Senior Proposals Manager

Position: Proposals Manager - Water Sector (Kent)

Location: Kent (hybrid working options available)

Employment Type: Permanent

Salary: Highly Competitive + Excellent Benefits

Are you a highly strategic and experienced Proposals Manager with a passion for winning bids in the water sector? Do you have a proven track record of leading teams and developing compelling proposals that secure major projects? If so, our client, a leading name in the water infrastructure and environmental services industry, has an outstanding opportunity for you.

We are seeking a talented and driven Proposals Manager to join and lead part of our client's pre-construction and bid management function, based in Kent. This is a crucial management role where you will be instrumental in securing new contracts and contributing significantly to the continued success of their work within the Southern Water region.

The Role

As the Proposals Manager, you will be responsible for spearheading and overseeing the end-to-end proposal development process for a diverse range of water and wastewater projects, primarily for Southern Water. This is a leadership position, blending hands-on proposal work with strategic oversight and team guidance. Your key responsibilities will include:

Strategic Bid Leadership: Developing and implementing winning bid strategies, leading the technical and commercial solution development, and ensuring alignment with client requirements and strategic objectives.
Team Management & Mentoring: Managing and mentoring a team of proposals engineers and bid coordinators, fostering their development, and ensuring high-quality output.
End-to-End Proposal Management: Taking ultimate ownership of the entire proposal lifecycle, from initial expression of interest through to final submission, client presentations, and post-submission clarifications.
Content Excellence: Overseeing and contributing to the writing, editing, and quality assurance of all proposal documentation, ensuring clarity, conciseness, persuasiveness, and adherence to brand standards.
Cross-functional Collaboration: Collaborating closely with engineering, operations, commercial, finance, and project management teams to gather robust technical information, accurate costings, and realistic schedules.
Client Engagement & Presentations: Leading and participating in key client presentations and discussions, effectively articulating proposed solutions and the value proposition.
Risk & Opportunity Management: Proactively identifying, assessing, and mitigating commercial and technical risks within bids, while leveraging opportunities for competitive advantage.
Market & Client Intelligence: Maintaining a deep understanding of industry trends, competitor activities, and Southern Water's investment plans (e.g., AMP cycles) to inform and shape winning bid strategies.
Process Improvement: Driving continuous improvement initiatives to enhance proposal quality, efficiency, and success rates across the team.

About You

To excel in this leadership role, you will bring:

Significant experience as a Proposals Manager, Senior Bid Manager, or a similar leadership role within the UK water or wastewater industry.
A proven track record of successfully leading teams and winning complex, multi-million-pound bids.
A deep understanding of water and wastewater treatment processes, infrastructure, and relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g., AMP cycles).
Exceptional leadership, communication (both written and verbal), and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels.
Strong commercial acumen and a comprehensive understanding of various contract forms (e.g., NEC).
Highly organised with superior project and team management abilities, capable of overseeing multiple bids simultaneously to tight deadlines.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite; experience with bid management software is advantageous.
A relevant degree in engineering, environmental science, business, or a related discipline is highly desirable.

Why Apply?

This is an outstanding permanent opportunity to lead a critical function within a highly respected organisation that is making a significant impact on water infrastructure in the South East. Our client offers:

The chance to lead on high-profile bids for a key water utility, shaping future projects in the region.
A competitive salary package and an excellent benefits scheme, including a company car or car allowance, generous holiday allowance, pension, and private health insurance.
A dynamic and collaborative working environment with hybrid working options, offering a good work-life balance.
Significant opportunities for professional development and career progression within a growing and innovative company.If you are a strategic and results-driven Proposals Manager with a robust background in the water sector and are looking for your next challenging permanent leadership role in Kent, we encourage you to apply!

Apply Now by submitting your CV and a compelling cover letter outlining your relevant experience and why you are the ideal candidate for this role to [Your Agency Email Address/Application Portal].

Randstad CPE values diversity and promotes equality. No terminology in this advert is intended to discriminate against any of the protected characteristics that fall under the Equality Act 2010. We encourage and welcome applications from all sections of society and are more than happy to discuss reasonable adjustments and/or additional arrangements as required to support your application.

Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the UK.

For the purposes of the Conduct Regulations 2003, when advertising permanent vacancies we are acting as an Employment Agency, and when advertising temporary/contract vacancies we are acting as an Employment Business