating issues, such as missed contributor deadlines or unresolved gaps in content

Day-to-day use of bid tools, portals and bid-support resources within budget

Experience/Education

Proven experience managing complex, multi-service bids, ideally in facility management, support services, construction or a related sector.

Strong written communication, with the ability to turn technical input into clear, persuasive, client-focused content. Experience in solution selling, long sales cycles and closing opportunities; Relevant PC skills (Microsoft Office Suite with emphasis on Word, Excel and PowerPoint); Excellent communication skills (verbal and written).

Knowledge of Best Practice in bid and proposal management processes and make recommendations for the adoption of new or modification of existing processes; Company’s procedures and processes. Bid or proposal qualification an advantage

Interface

Internal: Various Group Business Units

External: Customer/Prospective/Evaluations Committees