Bid Manager
Status: Permanent /Full-time strongly preferable (requests for part-time/flexible working arrangements are welcome)
Energy Systems Catapult is an independent research and technology organisation. Our mission is to accelerate Net Zero energy innovation.
Launched by Innovate UK, the Catapult has built a core team of more than 250 people, with a range of technical, engineering, consumer, commercial, incubation, digital and policy expertise.?They draw on sector-leading test facilities, modelling tools, and data collected from our back catalogue of more than 500 research projects.
Based in Birmingham, the Catapult is part of a network of nine, world-leading technology and innovation centres. The Catapult Network fosters collaboration between industry, government, research organisations, academia, and many others to transform great ideas into valuable products and services.
Context
Energy Systems Catapult is looking for someone to join our Account and Bid Management Team to manage applications for grant and tender funding. Most of this bidding activity will be to our public sector customers. Reporting to the Head of Account and Bid Management, the Bid Manager will lead the bid management process, creating bids that differentiate us from competitors and respond to client's challenges.
Key Work Activities
- Lead the development of complex bids in accordance with our Bid Management Process with internal convened teams and external partners, facilitating kick-off and strategy meetings, contributing to the design, approach and development of our proposition.
- Manage, write,edit and contribute to the generation of responses to Grant Funding Applications, Requests for Information, Requests for Proposals, Pre-Qualification Questionnaires, Invitation to Tenders and other submissions as required. This may involve collaborating with external stakeholders in obtaining the required information and presenting it in an acceptable manner or generating the content.
- Create relevant, compelling, original responses, in conjunction with subject matter experts throughout the business, that reflect client requirements and successfully differentiate us from the competition.
- Responsible for final submission ensuring appropriate time scheduling for review and completion of bids within the agreed timeframes.
- Maintain good relationships with all stakeholders throughout the bid process and ensure effective communication of bid status.
- Upon completion of bids, co-ordinate lessons learnt and, upon award notification, record bid evaluation feedback.
- Embed the latest tools and technologies into our bidding process including the use of generative AI and cutting edge design packages.
- Research, identify and highlight bidding opportunities using all appropriate methods, including tender portal searches, active networking and regular interaction with key stakeholders.
- Analyse tender alerts and determine suitability for business, present options internally and support the establishment of bid/no bid determination.
- Management and governance of the Bid Library, an on-going document resource for all future proposals and bids.
What credentials are we ideally looking for?
- Degree or equivalent. Previous experience of managing grant and/or tender applications.
- Proven experience within bid management and /or business development.
- Comfortable working for a dynamic, agile and technical organisation with a rapidly expanding customer base.
- An effective and driven manager who thrives through challenge.
- Positive demeanour, self-motivated, approaches work with integrity, resilience and tenacity.
- Highly organised, ability to work at pace and able to work to deadlines.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to liaise at all levels.
- First class articulation with the ability to write technically, creatively and logically to produce good quality focused compelling content.
- Strong organisational, problem solving and planning skills, including ability to prioritise and negotiate competing goals.
- Good working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and other Office packages.
- Someone who is an excellent team player and has the confidence to bring new ideas to the team to improve the way we work and our success rate.