Senior Bid Writer

Around the world, SYSTRA’s specialists plan, design, integrate, test, commission, project manage and deliver mass transit and mobility solutions that are relied on by more than 50 million people every day.

For more than 60 years, the Group has been committed to helping cities and regions contribute to their development by creating, improving and modernising their transport infrastructure with sustainability, accessibility and innovation at the heart of our designs. With over 10,300 colleagues globally and around 1000 in the UK & Ireland we are growing significantly and seeking out the very best talent to join the SYSTRA signature team and be part of leading the way in infrastructure design.

Context

As part of SYSTRA’s bid team, you will play a key role in contributing to the expansion of our business by being a champion for the Quality aspect of bidding.

For larger bids, you will work as an integral part of the Bid Team, working with the Bid Manager and Subject Matter Experts directly to craft and/or review responses to ensure they meet the client’s tender requirements and score maximum marks in evaluation. To support smaller bids, you will help to provide suitable resources such as guidance and model responses, and provide advice and support as needed. A key part of your role will to disseminate good practice in bid writing to our bid teams and technical staff through training and ongoing engagement.

Missions/Main Duties

• Work with the Bid directors and Bid Managers to develop a proposal structure and produce written bid responses and presentation collateral in line with deadlines.
• Reviewing and editing previously written content where necessary, working with other bid team members and wider SYSTRA group employees to gather evidence and craft compelling win themes/propositions.
• Write effective, concise, and compelling content while under the pressure of deadlines.
• Writing content for bid presentations and all supporting documentation, ensuring a cohesive and consistent alignment to bid submissions.
• Construct a response which pulls together information gleaned from a variety of sources in a format which is both interesting and comprehensive.
• Support other bid team members to give them confidence to write and produce materials themselves.
• Support the development of the bid library content.
• Carry audits of past bids for quality and continuous improvement
• Engage with clients on each opportunity to ensure thorough understanding of their current and future needs.
• Review preliminary bid documents to recommend go/no go decisions in line with our business strategy to maximise the probability of success.
• Be familiar with the design and technical capabilities, and operational processes and procedures and team leaders within SYSTRA group
• Engage with the broader UK organisation to develop close working relationships and leverage joint technical capability.
• Write key elements of the bid responses with assistance from colleagues as needed and ensuring commercial requirements and risks are considered and mitigated.
• Champion continuous improvement through lessons learnt for future bids/proposals and by engaging with SYSTRA Group’s ‘Bid Excellence’ team.

General:

• Where required, negotiate with Systra department managers for the allocation of technical and engineering personnel from within the Company.
• With the HR Department, contribute to the performance management process for staff assigned to the post holder.
• Manage commercial aspects of the bid process, including budgets, updating of Systra’s financial systems, and assisting the finance and commercial teams with project invoicing.
• Develop and deliver progress reports and presentations to internal stakeholders.
• Co-ordinate with the HR department and support Health, Safety and Welfare initiatives, project and Company-wide.
• Promote and sustain a constructive, supportive, and collaborative working relationship with clients, external and internal, immediate, and senior management, and other work colleagues.
• Responsibilities may include being involved with interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance and resolving problems.
• Compliance with all Health and Safety requirements outlined in Systra Ltd.’s Business Management System.

Profile/Skills

Degree or recognised engineering qualifications.

Experience

• Proven track record of successful bid/proposal quality response delivery with a sound understanding of commercial and contract terms.
• Ability to understand client needs and translate these into concrete technical solutions.

Skills

• Excellent communication skills and collaboration skills are essential for the role
• Ability to work as a member of cross-cultural teams in different time zones
• Ability to make decisions in a time-pressurised situations
• Ability to write concise and accurate answers in perfect English
• Experience in InDesign and similar deign packages is desirable
• Professional approach with the ability to motivate others
• Good engineering and technical knowledge and the willingness and ability to learn quickly
• Self-motivated with excellent personal time management skills

..

Why SYSTRA?