Bid Manager

Bid Manager (3-Month Contract)Flexible, UK-Based (Remote with Occasional Office Visits)Publishing Firm - Assessment Services DivisionRate: £500p.d. Start Date: Mid-to-late April (with handover period)

Are you a highly experienced Bid Manager looking for a flexible freelance opportunity in a globally recognised publishing firm? We're seeking an exceptional individual to support our busy Assessment Services division on a short-term contract while we recruit a permanent team member.

This is a part-time/freelance role, ideally suited to someone who thrives in a fast-paced, agile environment and enjoys delivering high-quality, compliant and compelling proposals. The contract is for an initial 3-month term, with flexible working hours and remote working from anywhere in the UK, though some office visits may be required during the onboarding phase.

There is potential for the successful candidate to move into a permanent role, should they be a strong fit for the team.

As our Bid Manager, you will take ownership of the end-to-end bid process-from opportunity identification to submission-working with international business development leads and cross-functional teams. You will manage a diverse portfolio of bids, including short-term service-specific proposals and long-term strategic contracts ranging in value from £500k to £50m+.

You'll play a key role in shaping our future growth, contributing to both rapid-response bids and large-scale, structured procurement efforts.

• Lead the complete bid process from opportunity tracking to proposal submission.
• Coordinate matrix teams, including internal stakeholders, SMEs, consultants, and partners.
• Manage bid budgets and timelines, ensuring quality and compliance throughout.
• Contribute to commercial strategy, financial modelling, and price-to-win analysis.
• Own and maintain the bid content library, enhancing standard templates and boilerplates.
• Apply innovative tools, including AI, to improve efficiency and impact of bid responses.
• Monitor bid portals, circulate opportunities, and coordinate bid/no-bid decisions.

• Proven track record in end-to-end bid management, ideally within education or technology sectors.
• Experience managing complex, multi-disciplinary bids for government or related agencies.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience in financial modelling and risk management.
• Ability to lead virtual teams and drive results in high-pressure, deadline-driven environments.
• Familiarity with formal bid methodologies and processes (e.g. APM, PRINCE2, APMP).
• Flexible availability - must be able to work on a call-on/call-off basis aligned to bid demand.

• Relevant professional certifications (e.g. APMP Foundation, PRINCE2, APM).
• Knowledge of EU procurement law and public sector acquisition processes.
• Experience applying AI or digital tools in bid development.
• Strong organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple bids simultaneously.

In our company values we aim for equity at all stages of the recruitment process, please let us know if we can do anything to make the process more accessible to you.