Job Description
OPM is seeking a Senior Bid Specialist on a permanent basis.
This is an exciting role with opportunities to gain indepth experience in the Bid and Acquisitions Team at OPM and incorporates two main strands:
You will be working in collaboration with the relevant Project Manager and technical leads to coordinate and deliver the bid preparation for large and / or complex bids
Work in conjunction with the Acquisition Manager and Senior Bid Commercial Manager to identify and initiate ways to develop and improve the company’s tendering processes and tender resources to provide specialist advice and ongoing bid quality assurance, manage large bids to ensure effective internal and external coordination, drafting and adapting non-technical and technical inputs so they are specific to the Terms of Reference, and developing and improving the company’s tendering processes and tender resources.
Day to day responsibilities for this role (not exhaustive - please view job description for full diuies):
- Support the Bid Officer and Project Manager on the completion of the Bid Checklist
- Develop and maintain the bid timeframe ensuring that inputs are submitted on time
- Advise and support prepositioning analysis and input into project go/no-go decisions through providing market analysis, competitor analysis and OPM’s SWOT, client advice and shared learning.
- Contribute to the formulation of the bidding strategy, taking into consideration client trends, ToRs requirements, competitors’ approach and OPM team’s configuration and capacity
- Work in tandem with the Commercial Bid Manager (CBM) to ensure a sound commercial business case in line with the technical approach.
- Minimising risk to the business and ensuring tenders are submitted in line with the OPM policies and process, keeping open communication channels and lead on consultations with Global Finance Director, Project Manager Unit Team Leader, the Resourcing & Recruitment Manager, Project Service Manager and Senior Legal Counsel.
- Drafting and adapting non-technical - and technical as appropriate – inputs, so they are specific to the Terms of Reference.
- Contribute to the development and identification of the bid consortium and project team members
- Deal with external subcontractors including writers, designers and copy-editors.
- Providing strategic advice throughout the tender process as well as an ongoing assurance function throughout the tender, promoting best-practice.
- Supervise the product aesthetics and presentation; including adherence to OPM branding, length and readability of the text, use of data-visualisation and diagrams
- Participate in appropriate capability networks to ensure feedback, lesson learning and continuous improvement.
- Promote best practice tendering and sharing learning across the organisation and through reviews on tenders and tendering processes.
- Represent OPM at client and market events as appropriate, to increase OPM’s knowledge and networking.
- Provide coaching and mentoring to other members of the acquisition team.
Successful candidates will be able to display the following essential skills, knowledge and experiences:
- Educated to degree level ideally in economics, international development, politics, business or another relevant field.
- Demonstrated ability to write winning proposals, and strong knowledge of tendering requirements, legalities, and guidelines for consulting services.
- DFID/FCDO tendering experience
- Knowledge of best practice on how to manage large and complex projects with a proven ability in planning, multi-tasking, producing and delivering complex documents to deadline within a high-pressure environment.
- Pro-active and flexible approach to work: ability to work on own initiative, particularly able to draft text and diagrams given limited direction and subject area knowledge
- Ability to work under pressure, managing multiple challenging deadlines in a busy environment, remaining calm & composed in potentially stressful situations
- Excellent organisation skills with strong attention to detail, strong time management / prioritisation skills
- Strong people skills; ability to communicate, influence and motivate people at all levels of the organisation including at senior and director level
- Strong written English language skills
- Strong numerical skills, with the ability to prepare and analyse large budgets, excellent financial and commercial acumen
- MS Office, particularly advanced levels of Word, Excel and PowerPoint
If you meet the criteria above, we would really like to hear from you. Please apply with your CV through the portal by the closing date at 23.59pm (UK time).
About the Organization
We are an international development consultancy committed to helping low- and middle-income countries achieve growth and reduce poverty and disadvantage through public policy reform.
Working in all areas of social and economic policy and governance, we seek to bring about lasting positive change through analytical and practical policy expertise. Through our global network of offices, we work in partnership with national decision makers to research, design, implement, and evaluate impactful public policy in over 100 countries.
We draw on our local and international sector experts, alongside a network of expert associates and dedicated support staff, to provide the very best evidence-based support.
