Bid Manager - UK Defence

Bid Manager – UK DefenceComplex Engineering | Defence | Hybrid Working | MidlandsBid ManagerUK Defence SectorComplex Engineering & ManufacturingHybrid WorkingMidlandsSalary circa £70,00010% Employer PensionExcellent Benefits PackageLong-Term Career DevelopmentMercury Hampton is exclusively retained on behalf of a highly successful UK engineering manufacturer operating within the defence sector.Our client is an established, financially strong business with decades of experience delivering highly engineered solutions into some of the world's most demanding and safety-critical environments. Continued investment, sustained growth and a healthy long-term order book have created an opportunity for an experienced Bid Manager to join their commercial team.This is an excellent opportunity to play a pivotal role within a growing organisation, leading complex bids that support strategically important UK and international defence programmes while working alongside engineering, commercial and operational teams.The RoleYou will take ownership of the complete bid lifecycle, managing multiple high-value opportunities from qualification through to submission and contract handover.Working closely with Business Development, Engineering, Commercial, Finance and Operations, you will ensure every submission is commercially competitive, technically robust and fully compliant with customer requirements.This position offers significant autonomy and influence, allowing you to help shape bid strategy, improve processes and contribute directly to future business growth.Key responsibilities include:Managing the complete end-to-end bid processCoordinating multidisciplinary bid teams across engineering, commercial and operational functionsDeveloping bid strategies for complex engineering opportunitiesProducing compelling, compliant and commercially competitive proposalsManaging pricing, commercial approvals and contractual documentationCoordinating customer clarification activities throughout the tender processMaintaining bid documentation, content libraries and proposal templatesDriving continuous improvement through lessons learned and bid performance analysisSupporting the implementation of modern bid management tools and best practice methodologiesThe PersonWe are seeking an experienced Bid Manager with a proven track record of delivering successful bids within the UK defence sector.You'll be comfortable managing complex opportunities involving multiple stakeholders and be capable of translating technical information into clear, compelling customer proposals.You will ideally possess:Previous Bid or Proposal Management experience within UK defenceExperience managing complex engineering or manufacturing tendersStrong knowledge of defence procurement and competitive tender processesExcellent project management and stakeholder engagement skillsCommercial awareness with experience of pricing and contractual documentationOutstanding written communication and proposal development abilityA structured, organised and detail-oriented approachExperience with recognised bid management methodologies would be advantageousEligibility to obtain UK Security Clearance (or existing clearance)The OpportunityThis is a fantastic opportunity to join a growing engineering business supplying critical projects within the defence sector.The successful candidate will receive:Salary circa £70,00010% employer pension contributionHybrid workingExcellent benefits packageLong-term career progressionOpportunity to work on technically challenging, high-value engineering programmesStable business with continued investment and ambitious growth plansIf you're an experienced Bid Manager looking for your next challenge within the UK defence industry, we'd love to hear from you.Please click Apply or contact Mercury Hampton for a confidential discussion. We aim to respond to all successful applicants within two working days.