Bids and Proposals Manager - EMEA

Role Overview

The Bids and Proposals Manager leads the development and submission of high‑quality, fully compliant bids and proposals for defence and aerospace technology programs. This role manages complex, high‑value pursuits across global government, defence, and aerospace customers, often involving multinational teams, partners, and subcontractors.

The role requires strong cross‑cultural communication skills and global business acumen, ensuring proposals are culturally aligned, commercially sound, and compliant with international regulations while supporting long‑term strategic growth in global markets.

Key Responsibilities

Bid & Proposal Leadership

• Manage the end‑to‑end bid lifecycle for defence and aerospace technology tenders, including qualification, strategy development, submission, and post‑bid review
• Develop bid strategies aligned with global capture plans, win themes, and regional customer priorities
• Manage complex bid schedules across multiple time zones and international stakeholders
• Ensure adherence to internal governance, approval, and compliance frameworks

Global Business & Cross‑Cultural Engagement

• Coordinate bid activities across international teams, regions, and cultures, ensuring effective collaboration and alignment
• Adapt proposal messaging, tone, and structure to suit regional procurement norms and customer expectations
• Work effectively with global partners, joint ventures, and subcontractors in multinational pursuits
• Demonstrate cultural sensitivity and awareness when engaging with government and defence customers worldwide

Government, Regulatory & Security Compliance

• Ensure full compliance with applicable international regulations and customer requirements, including:
• FAR / DFARS and equivalent international frameworks
• Export controls (ITAR, EAR, and local export regimes)
• Security, confidentiality, and classification obligations
• Coordinate closely with Legal, Security, and Compliance teams to manage cross‑border risks

Cross‑Functional Coordination

• Act as the central point of coordination across Engineering, Program Management, Finance, Legal, Security, Supply Chain, and Capture teams globally
• Facilitate bid kick‑offs, color reviews, and executive decision gates involving international leadership
• Manage inputs from global SMEs, partners, and suppliers

Proposal Development & Quality

• Lead proposal architecture, compliance matrices, and evaluation scoring alignment
• Write, edit, and integrate technical, management, and commercial content as required
• Ensure proposals are clear, compelling, and tailored to both technical evaluation criteria and cultural expectations
• Maintain global proposal templates, content libraries, and best practices

Commercial, Risk & Cost Management

• Support development of global pricing, cost models, and risk assessments
• Ensure consistency between technical solutions, delivery models, and commercial terms across regions
• Identify and mitigate cross‑border commercial, contractual, and delivery risks

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Track bid performance, win/loss analysis, and regional trends
• Incorporate lessons learned into global bid standards and processes, working with the US Bid and Capture teams as necessary.
• Drive continuous improvement in multinational bid execution and governance, including using AI tools as appropriate.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong bid leadership experience in global, regulated environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, adaptable across cultures
• High level of cultural awareness and sensitivity
• Commercial mindset with understanding of international defence markets
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Ability to influence and collaborate across diverse, matrixed organizations

Experience & Qualifications

• Extensive experience managing bids and proposals in defence, aerospace, or advanced technology sectors
• Proven success delivering complex, multinational proposals for government or prime contractor customers
• Experience working with international teams, partners, or joint ventures
• Understanding of global defence procurement frameworks and export control regulations
• Degree in Business, Engineering, Aerospace, or related field (preferred)
• APMP certification (Foundation, Practitioner, or Professional) strongly preferred
• Eligibility for government security clearance (or existing clearance) desirable