Bids & Tenders
Manager

FULL TIME // PERMANENT

Sparq is seeking a Bids & Tenders Manager to join the Sales & Marketing Team. The primary goal of the Tenders and Bids Manager will be bringing in new, and retaining existing, business.

In this exciting role, you will actively manage the tender process for medium and complex bids, adding value and effective support to the sales team by leading all day to day bid activity ensuring bid framework procedures and tender processes are followed to deliver a compliant, compelling bid on time, and ensuring bid documentation is of a high standard, is clear, appropriate to the project.

You will be a strong communicator, able to influence at a senior level and have excellent project management skills in order to guide the bid from start to finish.

Responsibilities

• Provide active bid management support and lead all day-to-day bid activities for medium and complex bids in line with the defined bid or tender framework process
• Compile, issue and maintain a bid plan, agreeing responsibilities and timeframes with the appropriate SMEs
• Manage and communicate to the Sales lead all bid-related interactions through the relevant client portal, including document management, CQs, messages and submission of completed responses
• Play a key role in scheduling and delivering bid team meetings (kick off, storyboarding sessions, key reviews, governance/sign off etc) to ensure that the project is properly resourced, accountabilities are agreed, all deliverables are viable in the time available and that the bid framework process is adhered to
• Contribute to content creation for bids as required by the Sales lead, particularly for segment specific questions on prequalification submissions
• Act as a consultative counterpart to sales to provide a ‘fresh eyes’ perspective and provide effective challenge to decisions/solutions
• Ensure the winning strategy and win themes are articulated effectively throughout the bid response, showing excellent appreciation of what the client needs
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• Maintain clear and regular communication with all stakeholders and close liaison with subject matter experts, making sure they are briefed early and understand bid requirements/expectations
• Create, publish and submit tender response documents in accordance with agreed timetables, collaborating where needed with the bid creative team for conceptual development, artworking and printing
• Own the master response files and collation of completed responses and submit to Sales & Marketing Director for review and sign off in a timely manner
• Prepare internal and client facing presentation materials relating to the bids as required throughout the bid process
• Respond to messages and submit bids within customer defined timeframes
• Arrange post bid/lessons learnt reviews and implement resulting actions
• Be professional in communications with all employees, clients and customers and ensure that confidentiality of information is maintained
• Ensure consistently high standards are maintained in all bid response documentation and sales materials through use of templates, and thorough content reviews including proofreading and formatting checks
• Nominate content to contribute to the central bid library (Teams Channel) and provide constructive feedback on library content
• Support the development and refinement of the bid framework tools and processes by providing feedback and ideas and taking an active role in bid management professional family meetings
• Provide CRM administration support to the segment sales team to ensure that the data within HubSpot is up-to-date, comprehensive and meets data quality requirements
• Proactively scan both public sector and corporate markets for opportunities to bid and tender which fit with Sparq’s portfolio and capabilities
• Be the internal Sparq expert on all aspects of bid and tender processes

Experience

• Significant experience and proven results in bid management
• Previous experience in working in the event production sector desired
• Experience owning entire bid process
• Proven ability to work under pressure whilst delivering high quality output

Essential skills

• Able to communicate and influence at a senior level, both within Sparq and client organisations
• Proven capability in planning, producing and delivering compliant bids with the ability to manage multi-workstream opportunities and large numbers of contributors
• Able to provide input into bid/no-bid decisions, identifying win strategies and solution design
• Strong people management and networking skills
• Solid ability and desire to implement internal governance processes (bid framework)
• Document management capability including effective version control
• Excellent attention to detail
• Strong time management/prioritisation skills
• Self-confident, diplomatic but firm under pressure
• Written English to a high standard; able to author, edit and challenge content
• Advanced MS Word skills and proficiency in MS
• A flexible approach to the working week to accommodate the peaks and troughs of the bid lifecycle
• Awareness of market trends, particularly within the events sector
• Ability to work professionally with multiple levels across Sparq internally and also with external bid partners, technical partners, consultants and clients and government representatives
• Proactive and collaborative worker
• Strategic thinking

Job Type: Full-time

Salary: £35,000.00-£45,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• Company pension

Schedule:

• Monday to Friday

Ability to Commute:

• Leeds (required)

Work Location: In person

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