Job Title: Manufacturing Bid Lead
Location: Bolton/Hybrid
Hybrid Working: 1-2 days per week on-site due to workload classification
Security Clearance: SC (must be a British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship)
Ready to Take the Lead on High-Stakes Bids?
Are you a proactive and detail-oriented professional with a strong background in manufacturing and bid management? We are looking for a Manufacturing Bid Lead to drive the preparation and delivery of competitive, high-quality manufacturing bids. If you're ready to work across teams, handle complex data, and ensure cost-effective proposals that meet business needs, this is the opportunity you've been waiting for.
Role Summary:
The Manufacturing Bid Lead is responsible for leading the manufacturing side of bid preparation, ensuring all bids are costed accurately, competitive, and aligned with relevant industrial policies. This involves collaborating with various departments to develop robust cost models, produce clear and concise bid documentation, and manage the bidding process from start to finish.
Core Responsibilities:
Bid Leadership: Manage the manufacturing components of bid submissions, ensuring bid scope and content align with manufacturing policies and business requirements.
Cost Estimation: Create accurate and competitive cost models for manufacturing bids (using Excel), providing data-driven insights and evidence for cost estimates and 3-point estimating.
Compliance & Competitiveness: Ensure that bids meet commercial and business criteria, evaluating risks and ensuring financial viability for all proposals.
Stakeholder Coordination: Build strong, collaborative relationships with internal teams and key stakeholders, ensuring that manufacturing requirements are incorporated into the bid process and that market intelligence is shared.
Bid Presentation: Develop clear, well-organized bid documentation and cost proposals (using PowerPoint) for senior management review, ensuring all data is auditable and easy to understand.
Continuous Process Improvement: Participate in improving the bidding process, from enhancing cost models to refining workflows, ensuring that bids are always optimized for competitiveness and efficiency.
Data Validation & Reporting: Collect, validate, and present key data to support decision-making, ensuring all bid information is accurate, auditable, and complete.
Governance: Maintain high standards of governance, ensuring that the bid process adheres to policies and best practices throughout all phases.
Skills & Experience:
Bid Management: Strong background in generating costed manufacturing proposals and managing bids, particularly in an engineering or production environment.
Manufacturing Expertise: Deep understanding of the entire manufacturing process, from procurement to delivery, with the ability to effectively manage costs.
Financial Acumen: Proven experience working with cost models and costings for materials, direct/indirect costs, and other manufacturing expenses.
Presentation Skills: Proficiency in creating professional and clear presentations and bid documentation, particularly using PowerPoint.
Communication: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience liaising with senior stakeholders and collaborating across teams.
Independent & Teamwork: Ability to work independently and as part of a team, handling multiple tasks and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Analytical Thinking: Strong data analysis and reporting skills, with a keen eye for detail to ensure accuracy and completeness.
Stakeholder Engagement: Capable of influencing key stakeholders and working effectively to integrate manufacturing considerations into bid proposals.
Problem-Solving: A strategic thinker who can handle complex challenges and make decisions that align with business objectives.
Objectives & Impact:
Lead Manufacturing Bids: Take ownership of manufacturing-related elements of bids, ensuring clarity, compliance, and alignment with industrial policies.
Cost Model Development: Develop and refine competitive cost models for manufacturing, using accurate data to generate realistic cost estimates.
Collaborative Leadership: Ensure seamless collaboration with cross-functional teams and key stakeholders, facilitating smooth bid preparation and timely submissions.
Business Growth: Support the identification of new business opportunities and contribute to strategies designed to win new bids.
Process Excellence: Actively contribute to ongoing improvements in bidding processes, cost modeling, and manufacturing procedures to enhance the overall competitiveness and efficiency of bids