Vacancies

Bid Team Manager

Job Introduction

The Creative Lab is a high performing specialist team focused on the creation and production of high value bids, tenders and preseentations across all sectors within Compass UK&I.  It  is made up of Proposal Managers, Writers, Designers, Project Managers and Content Developers.  You will be responsible for bid outputs of over £500m per annum.

Reporting into existing Bid Team Managers, you will lead your team of Proposal Managers, Bid Writers and Bid Designers in the management and production of work winning documents. The key objective is to build, maintain and manage in-house resource to maximise our ability to retain existing business and win new business.  Your role is to manage the bid activity and   processes in line with the Net Growth strategy. You will use superb organisational skills to ensure the The Creative Lab operate in a consistent and productive manner making best use of time and resource.

You will  support and produce creative, strategic, solution based bid documents managing day-to-day bid activity, ensuring a compliant, compelling bid which communicates the agreed win strategies and win themes. As the key point of contact for Sales Directors and Strategic Partners you will ensure all project activities are  managed and tracked, keeping the bid team informed with regular updates.   The ideal candidate will be able to manage large complex bid opportunities, from kick-off to appointment . As  a creative self-starter the Bid Team Manager will be focused on driving the bid process to develop and implement ideas which shape winning client solutions. 

You will have a thorough understanding of design trends, bid management processes and the latest digital technology to ensure our sales documents are innovative, bespoke and original.   

Leadership, Mentoring and Advising:

• Leads and manages a team of Proposal Managers, Bid Writers and Bid Designers inspiring each individual to feel part of a team and to work collaboratively to deliver their best performance; ensuring the content, quality and design of bid submissions is exceptional and highlights Compass’ capabilities and differentiators.
• Taking a hands-on approach to support, mentor and influence Proposal Managers, Designers and Writers to drive continual improvement in team development to improve overall performance.
• Accountable for the efficient allocation of The Creative Lab resources to the Net Growth community for the management and production of bids.
• Provides ongoing training and development, advising on top-tips to the Proposal Managers and Design Managers within the team.
• Establish very close working relationships with sector sales directors ,sales teams, retention teams and CRM teams to understand future work flows and peaks in demand Manage the relationship with Sector SMEs to ensure that the latest collateral and supporting documentation is available for use by the team
• Manage The Creative Lab inbox and work allocation to organise work flow, and liaise with multiple individuals to ensure manageable workloads

Bid Management and Process

• Drive the internal The Creative Lab process of booking in jobs, resourcing, allocating work, understanding pipeline ensurng a helicopter view of peaks and troughs of current and upcoming work.
• Continue to drive The Creative Lab as a centre of expertise in bid strategy best practice – such as red thread thinking, bid brand guidelines, win strategy, storyboarding and value propositions. 
• Champion content improvement, knowledge management and change control best practices tying this back to the continuous development and maintenance of our content library, Atlas.
• Work flow management and planning:  Establish a clear pipeline of bid work to enable realistic medium term resource planning decisions to be made within Sales Operations.  
• Manage the creation of proposals and presentations.   This includes; bid writing standard and some technical content, project management of the entire bid lifecycle, supporting the development of win strategies, and persuasive delivery structures, creating the bid brand guidelines and managing external suppliers and consultants.  The Bid Team Manager will research, author, edit and challenge content.
• Track and manage progress of the bid through the Compliance Matrix.  Regularly communicate progress updates to the entire bid team.
• Support Sales and Retention Lead in identifying win strategies, solution design, and management of tender clarification logs and preparation of the Bid Overview template prior to the kick-off workshop.
• Support kick off workshops for entire bid team ensuring win themes are captured, competitor and SWOT analysis. The Bid Team Manager will ensure the winning strategy and win themes are articulated effectively throughout the bid response.  
• Support sector bid writer and bid authors in creating responses. 
• Support the design process using Adobe Creative Suite to create high impact bids, proposals and presentations.
• Brief Design Managers collaborating with conceptual development, artworking and printing
• Conduct post-pitch debriefs with Bid Leaders to collate any new content submitted within the bid and feedback to Knowledge team

• A recognized bid expert who shares knowledge, advises others and inspires.
• 5+ years using a bid management methodology (Shipley, Tom Sant, BidPerfect) and has a deep understanding of the sales/bid cycle at a senior level.
• Creative strategic thinking and ability to look at different ways of doing things. Willing to develop, drive and implement new solutions.
• Excellent interpersonal skills to coach, challenge and influence the most senior stakeholders; enthusiastic and creative leader with the ability to motivate and inspire others; confident, ambitious and energetic with a persuasive manner and ability to use initiative.
• Ability to understand a new marketplace or industry quickly

• Recognised bid management training (Shipley, Tom Sant or BidPerfect)
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience. 
• 5 years + experience working in deadline-driven environments. 
• Strong organisational skills that allow the ability to direct multiple projects and deadline

• Head of Bid Management
• Bid Team Managers
  • Proposal Managers, Bid Writers and Bid Designers
  • Sales Directors and Strategic Partners
  • Growth Directors
  • Net Growth Community
  • 
    

benefits package which includes but is not limited to:

• Contributory pension scheme
• Grow your career with our Career Pathways and MyLearning programmes
• Quick access for you and your immediate family to a Digital GP, and wider healthcare benefits
• Exclusive travel discounts with TUI, Expedia, Booking.com and many more
• Save money on your food shop with discounts on Tesco, Sainsbury's, Morrisons and many more
• Up to 44% off cinema tickets to enjoy your favourite blockbuster
• Receive cash rewards every time you spend and use them on a wide range of brands
• Un-wind with us with free wellness, mindfulness and exercise classes
• You can share all discounts and offers with your friends and families

About Us

As part of Compass you'll help to feed people, fuel progress and forge connections in around 6,000 venues. Join us to grow your career with the industry leader, and get competitive pay, great perks and unrivalled opportunities for learning and development, at one of the UK's biggest businesses.

Job Reference: com/1012/351800/52780417/SU #Central Functions

Compass Group UK&I is committed to fostering an environment where every individual can truly be themselves at work and has equal opportunities to advance in their careers. We strive to build a culture that respects and celebrates the unique talents, beliefs, backgrounds, and abilities of all our team members. We want our colleagues to feel valued, empowered to reach their full potential, and to thrive - because diversity is our strength!