Bid Manager
Location: Leicester
Business Unit: Cavendish Nuclear
REF: 31408

Job Purpose

This role covers a range of responsibilities and accountabilities - including management of the EDF specific pipeline, reporting, bid management, reviewing of bids and other outgoing sales materials, provision of advice and participation across a range of business winning activities.

The primary focus of the Bid Manager role will be to ensure submission of winning bids - increasingly frequently in competitive (as opposed to sole source) situations. Bids will be submitted across the EDF and Fusion business unit and range in value, technical solution and commercial model.

The Bid Manager will work individually and for larger bids lead a team engaged on an opportunity, operating most notably between Gate 3 (Bid/No Bid) and Gate 5 (Preferred Bidder) status. On occasions they may also manage a prequalification phase following Gate 2. Success will be achieved through application of skills, experience and the company Business Winning process. Managing stakeholder inputs and interests from across the business is a key requirement.

Key Responsibilities

The areas of accountability will be to lead the opportunity pipeline and the preparation and submission of winning bids. This will require strong team and internal stakeholder management skills - as well as engaging external supply-chain/partners or other sectors of Babcock.

Pipeline Management Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Maintaining EDF and Fusion pipeline in a condition which is current and passes its Data Health Checks each month (a KPI in effect)
2. Ensuring the pipeline is receiving monthly reviews and checks on its content
3. Provision of timely advice to internal stakeholders, within the EDF and Fusion business, in maintaining their own sections of the pipeline
4. Provision to business, to various specific requirements, with pipeline outputs, reports, analysis and data requests. Some will be regular and to a consistent template e.g. for monthly business meetings while others will be ad hoc in frequency, content and use
5. Undertaking the above with security of data in mind (the MSD pipeline is an IA asset) and managing its communication and use accordingly

Bid Management

1. To submit bids that in doing so have met all schedule milestones and completed to budget agreed at outset
2. To prepare for and lead an opportunity through the CN governance process and gate and coloured reviews. This will require a working appreciation and knowledge of the Business Winning process
3. To identify, secure and mobilise capability and functional support from across the business and external supply-chain. Including, and in conjunction with the Proposal Manager engagement of resource needed to ensure generation of high-scoring proposal responses
4. To provide the business with regular progress updates and liaise within the business to manage / mitigate issues which threaten successful bid progress
5. To ensure application of LFE - in two respects. Firstly within context of the proposed solution and its development and secondly in recognising improvements to a bid that can be gained by on-boarding customer feedback from past relevant projects and bids
6. Engage with a varied range of SMEs, capability, functional and business personnel during bid preparation - and for coloured reviews e.g. green team review
7. Ensuring post-tender / pre-contract submission that clarifications and customer-facing requirements are suitably met and that business delivery has a suitable handover and transfer of ownership
8. Maintenance of working practices, processes & environment consistent with Company, Regulation and Legislative safety & environmental requirements
9. Effective bid management to avoid extended working hours and flexibility to meet sacrosanct deadlines

Leadership Responsibilities and Accountabilities

1. Leading Self: Is a role model, demonstrating Cavendish principles, promoting health, safety and wellbeing, respect and inclusion
2. Leading Others: Owns the performance and development of their team members, including effective and ongoing communication and feedback
3. Leading Resources: Responsible for effective planning and organisation of resources to deliver on customer promises

Key Success Factors:

• The measurements of success will be:
  • Provision of a pipeline that passes Data Health Checks, receives regular updates and is accurate to the opportunities being pursued (measurable)
  • Provision of pipeline reports, outputs and data analysis that add value and support the business in its ongoing activities and growth (measurable)
  • Submission of bid responses that score highly against customer marking criteria - ultimately contributing to secured new work (measurable)
  • Provision of value within information, assistance and advice given to all those in the business requesting assistance particularly including those on development schemes and those involved anywhere in generating business (feedback)
• Maintenance of working practices, processes & environment consistent with Company, Regulation and Legislative safety & environmental requirements
• Effective bid management and flexibility to meet sacrosanct deadlines
• Submission of bids that convert into (profitable) contracts
• Delivering bids to schedule and budget
• Preparation of bids that pass company governance (gate) and coloured reviews

Experience/Qualifications/Skills

Essential:

• Qualification in a related field, e.g. BSc.
• Strong organisational traits and ability to respect importance of and meet deadlines
• Understanding of all aspects of the pipeline - terminology, key data fields, impacts
• Knowledge of the end to end Business Winning process and management system
• Strong communicator - to underpin bid progress in engaging with all other stakeholders participating and contributing to the opportunity (this may include resources external to Cavendish Nuclear)
• Attention to detail - vital in all aspects of bid formulation including governance and review
• Strong concentration levels - ability to manage disruption especially when undertaking bid reviews
• Ability to work under pressure in meeting deadlines - providing flexibility where needed in order to deliver
• Practical understanding and appreciation of key components underpinning an offer (schedule, supply-chain, risk, contract terms, cost and finance models) - although relevant business functional will normally complete these actual inputs on a bid

Desirable:

• Reasonable knowledge of company capabilities, services and customers
• Knowledge of the wider (i.e. beyond just proposal writing) Babcock Business Winning process
• Ability to analyse complex client needs and determine a suitable response.
• Demonstrate an ability to advise and influence both internally and externally.
• Ability to challenge in a non-confrontational way.
• Positive, professional, with the ability to thrive in high-pressure situations and environment.
• Actively focused on achieving results and objectives and willing to be accountable.
• Build and maintain relationships with appropriate networks of people.
• Experience of working in a direct client liaison role.
• Experience of working in the Nuclear industry.
• Excellent proficiency in MS Office and Adobe.
• Membership of an industry professional bod y

Application Guidance

If you are currently employed by Babcock/Cavendish Nuclear please let your line manager know that you're applying for this vacancy. You should also let them know if you are attending an interview or assessment for a role.

Please note that you will not be able to access the vacancy details after the closing date so you may wish to keep a copy of this advert and any supporting documents for your records.

We are committed to building an inclusive culture and strives to attract talent who thrive in an inclusive and flexible working environment.
If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages please let us know and will respond in a way that best fits your specific needs.