Bid Manager

THE ROLE

Affinity Fire Engineering is a specialist fire safety consultancy working with a diverse range of clients and sectors throughout the UK and Ireland. We are looking for an experienced Bid Manager to take ownership of our end-to-end bid process, helping us identify opportunities and produce compelling, compliant and competitive tender submissions.

Working closely with the directors and our technical teams, you will independently manage bids from opportunity identification through to submission and review. You will bring strong project management, commercial awareness and written communication skills, ensuring each submission reflects our expertise, quality and values.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manage the end-to-end bid process for public and private sector tenders, frameworks and proposals, coordinating activity from initial opportunity through to submission.
• Monitor tender portals, frameworks and other sources to identify and track relevant opportunities.
• Coordinate with directors to assess opportunities, agree bid priorities and develop the approach for each submission.
• Lead bid kick-off meetings, establish timelines and responsibilities, and identify key win themes and differentiators.
• Coordinate contributions from fire engineers, directors and support teams, ensuring submissions are accurate, consistent and delivered on time.
• Write, edit and proofread persuasive, tailored bid responses, translating technical information into clear content that meets the client’s requirements.
• Manage bid schedules and competing deadlines, keeping contributors informed and submissions progressing.
• Maintain and develop a central library of bid content, case studies, CVs, project examples and standard responses.
• Review tender requirements and submission criteria to ensure responses are complete, compliant, on brand and submitted in the required format.
• Work with directors and relevant colleagues to gather commercial information and ensure proposals are aligned with agreed pricing and scope.
• Maintain records of bid activity and outcomes, support post-submission reviews and identify lessons that can improve future bids.
• Keep up to date with relevant procurement processes, tender requirements and developments in the construction, engineering and fire safety sectors.
• Ensure bid messaging reflects Affinity’s expertise, project achievements, company values and position in the market.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

You will be a proactive, organised and detail-focused professional who is comfortable taking ownership of your workload and managing the bid process independently, while working collaboratively with directors and technical colleagues.

• Proven experience in a Bid Manager, Proposal Manager or similar bid-focused role.
• Experience within construction, engineering or professional services; construction industry experience is essential.
• Excellent written communication, editing and proofreading skills, with the ability to turn technical input into clear, persuasive responses.
• Strong project management and organisational skills, including the ability to manage several submissions and deadlines at once.
• A methodical, quality-focused approach and a high level of attention to detail.
• Confidence coordinating input from a range of stakeholders and following up to keep work on track.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to understand tender requirements, client needs and proposal scope.
• Experience with tender portals, frameworks and procurement processes.
• The ability to work autonomously, use initiative and raise key decisions or risks with the directors at the right time.

WHAT WE OFFER

• £40,000–£44,000 per annum, depending on experience.
• Enrolment in the company bonus scheme, paid twice annually.
• Hybrid working, with a genuine focus on work/life balance.
• 33 days’ annual leave, including bank holidays.
• A nine-day fortnight following successful completion of probation, with every other Friday off and no requirement to make up the hours.
• Flexible working, with an eight-hour working day structured to suit you between 7am and 7pm.
• Company pension scheme, with a 5% employer contribution and 3% employee contribution.
• Monthly wellbeing challenges, with prizes of up to £150 per month.
• Access to the company private healthcare scheme.
• Access to an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), including 24/7 access to support from doctors and healthcare professionals.
• A supportive …