Bid Manager

About The Client

The client is one of the largest transport services organisations in Europe, employing more than 60,000 people and delivering over 2.2 billion passenger journeys across 14 European countries every year. We have strong roots dating back to 1938 and an ambitious growth agenda.

Their subsidiary provides rail replacement and transport solutions across the UK, partnering with Train Operating Companies (TOCs) to deliver pre-planned and emergency transport for engineering works, Network Rail possessions and other alterations to service. Alongside rail replacement, the subsidiary is diversifying into adjacent markets, including aviation disruption, workforce transport and other managed ground transport services across bus, coach and taxi networks.

The Role

The Bid Manager sits at the heart of the subsidiary commercial team, operating in the middle of the sales cycle. You will pick up qualified opportunities from the Commercial Bids Executive (CBE) and drive them through solution design, bid development and proposal submission, through to contract award and mobilisation handover. You will line manage the CBE and report to the Head of Commercial Bids.

This is a hands-on role for a proven Bid Manager looking for their next challenge in a dynamic, growth-focused environment. You will be a genuine contributor to bid content, bringing strong writing skills and commercial thinking to every submission rather than simply managing the process around others’ contributions. Managing a concurrent portfolio of bids at different stages of the pipeline, at pace and to tight deadlines, is central to the position.

The subsidiary has a small, ambitious commercial team with a flat structure and a collaborative ethos. You will have clear ownership of solution design, bid writing and submission management, but given the scale and pace of the team, everyone contributes beyond the strict boundaries of their role. You will work closely with the Head of Commercial Bids and support the development of the CBE over time, giving them progressive exposure to the bid lifecycle as part of the team’s succession planning.

The role operates primarily within competitive tender and formal procurement environments, so a sound understanding of public and private sector procurement processes and tendering platforms is essential.

Key Responsibilities

Solution Design & Commercial Development

• Take ownership of qualified opportunities passed from the Commercial Bids Executive, developing workable transport solutions that respond directly to the customer’s operational specification, in line with the commercial direction set by the Head of Commercial Bids.
• Translate customer briefs, ITT specifications and scope documents into detailed, costed and operationally viable solutions in collaboration with the subsidiary Operations team.
• With support from the subsidiary’s Finance team, develop accurate and competitive commercial models and pricing proposals within ARTS’s financial parameters, presenting them to the Head of Commercial Bids for review and approval before submission.
• Identify and engage sub-contractors, operators and supply chain partners to support solution design, working with the subsidiary operator network and procurement function.
• Challenge and stress-test proposed solutions to ensure they are deliverable and commercially sound, flagging risks and assumptions clearly ahead of any commitment to submit.
• Lead day-to-day execution of the bid lifecycle for assigned opportunities, from solution sign-off through to submission, taking full personal accountability for the quality, accuracy and persuasiveness of every written deliverable.
• Develop clear, compelling and well-evidenced bid narratives that differentiate the subsidiary from the competition and directly address evaluation criteria and client priorities.
• Manage bid plans, timelines, review gates and input from across the business, including Operations, Finance, Legal and HR, so that content is ready for review within agreed timescales.
• Prepare all submissions for formal sign-off in line with the client’s internal governance and delegated authority limits, ensuring nothing is submitted without the appropriate approval.
• Maintain an up-to-date library of reusable bid content, including case studies, CVs, accreditation evidence, method statements and standard responses.
• Run structured post-submission debriefs on wins and losses, feeding learnings back into the content library and wider commercial strategy.
• Manage a concurrent portfolio of active bids at different pipeline stages, maintaining a clear overview of deadlines, priorities and resource requirements.
• Support bid/no-bid assessments by evaluating strategic fit, estimated contract value, probability of win and competitive landscape, and making clear recommendations to the Head of Commercial Bids.
• Manage all portal-based activity during live bids, including tender document downloads, clarification questions and formal response uploads, ensuring full compliance with each contracting authority’s requirements and deadlines.
• Keep CRM and pipeline records accurate and current for all managed opportunities, providing regular progress updates to the Head of Commercial Bids.
• Work alongside the Commercial Bids Executive to maintain a joined-up view of the pipeline, supporting smooth handover of qualified leads and sharing intelligence that sharpens prospecting priorities.
• Represent the subsidiary in working-level client interactions during live bids, including clarification meetings, site visits and presentations, supporting the Head of Commercial Bids, who leads senior and strategic client relationships.
• Build effective relationships with procurement contacts and contract managers at client organisations throughout the tender period, maintaining a professional and responsive presence.
• Manage the transition of awarded contracts into mobilisation, ensuring contractual commitments, pricing assumptions and operational requirements are clearly documented and handed over to the subsidiary’s Operations and Customer Success teams.
• Remain engaged during early mobilisation to help resolve any commercial or contractual queries arising from the award.
• Proven track record as a Bid Manager, with demonstrable experience of the full bid lifecycle from opportunity qualification through to submission and award.
• Strong bid writing skills: able to produce high-quality, persuasive, evaluator-focused content independently, not solely by coordinating others’ contributions.
• Experience of solution design in managed services, transport, logistics, facilities management or a comparable regulated service sector, translating an operational specification into a deliverable, costed proposal.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience of developing competitive pricing models and a good understanding of cost drivers, margins and risk.
• Proven ability to manage multiple bids simultaneously, maintaining quality and meeting tight deadlines.
• Solid experience o