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Job Description

Position:

Bid Writer

Salary/Package:

Basic Salary + Non-Sales Incentive

Benefits:

25 days holiday entitlement rising to 28 days after 5 plus years’ service
Holiday Purchase Scheme
2 days for personal wellbeing
Company supported CSR Volunteer Day
Pension – including option to join Salary Sacrifice/Exchange for Pension scheme (SXP)
Electrical Vehicle Salary Sacrifice Scheme
Death in Service – x4 basic salary
Private Medical Insurance available, partially subsidised by Ci
SAGE- Employee Benefits Membership
Corporate gym membership available, partially subsidised by Ci
Salary Sacrifice charity donation scheme
Ci Christmas Savings Club
Ci Lottery
Out of town offices with free parking
Hybrid working arrangement – Mon & Fri optional WFH days

Business Unit:

Bid Management

Reporting to:

Director of Marketing and Opportunity Management

Location/site:

Basingstoke- Hybrid working (3 days in the Basingstoke office)

Vetting requirements:

Yes

Company Overview

Centerprise International (Ci) was established in 1983 and has 40 years of experience and expertise in providing innovative products and services. Our financial strength, and breadth and quality of services offered, together with our enviable record of success in supplying under many framework agreements and winning many government contracts makes Ci one of the leading ICT suppliers. Our cash reserves, recent strategic acquisitions and the quality of contracts held are an assurance of our future growth.

Throughout its history, Ci has evolved to meet market demands and now offers Managed Services and Solution Design to complement our own products

Ci actively seeks to attract talented ambitious individuals, to nurture and develop through their career with the organisation. The Ci Group comprises of wholly owned companies and a joint venture business, so the opportunity to build a wide and varied career path truly exists.

All employees have the opportunity learn from successful, capable business professionals within the organisation, to absorb knowledge and experience first-hand how a thriving privately owned business operates.

Role Description

The bid function at Centerprise plays a central role in supporting the sales divisions to identify and win opportunities within the public and private sector customer base. Centerprise holds significant presence on Public Sector Frameworks and the bid team work closely with the dedicated account managers to develop new business with both new and existing customers.

The Bid Writer plays a pivotal role within the organisation, responsible for crafting compelling and persuasive proposals to secure new business opportunities. This position demands excellent writing skills, meticulous attention to detail, and the ability to work under pressure to meet tight deadlines. The Bid Writer collaborates closely with various teams to gather information and develop winning bid responses that align with the company's strategic objectives.

 

Key Responsibilities:

Proposal Development:

  • Research and understand client requirements, objectives, and evaluation criteria.
  • Draft clear, concise, and tailored bid responses that address client needs and demonstrate the company's capabilities.
  • Collaborate with subject matter experts, technical teams, and other stakeholders to gather relevant information for proposals.
  • Ensure compliance with bid requirements, including formatting, word count, and submission deadlines.

Content Creation:

  • Write compelling content, including executive summaries, technical responses, case studies, and pricing documents.
  • Adapt writing style and tone to resonate with diverse audiences, including public sector clients, corporate entities, and third-party partners.
  • Develop templates, boilerplate content, and reusable materials to streamline the bid writing process and maintain consistency across proposals.

Quality Assurance:

  • Conduct thorough reviews and edits of draft proposals to ensure accuracy, consistency, and alignment with company messaging and branding guidelines.
  • Verify data, statistics, and references to maintain credibility and professionalism in bid submissions.
  • Implement feedback from internal stakeholders and incorporate lessons learned from previous bids to continuously improve proposal quality.

Bid Management:

  • Assist the Bid Manager to coordinate bid kick-off meetings and milestone reviews to initiate and track proposal development progress.
  • Maintain bid documentation, version control, and submission records in a centralised repository.
  • Collaborate with bid managers, sales teams, and senior leadership to prioritise bid opportunities and allocate resources effectively.

Market Analysis:

  • Stay abreast of industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies to inform bid strategies and differentiate the company's offerings.
  • Conduct win/loss analyses and post-bid debriefs to identify areas for improvement and refine bid tactics for future opportunities.

Working Conditions:

  • This role typically operates in an office environment, with occasional remote work opportunities.
  • Flexible working hours may be required to accommodate bid deadlines and client meetings.
  • Travel may be necessary to attend client meetings, conferences, or industry events as needed.

 

As with all personnel within the business, the individual will also be required to show:

  • A commitment to comply with the Company’s Information Security Policy
  • A commitment to promptly report any security weaknesses or incidents.
  • A commitment to adopt and maintain a Health and Safety culture within the Group.

Competencies

Collaborate & Influence Tries to connect with people outside the immediate team and can influence the way others think positively.
Communication Skills Communicates his/her thoughts well and effectively to get the desired message across
Open Communication Is professional and positive in interacting with others and can establish rapport quickly, treating others with courtesy and respect.
Drive for Results Demonstrates a strong work ethic and commitment to seeing tasks through to completion whilst taking responsibility for and taking pride in achieving successful results.
Managing Change Can cope with and adapt to changing situations whilst maintaining high performance levels.
Developing Talent Actively seeks to understand his/her strengths and weaknesses and is committed to continuous self-development.
Innovation Pushes himself/herself to think beyond the obvious, contributing new ideas to enhance ways of working and ensure high-quality deliverables.
Focus & Prioritisation Develops measurable objectives, with management guidance, to focus and prioritise what’s essential, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness in the delivery of work/projects.
Problem Solving Effectively solves routine problems, gathering the information necessary to consider a potential way forward that you can share with your manager.

Experience and Skills

Essential

  • Previous experience in bid writing, proposal management, or business development roles, with a track record of successful bid wins.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and familiarity with CRM systems.

Desirable

  • Proven experience in bid writing, proposal development, or technical writing, preferably within the technology or public sector industry.
  • Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex ideas clearly and persuasively.
  • Strong research and analytical skills to gather and synthesise information from diverse sources.
  • Excellent project management abilities, including multitasking, prioritisation, and time management.
  • Attention to detail and a commitment to producing high-quality, error-free work under tight deadlines.
  • A collaborative mindset with the ability to work effectively in cross-functional teams and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
  • Awareness of governance
  • Good knowledge of ISO accreditations
  • Experience working within UK Public Sector procurement.
  • Experience in authoring winning proposals within strict deadlines

Company Profile

Essential

  • Please note: Due to the requirements of this role, the successful candidate must be able to meet the Government standards to hold Security Clearance.
  • Customer-Centric - Ensure customer satisfaction is our number one priority
  • Commitment - Be true to your work and go the extra mile to deliver on your promise
  • Courage To Challenge - Have the strength to make a difference and don’t be afraid to constructively challenge the status quo
  • Succeed - Be innovative and do all that is reasonable to deliver a positive outcome
  • Dedication - Giving your time and energy in the best interests of the Company

Education/Qualifications/Specific training

Essential

Desirable

  • Bachelor's degree in English, Business, Marketing, or a related field.
  • Relevant certifications such as APMP Foundation or Shipley Proposal Development may be advantageous.
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