Role Purpose:
The Tender Manager is the pre-Contract Project Manager responsible for managing the pursuit and winning of identified prospects on behalf of the Company. They will plan and manage the execution of all the tendering activities necessary to win the work, whilst complying with the Company’s processes and procedures. They will be overall responsible for the timely preparation and submission of technically sound, compliant, achievable, and commercially viable proposals that are responsive to client requirements and in accordance with Company objectives. They will lead the contract negotiations with the Client and obtain the best possible terms and conditions that maximises Company’s present and future returns. They will also be the focal point for communications and coordination with all the main stakeholders, whether that is the Client, third parties, senior management, or other departments.
Typical activities that the Tender Manager will be particularly accountable for are the tender execution plan, tender budgets/costs, ensuring adherence to tender schedules, manpower/ resource planning, project execution model, risk & opportunity management, management reviews & approvals, stakeholder communication, and leadership of the core Tender team.
The scope of work will range from the tendering of individual equipment and services through to the provision of integrated projects (typical values £50k → £100M).
Key Responsibilities
- Strive to be a role model in all of the Company’s Core Values.
- Work diligently in accordance with Operating System, processes and procedures.
- Organise and chair ‘Bid/ No-Bid’ meetings when required
- Lead the tendering effort on each assigned tender through to contract award, including setting up the relevant kick-off and strategy meetings, risk management meetings, project execution model, Gate Reviews, and price reviews in accordance with prescribed company procedures, processes and work instructions.
- Translate Customer and Company requirements into clear and definitive tender strategy in accordance with defined scopes of work and proposed execution philosophies on each tender.
- Prepare and respond to prequalification requests
- Register with customers with various portals and digital means
- Coordinate the social media post and LinkedIn
- Monitor and take ownership of the Enquires portals/email accounts
- Update CRM and client visit reports
- Update processes and procedures
- Prepare for and participate in audits as required
- Build standard templates for tender responses
- Build standard cost models
- Prepare the tender document and ensure that it is relevant, timely, accurate, and addresses Customer requirements, or has the appropriate exceptions.
- Ensure identification and development of technical and/ or commercial proposal alternatives that would enhance the Company’s competitive position.
- Compile and manage the resource plan and cost budget for assigned tenders and regularly report on progress against plan.
- Allocate work to assigned team personnel to ensure an even distribution of team workload.
- Ensure that all significant risks have been identified and mitigated.
- Obtain quotations from suppliers with the appropriate validity to ensure a strong cost base
- Obtain internal buy in from the appropriate discipline for all labour hours
- Ensure timely, accurate and comprehensive communication with all stakeholders through agreed and/ or appropriate means.
- Co-ordinate responses to clarification activities.
- Review and approve tender documents prior to submittal to Client.
- Review and recommend department training requirements to maintain and enhance the technical/administrative skill levels within the department.
- Improve the quality and focus on all aspects the proposals/ tendering work.
- Manage the collation and distribution of client feedback and lessons learned information in order to improve tender success ratio.
- Manage tender teams in the timely completion of tasks.
- Maintain front-line contact with the customer and build relationships.
- Ensure all applicable processes are followed and DoA approvals obtained including Management and Gate Reviews are held on each tender.
- Hand-over successful tenders to project/ operational team in a comprehensive, timely and accurate manner.
- Actively support the development of the tendering function and the people within the department.
- Mentor/ coach/ encourage more junior and/ or inexperienced people and ensure that there’s a sense of inclusion and fairness within the department.
- Be willing to undertake domestic and international travel to attend meetings and carry out short-term assignments as required.
- Deputise for other members of the team during absence from the office.
- As necessary, perform other duties, requiring essentially the same level of skill & responsibility.
In addition, you will carry out any other duties that reasonably and naturally fall within your role and which the Company deems you to be competent to undertake.
Competence Requirements
- Experience in tendering or delivering bespoke systems and solutions.
- Previous experience in similar role, with engineering and fabrication projects background
- Knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of project management
- Knowledge of project management techniques and tools
- Direct work experience in project management capacity
- Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong negotiation skills
- Strong commercial awareness and budgeting experience
- Experience of working via a project execution methodology of a gate model approach
- Strong leadership skills
- Solid organizational skills including attention to detail, multi-tasking skills, planning and time management skills
- Self-starter and ability to work fairly autonomously
- Ability to effectively work through pressure and deadlines
- Qualification in Project Management or relevant Engineering discipline
- Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office package
- Experience and working knowledge of MRP type system