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Get to know about the duties, responsibilities, qualifications, and skills requirements of a bid manager. Feel free to use our bid manager job description template to produce your own. We also provide you with information about the salary you can earn as a bid manager.

 

Who is a Bid Manager?

They are experts in the creation and presentation of an offer which is a precise plan of work that is done on behalf of a firm for a contract with an alternative company. Bid managers work in conjunction tandem with bidding writers, to create the proposal, which includes information such as costs, materials, and timeframe in the hope of persuading customers to choose this bid over the other bid. Bids are lengthy, complicated documents that typically run hundreds of pages. They detail how the prospective company will be able to meet the contract’s requirements. They cover a variety of subjects including security and health to service and employee issues. They are weighed on the quality and price.

 

Bid managers create bids that attract customers due to their creativity and professionalism which breeds quality. However, it is also crucial for bid managers to make sure that the bid they submit for their work will ensure that their company can complete the task and still earn profits. The typical duties of a bid director differ depending on the type of business and sector.

Bid managers are responsible for the preparation of the submissions or proposals firms make to get the contract. They can submit bids on behalf of a company to obtain an offer of business or a contract of work from an alternative. The job of a bid manager is to make sure that bids succeed and at a rate that will allow their business to earn an income. Bid managers are typically employed within the sector of the built environment however, they can be employed in any field that has work outsourced (such as the technology, social care, and transportation sectors).

For a small or medium-sized company, the role of a bid manager may be a separate position that entails the whole bidding process. In larger organizations, the bid manager could manage a bid management team where specialists are responsible for different elements of bidding (a team might comprise bid coordinators as well as bid/proposal writers for example). The Bid Manager will form and lead the bid team with the ability to create and present the winning bid while managing the entire bidding process. The Bid Manager will typically be accountable for managing the potential bid from the first identification of a requirement from the customer to a strategy for contract renewal.

The Bid Manager must be heavily involved in the process of guiding through the Capture Phase and ensuring that all resources are in line with the requirements of the client long ahead of even the Bid as well as the Pursuit Phase is launched. Following the submission of bids, the bid is submitted, and the Bid Manager stays involved throughout negotiations and presentation stages and ensures that all lessons learned are passed back and implemented. Bid managers prepare elaborate proposals, also called bids for companies to win contracts.

These experts’ responsibilities include the creation as well as implementation of required bid procedures, policies, and processes. It is a highly connected job that requires the ability to be under pressure and adhere to meet deadlines that are challenging. It requires strong management of people and commercial abilities.

 

Bid Manager Job Description

Below are the bid manager job description examples you can use to develop your resume or write a bid manager job description for your employee. Employers can also use it to sieve out job seekers when choosing candidates for interviews.

The duties and responsibilities of a bid manager include the following:

• Testing the stakeholders and devising new and innovative strategies.
• Performing writing tasks.
• Taking charge of relationships with a variety of stakeholders across many areas of business.
• Collaborating with the leadership team to devise different bid strategies.
• Enquiring all items from the manufacturer to be offered and all suppliers that are stocked by every distributor.
• Checking historical bid information including prices and other competitive data.
• Collaborating in conjunction with Education Specialists for their input on bids.
• Asking for bid price via manufacturer form, on the website, or an electronic form.
• Sending accurate bid price information to each distributor before their due date.
• Collating the results of the bids and award details and then recording the information for the
• Recognizing and relaying any bids that are competitive for education specialists to take.
• Maintaining an up-to-date calendar that shows bids due.
• Maintaining updated records for each bidder institution, including all prices and communications.
• Helping to resolve distributor deductions that involve bid prices.
• Ensuring the availability of all the necessary items required for project submission.
• Collatingmaterial costs from suppliers
• Assessing the use of materials and determining the appropriate labor rate.
• Controlling the bid process from end to end.
• Managing bid teams via virtual channels as well as inputs by key players.
• Communicating with marketing, sales product teams, finance, commercial, and legal as well as delivery and project management
• Collaborating with the Sales lead to devise a clear winning plan for every bid.
• Ensuring that win themes are clearly defined and persuasive.
• Reviewing and preparing the commercial aspect of the bid, thereby making sure that all the products or items are included within the final cost to the client.
• Managing risk and monitoring throughout the bidding process.
• Participating in the writing of proposals in terms of content as well as presentation (such as providing guidelines for an executive summary).
• Controlling the bid budget, reviewing, and reporting on the overall performance.
• Ensuring timescales are met throughout the bidding process, which includes the internal governance process and being the first to set reasonable deadlines.
• Ensuring the submission of financially sound bids on time.
• Coordinating and planning any client presentations that are required in the bid proposal.
• Improving the business, via post-bid reviews, both internally and with the
• Finding opportunities to make bids.

