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Bid Development Manager – Pharma & HealthTech
Northeast (Darlington & Sedgefield) | Hybrid Working | £47,693 – £59,693
About the Role:
We are looking for a Bid Development Manager to support the development of a pipeline of public funded collaborative R&D and innovation projects in the Pharma and HealthTech sectors from concept through to submission and contracting.
This is a highly visible role that sits at the intersection of science, innovation, and business development. Working with technical teams, industry partners, funding bodies, and external stakeholders, you will be responsible for turning innovative ideas into successful funding proposals that drive growth and capability across the organisation.
While bid writing is an important aspect of the position, this is much more than a proposal-writing role. You'll be actively building networks, identifying funding opportunities, developing consortia, coordinating stakeholders, and helping shape future innovation programmes from concept through to submission and delivery.
What You'll Be Responsible For:
Opportunity Identification & Network Building
- Identify funding opportunities across programmes such as Innovate UK, Horizon Europe, and other collaborative funding schemes
- Build and maintain strong relationships with industry, academic, healthcare, and innovation partners
- Attend conferences, networking events, and brokerage activities to identify new opportunities and generate leads
- Develop a deep understanding of funding landscapes, emerging technologies, and market trends within Pharma and HealthTech
Bid & Proposal Development
- Lead the development of collaborative R&D proposals from concept to submission
- Coordinate technical, commercial, and strategic inputs from stakeholders across the business
- Manage proposal writing, review, and submission activities
- Ensure bids are compelling, compliant, accurately costed, and aligned with organisational strategy
- Identify and manage commercial, technical, and reputational risks throughout the proposal process
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Consortium Development & Stakeholder Management
- Build and coordinate multi-partner consortia
- Facilitate discussions between partners to develop innovative project concepts
- Influence and motivate stakeholders to contribute effectively to proposals
- Work collaboratively with technical teams, legal, finance, project management, strategy, and business development colleagues to achieve successful outcomes
Pipeline Management & Commercial Delivery
- Manage opportunities through the CRM system and maintain accurate records and reporting
- Contribute towards agreed business development and funding targets
- Support contracting activities alongside legal teams
- Work closely with project delivery teams to ensure smooth transition from award through to project execution
Continuous Improvement
- Capture lessons learned from submitted and awarded projects
- Support development of future funding strategies and bid pipelines
- Share best practice across teams and contribute to ongoing process improvement
About You:
You are a commercially aware professional with a passion for innovation and a strong ability to bring people together around a common goal.
You'll bring:
- A degree in a scientific or business-related discipline with industrial experience within Pharma, HealthTech, MedTech, Life Sciences, or healthcare-related sectors
- Strong stakeholder engagement and relationship-building skills
- An ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
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Highly desirable:
- Previous bid development, proposal management, grant funding, or business development experience
- Experience developing collaborative R&D projects or consortium-based funding applications
- Familiarity with InnovateUK, Horizon Europe, or similar funding programmes
- Experience working within research, innovation, or technology environments
- Proven technical or scientific writing skills
We're particularly interested in candidates who combine a scientific background with strong business acumen, but we'd also welcome applications from individuals who have developed commercial or bid management expertise and have exposure to the Pharma or HealthTech sectors.
Why Join?
- Play a key role in developing future innovation programmes within Pharma and HealthTech
- Build relationships with leading businesses, universities, healthcare organisations, and funding bodies
- Work on impactful projects that help bring new technologies and therapies closer to market
- Collaborative and supportive working environment
- Competitive salary (£47,693 – £59,693)
Location & Working Pattern
- Hybrid working arrangement
- Primarily aligned to Darlington and Sedgefield sites
- Increased on-site presence during onboarding to support relationship building
- Monday–Thursday: 08:30 – 17:00, Friday: 08:30 – 16:00
The Opportunity
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys combining science, strategy, relationship-building, and commercial thinking. You'll help shape future innovation projects, influence significant funding opportunities, and play a key role in bringing together the right people, partners, and ideas to deliver meaningful impact across the Pharma and HealthTech sectors.
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