Presales Consultant

Job Overview

The Presales Consultant is to assemble and manage a bid team that has the skills to prepare and submit a winning bid, whilst taking ownership of the end-to-end bid process. He/She is responsible for managing an opportunity from initial identification of a customer requirement through to contract renewal strategy.

The Presales Consultant is involved in presales stage ensuring all resources are aligned with the client’s requirements before the bid stage. After bid submission, the Presales Consultant remains involved through the presentation and negotiation stages, ensuring constructive feedback are implemented.

Responsible for the introduction and implementation of all necessary bid procedures, governance, and processes. This role requires an ability to work under pressure to meet challenging deadlines.

Pre-requisites

• Proven track records in solution selling and experience of bid management from opportunity identification through to project delivery

• Have valuable input into value proposition development, opportunity qualification, win strategy, commercial discussions, and solution delivery

• Excellent communicator with proven team leadership qualities in office-based and virtual work environments

• Sound commercial understanding and profit and loss experience coupled with risk management skills

• Strong people management and communication skills

• Ability to manage complex, multi workstream opportunities

• Solid understanding and management of internal governance procedures

Job Responsibilities

• Devise successful strategy for winning a bid, including identifying key unique selling points (key differentiators) and translating them into clear and compelling win themes in the bid submission

• Understanding of company’s operating and profit margins and clients’ specific requirements

• Manage the end-to-end bid process

• Manage virtual bid teams and inputs from key stakeholders, engaging with sales, marketing, product teams, finance, commercial, legal and project management/ delivery

• Understand and resolve complex technical, strategic and business issues

• Prepare and review commercial aspects of the bid, ensuring all products and services are included in the final price to the customers

• Risk tracking and management throughout the bid process

• Work with key project team members and the clients to obtain required information to compile the bid

• Researching, write and/or review proposals both in terms of content and presentation (such as providing guidance around the executive summary)

• Negotiate with specialist suppliers and/or subcontractors

• Manage the bid budget, monitor and report on overall performance against KPIs

• Ensure timescales are achieved at each step of the bid process, including all internal governance, while taking the initiative in setting realistic deadlines

• Ensure on-time submission of compliant and commercially sound bids

• Respond to clients’ and other stakeholders’ queries before, during and after the bid is submitted

• Co-ordinate and plan all client presentations and demonstrations required as part of the bid submission

• Upon successful bid, knowledge transfer to the delivery team

• Drive continuous improvement, through post-bid reviews, internally and with customers