 

• Creating a strategy that is successful in winning bids, which includes identifying the distinctive selling factors (key distinctors) of the company as well as knowing the business’s profits and operating margins.
• Becoming aware of the client’s specific needs (the  in this instance is the entity providing the services)
• Working together with key members of the team on the project and the client’s organization to collect the required information needed to create the proposal.
• Assessing and taking care of the commercial and technical risks associated with this bid, which they are developing.
• Negotiating with specialist suppliers and/or subcontractors.
• Studying the latest and future trends in the market.
• Answering clients’ or other parties’ inquiries before, during, and after the bid has been made.
• Supervising the team throughout the bidding process and ensuring that deadlines are adhered to
• Creating and managing the bid schedule, while managing suppliers and inputs as needed to ensure that all-important deadlines are met.
• Participating in all phases of the bid development process with the Project Manager.
• Ensuring that tenders conform with the requirements of donors and conform to the guidelines or policies that are outlined in the central teams.
• Conducting procurement searches to find possibilities for projects for the business.
• Performing quality assurance reviews and checks by looking over tender proposals and other documents before submission to colleagues when requested.
• Recognizing opportunities to submit bids and bringing them to members of the bid team.
• Researching and brainstorming important elements to be included when submitting the proposal.
• Writing convincing and thorough proposals that are precise.
• Making risk assessments and dealing with issues of clients and employees.
• Monitoring all expenses as well as managing the business
• Working closely with designers, project managers estimators, and other senior personnel.
• Making decisions about the jobs that merit bidding.
• Developing a bid strategy that effectively sells your business’ services and persuades clients to select your company.
• Managing large bids to ensure efficient internal and external coordination.
• Making drafts and modifications to non-technical or technical elements to be specifically tailored to the terms of
• Developing and making improvements to the company’s tendering process and tendering resources.

 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction, engineering, or any other relevant discipline.
• Master’s degrees.
• Experience as a bid writer (beneficial)
• Great industry knowledge and determination to keep abreast of current trends.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.
• Teamwork and interpersonal skills that are strong.
• Great analytical and problem-solving capabilities.
• Time-bound.

 

Essential Skills

• Communication skills

A strong ability to communicate does not just mean you’re an outstanding writer or reader, but that you can speak effortlessly and naturally when giving an appearance in front of an audience of executives or at a one-on-one lunch for clients. You must also be able to take advantage of the most modern methods of communication such as text messages and emails. You frequently interact with bid writers to create an exact bid that draws on the expertise of your coworkers. As a bid manager, you should be able to communicate effectively with your clients to fully comprehend the requirements of a particular project. You need good oral and written communication skills to create precise and concise proposals and present them to clients efficiently. Bid managers often engage with bid writers from other bids to prepare a thorough bid drawing on the expertise of the team. You need to be able to communicate effectively with clients to fully comprehend the requirements of the project. Bid managers need good oral and written communication skills to write precise and concise proposals and present them to their clients promptly.

• Interpersonal abilities

As a bid manager, you collaborate with clients and colleagues each day to create complete bids that satisfy the needs of the client. It’s crucial to develop good relationships with your clients who should enjoy being with you, and also feel positive about your business. As the point of contact for clients, it is important to be able to understand your customers’ body language and know what they are looking for from every project.

• Organization skills

Bid managers need to have excellent organization and time management abilities to manage multiple priorities and deadlines. Bid managers must perform well without supervision and be able to manage priorities rationally without feeling overloaded. With time, the senior bid managers and bid directors might even be able to manage several bids at the same time which requires good focus and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. Bid managers need to have an excellent time and organizational skills to be able to handle competing priorities and deadlines. It’s crucial for bid directors to perform well without supervision and be able to manage their priorities rationally and not feel overwhelmed. Bid managers should be able to manage multiple bids simultaneously which requires a high level of concentration skills and the ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.

