Program Manager (proposal delivery)

Assigned on operational bids, managing small team of proposal writers (technical solution subject matter experts) and document managers. Overall responsibility for managing proposal opportunities as assigned throughout entire proposal project life cycle. Plays an active part of the overall Bid Team, challenging solutions, driving best practice and ensuring on time, high quality and excellently articulated customer deliverables.

Key-result areas.
1. Manage the proposal project, working closely with the Engagement Manager and Account Manager
2. Produce & manage the proposal project plan (including risk analysis & contingency planning), ensuring that all necessary activities are completed on time
3. Facilitate Pre-Proposal Planning meetings, with the opportunity team, to ensure the appropriate steps are taken to maximise the proposal's chances of success
4. Build the proposal team - identify & brief the staff who need to be involved, and ensure their focus and motivation
5. On a project-by-project basis, co-ordinate and manage the activities of the other proposal centre staff who may be involved in the proposal
6. Facilitate the proposal strategy meeting, with the account team and other key proposal contributors, to establish a clear strategy (based on customer & competitive analysis) and to 'storyboard' proposal content
7. Coach and chase content contributors as required - managing content quality reviews
8. Review and critique content as it is produced by the contributors and Proposal Managers. Ensure that the overall document tells a consistent and clear story.
9. Ensure that all relevant processes are followed as required (e.g. qualification, approvals), and lead meetings as required
10. Coach the bid presentation team if required (slide development, logistics, rehearsals etc.)
11. Lead proposal learning reviews (providing objective facilitation, and developing clear action plans)
12. Once a proposal has been submitted, identify new content that may be re-usable via the team's pre-written content library
13. Suggest, lead and contribute to projects to improve our client's bid and proposal management capabilities
14. Responsible for the on time delivery of all allocated proposal projects ensuring the highest quality of customer deliverables.

Knowledge, skills and experience required.
1. Ideally, holding at least Foundation Level APMP accreditation, with a clear plan in place to reach certified Practitioner Level within three years in service
2. Bachelor degree in a numerate, business or languages discipline or significant relevant experience.
3. Clear understanding of strategic proposal management processes, including pre-proposal planning, strategy development and storyboarding – as well as overall proposal project management
4. Excellent facilitation skills – able to build & motivate proposal teams, generate creativity, act as an effective “devil’s advocate”. Understand and use a range of effective facilitation techniques.
5. Able to quickly establish credibility and rapport with sales & business staff and to form teams across organisational boundaries
6. Strong project management skill-set and mindset; able to manage teams and projects under tight time pressure
7. ‘Business-savvy' – some IT / transport market understanding ideal (but not essential from Day One)
8. Good purchasing empathy (able to “read between the lines” of the RFP to identify the customer’s drivers).
9. Strong strategic thinking (to develop proposal strategies, with the account team)
10. Enthusiasm for working in an intensive, deadline-driven and high-profile role
11. Good strategic proposal writing skills (able to cover Proposal Writer role as required)
12. Able to work effectively on multiple, concurrent projects
13. Able to deputise on occasion for the Director

Experience
1. Minimum of eight years of experience within commercial industry, ideally IT, telecoms,transport or managed services provision, of which a minimum of four years’ experience must have been within the field of bids & proposals – in purchasing and/or sales - of which at least two should have been spent on the vendor side of the table.

Typically will also act as the bid manager for deal size of $10 million and below.