Bids Executive

Job Description

Department: Business Development

Location: Manchester, Dublin, Glasgow, Edinburgh

Job Title: Bids Executive

Reports to: Bids Manager/Senior Exec

About this role

The role sits within our Central Bids team, comprising c20 bid professionals, supporting the firm's key global sectors, legal practice areas and locations.  The team's focussed support has seen the firm achieve significant process and win rate improvements.

You will have responsibility for managing the production of practice group bids.   You will work closely with the Bids Manager and Bid Partners leading the opportunities, advising on bid best practice at all stages. You will co-ordinate the firm during the process and have project management and creative oversight to deliver the bid on time.

What personal qualities do you need?

Our team works very collaboratively, helping each other out when needed. We want someone who will contribute to this and work well with others.  Being diplomatic, tactful, proactive and someone who will work to gain the trust and respect of senior people are also key attributes. Good organisational skills and attention to detail are a must.

Bidding experience is of course a necessity, but you don't need to be from a legal services background.  Our team is made up of people from all kinds of industries. More important to us than finding someone with professional services experience and having someone join the team with the right energy, resilience and enthusiasm. 

How we will support you?

Full induction into Pinsent Masons, the culture, the people and the role.  We'll invest in you - you'll have access to training to refresh or develop new skills, and regular dialogue with others in the team and your direct line manager.  We pride ourselves on this aspect, having seen the benefit of junior team members growing within their roles and then rising through our team structure.

Main duties and responsibilities:  The role will focus on transactional bids covering specific practice groups.

• Project / bid management – managing the bids process from start to finish
• Input to bid strategy – working with bid teams to identify key themes and messages
• Creative input to proposal documentation – producing high quality documents (document and interview stage)
• Client engagement – at scoping and debrief
• Working closely with the Bid Managers on larger bids
• Using our BD tools to collate the most relevant material efficiently
• Taking responsibility for managing pre-qualification stages – qualifying the opportunity, managing Partners and other stakeholders through this stage and producing the complete response
• Working alongside more senior members of the team throughout presentation stage, contributing to rehearsals and taking ownership of supporting materials

Other projects:

• Content management – maintaining and enhancing pre-written content, guides and other standard materials to expand and improve our automated content library
• Reporting – producing reports and analysis of bid activity to inform business decisions
• Other projects – involvement in internal projects to improve bid information flow, analysis and best practice within the firm

Person Specification

Qualifications: Degree qualified or equivalent preferred, but not mandatory

Relevant Experience:

• At least 1 year of experience managing bids, providing advice on approach and strategy 
• Writing and editing copy for client facing documents
• Coaching presentation teams 
• Legal or other professional services sector experience preferred

Key Skills:

• Managing, guiding and advising throughout a bidding process
• Motivated and confident with good communication skills
• Creative – providing creative solutions to a client's problems and able to visualise alternative ways of presenting information
• Project and time management skills – juggling different bids and priorities at the same time while ensuring deadlines are met
• Excellent writing skills and editing skills
• Strong document production skills (MS Word and PowerPoint)