WSP in the UK & Ireland
Senior Proposals Manager
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Job Description
What if you could do the kind of work the world needs?
At WSP, you can access our global scale, contribute to landmark projects, and connect with the brightest minds in your field to do the best work of your life. You can embrace your curiosity in a culture that celebrates new ideas and diverse perspectives. You can experience a world of opportunity and the chance to shape a career as unique as you.
A Little More About Your Role...
At WSP UK & Ireland, we are looking for a strategic and motivated Senior Proposals Manager to join our team. Reporting to the Head of Bids, you will play a pivotal role leading and managing the pursuit process, collaborating across teams to deliver high-quality, client-focused proposals, from the initial capture planning process through the full bid lifecycle.
Once assigned to a bidding opportunity, the Senior Proposal Manager will take charge of managing and supporting the bid team, communicating with clients and partners, organizing review and approval meetings, and submitting the proposal. They will lead the formulation of winning strategies, client solutions, tender planning, and response delivery, and ensure successful handover to the delivery team upon winning the opportunity. You will also champion best practices in work-winning through personal projects, coaching, and training initiatives, overseeing the management and development of any staff under their management.
The position requires UK-wide travel.
Key Responsibilities
- To lead and manage complex and high-value strategic bids as bid manager or other senior support roles as required, depending on the size and complexity of the bid.
- To ensure that the appropriate bid governance and bid review processes are followed.
- Provide input to the strategic bid capture planning process.
- Work with the client and the Opportunity Director to develop customized solutions that meet the client's specific needs and help them achieve their objectives.
- Assist in opportunity qualification throughout.
- To understand internal and external customer requirements and provide resource expertise, providing support, management, and leadership of strategic bids.
- To provide challenge to operational, technical, commercial, and financial proposals to facilitate the development of solutions that provide the greatest benefit for the businesses while delivering customer requirements and needs.
- Work with the bid authors/solution architects to convert knowledge from operational and business development staff into winning solutions and proposals.
- Support lessons learned from bids. Analyze each bid, including customer feedback, to identify and share good practice with operational, bid, and business development staff across the business and suggest improvements to process and team dynamics.
- Train and coach colleagues on the bid process and associated skills.
- Collate market and competitor information that will be useful to WSP in the future.
Role Accountabilities
The Post Requires a Person Who Will
- Provide leadership to their appointed bids to deliver the optimum quality/price solution, keeping the team well informed, organized, and clear of their objectives in terms of the outputs required and their associated timelines.
- Work collaboratively with Opportunity Directors, bid colleagues, operational managers, sector, and commercial teams to develop and/or advise on the development of tailored solutions in response to tender invitations.
- Work to understand client needs and advise on and develop the quality and integration of the solution, setting the standard of quality required.
- Build relationships quickly to deliver efficient and effective working within newly created bid teams.
- Convert knowledge from operational and business development staff into winning solutions and proposals.
- Analyze each bid to identify and share good practice with operational, bid, and business development staff across the business, providing support to cross-cutting initiatives and bids in order for WSP to achieve its corporate objectives.
- Collate market and competitor information that will be useful to WSP in future propositions and bids.
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What We Will Be Looking For You To Demonstrate...
- Qualified to degree level in an appropriate subject.
- APMP Foundation as a minimum.
- Accurate and proficient working knowledge in Microsoft Office, Adobe suite, InDesign (desired), and graphics skills.
- Previous experience in a similar role in engineering and construction.
- Expert experience of producing tenders in the markets that WSP operates in the UK, Republic, and Northern Ireland.
- An acknowledged senior bid manager with a demonstrable record of success in winning bids.
- Good awareness and understanding of bid governance and bid review processes. Expert bid writing and management skills, and commercial skills.
- Thorough understanding of public and private procurement processes in the UK/Ireland.
- Strong and effective verbal and written communication, team player, collaborative.
- Robust project management skills with a meticulous approach to detail and quality.
- Strong time management skills and ability to prioritize.
- Adopt a proactive approach, use initiative, and take responsibility for own actions.
- Ability to assimilate large volumes of information and understand, plan, and manage associated workflows.
- Develop strong relationships and rapport with external clients and internal colleagues.
- Excellent people skills to lead, encourage, motivate, and enthuse others.
- A passion for quality and continuous improvement with a focus on delivery.
- Confidence to delegate to all levels, where required.
- A strong use of oral and written English, with the ability to present complex ideas in a straightforward and simple way.
- Exhibit and demonstrate behaviors and attitudes in accordance with WSP core values to create a team culture and promote excellent communications.
- Support and promote a culture of continuous improvement.
Don’t quite meet all the criteria? Apply, and we can see how your experience aligns to this role and other opportunities within the team.
Imagine a better future for you and a better future for us all.
Work on landmark projects around the world and embrace opportunities to make an even bigger impact in the communities you care about. What if you could do the best work of your life and create a legacy for yourself?
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About Us
We are one of the world’s leading engineering and professional services firms. Our passionate people are united by the common purpose of creating positive, long-lasting impacts on the communities we serve through a culture of innovation, integrity, and inclusion. With over 11,000 professionals across the UK and Ireland, we are dedicated to our local communities and propelled by international brainpower.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
Work-life balance
At WSP, we understand that work is just one aspect of your life. It’s important to make time for you, your family, friends, interests, and your community.
Our hybrid working policy offers the flexibility to work from home two days a week, while also providing opportunities to collaborate in our modern offices across the UK.
Inclusivity & Belonging
We welcome applicants with varied backgrounds and experiences. We enable rewarding careers by encouraging people to bring their whole and authentic selves to work so that our work represents the fullest spectrum of society. We celebrate integrity and treat people with respect, supporting each other and embracing a culture of inclusion and belonging at WSP. We have our employee resource groups bring together employees and allies with different backgrounds to promote a culture of inclusivity.
Health & Wellbeing
We are committed to supporting our people, giving you the tools to make improvements to your health and wellbeing through our Thrive programme.
Our Virtual GP service gives you access to an NHS or Irish Medical Council GP at a time and place that suits you – giving you peace of mind and quick access to medical advice when you need it most. We also provide reasonable workplace adjustments for those in need. Additionally, you can benefit from the Gymflex scheme, which offers up to 40% off annual gym memberships through our WSP flexible benefits program, as well as a comprehensive menopause support package.
Flex your time
To enhance work-life balance, WSP offers the “WSP My Hour,” allowing you to take one hour each day for personal activities, with the flexibility to make up the time earlier or later that day.
We also provide part-time and flexible working arrangements, the option to purchase additional leave, and the ability to use your bank holiday entitlement to suit you.
Your development
We understand the importance of development and training to you. That’s why we foster a supportive environment that invests in your growth, whether through training, mentoring, or Chartership.
#WeAreWSP
Here at WSP, we positively encourage applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, pregnancy or maternity/paternity. As a Disability Confident leader, we will interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria, please let us know if you require any workplace adjustments in support of your application.
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