• Sound judgment

Bid managers work in conjunction with their teams to create successful bids for their work. This requires the ability to be able to hear the professional opinion and experience of their colleagues and make an informed, confident decision on the bid’s strategy as well as direction. Bid directors must be confident in their abilities and the ability to discern good ideas from bad ones and take quick, efficient decisions regarding the specifics of a bid.

 

• Financial strategy

As a bid manager, the bid you create will convince customers that your business is the best choice to do the task. The final goal is to show your customers that your business offers top-quality services and great value for the money. The most crucial aspect of bid administration is to keep your costs at a minimum and execute a limited budget. If your bid is too high, the odds that your client will accept your bid are very slim.

• Teamwork

Bid managers have to work with associates, support staff clients, and partner agencies to control the company’s bids. The bid manager should keep good working relationships and make use of their charisma to ensure that customers are satisfied. They should also be able to listen to the opinions of others and ensure that all points are considered when preparing the bid.

• Ability to perform under stress

Bid managers frequently have to work with tight deadlines and must deal with changing circumstances. When the deadline for submission gets closer, you could be required to be on the clock for long hours or adapt to shifting circumstances, such as when your business is facing an industrial dispute or you learn that the estimate you submitted was way too low.

• Innovative problem-solving skills

Bid managers are constantly in a battle to bid management professionals from different companies. The most important part of your job is to differentiate your bid from your competition’s which requires the ability to think creatively and solve problems. You must create new ideas and incorporate them into a proposal that is in line with the requirements of your client and goals in terms of budget and schedule.

• Pay attention to details

To submit a winning bid, you need more than merely vague statements about what your business can do and how it plans to achieve it. It is essential to create specific estimates, timetables, as well as contingency strategies. The bidding process is typically complicated with a variety of terms and rules that you’ll need to get yourself with. Knowing how to dive into the process of bid management and examine the final result by focusing on the smallest details can make you a better bid manager

 

How to Become a Bid Manager

• Education

Bid managers don’t technically require any particular education however, since they have a significant presence within the industry of construction, having a degree in engineering is a benefit. A degree in engineering can give you the kind of in-depth understanding of the field that is essential as a bid manager. With an engineering degree at hand, you’ll be more attractive as a bid manager in your field of choice. It’s not easy to be a bid manager without a deep understanding of a specific area or comparable experience. If you aren’t interested in obtaining an Engineering degree, you can choose to pursue a business degree. The highly competitive business of bid management demands certain skills that can be learned in an MBA program.

• Work experience

It depends on the business you work for. The business that employs you will likely require at least five years. As a bid supervisor, you’ll utilize your expertise in the field and the suggestions from your team members to figure out the best bid that a reasonable offer should appear like. While bid managers are most popular in the construction sector but they can also be employed by virtually any company that competes for contracts of major size. For instance, if you intend to work as an auction manager for an organization that constructs roads it is necessary to be as knowledgeable about civil engineering and road construction as you can to meet the requirements of the customer. The process to become an expert in bid management is dependent on the specific industry you will be working. A lot of bid managers have real-world knowledge of the industry they work in. For an instance, the majority of bid managers who specialize in bids for construction have years of experience in the construction sector before they transition into bid management. You could also join the field as a bid writer before moving into more senior positions as a bid manager. Bid writers typically hold a degree in a field that is related to their area of expertise. Construction of roads, manufacturing, education, and printing are a few other industries that could benefit from bid managers. A minimum of five years of experience in the field will help you be more prepared to submit precise bids.

 

Where to Work as a Bid Manager

• Engineering and construction companies (particularly with subcontractors and contractors).
• Facilities management and property management companies
• Tech companies
• Social services
• Health services

 

Bid Manager Salary Scale

The average salary for Bid Managers is $91,610 annually in the United States area, with an average of $79,955 per annum.

The salary for a Bid Manager in Nigeria is 85,000 NGN per month.

Business and Finance

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