Summary: The Manufacturing Bid Lead will spearhead bid initiatives within the manufacturing sector for a client associated with the UK's Ministry of Defence. This role requires a deep understanding of manufacturing processes and the ability to create competitive bids while ensuring compliance with industrial policies. The successful candidate will also foster relationships with stakeholders and support the New Business Team in identifying opportunities. The position is based at the client's Bolton facility, a key manufacturing site for over 25 years.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead manufacturing bids, ensuring clarity of scope within the Bid Directive and alignment with industrial policy.
• Generate cost bases for manufacturing bids using Excel, analysing data for quantifiable and evidence-backed 3-point estimates.
• Create competitive and compliant manufacturing bids using PowerPoint, assessing risks and ensuring financial soundness.
• Ensure manufacturing consistently provides value-added contributions to the bid directive.
• Develop and maintain strong collaborative relationships with key stakeholders, providing forward visibility of future bids and market intelligence through regular meetings.
• Ensure manufacturing is a key stakeholder throughout the project/product life-cycle, prepared to deliver competitive and compliant bid proposals.
• Raise awareness of the Manufacturing Bid Team across all programs.
• Support the New Business Team in identifying new business opportunities and developing winning strategies.
• Actively participate in functional and strategic change activities, supporting best practices and functional excellence.
• Continuously improve manufacturing processes and procedures, ensuring competitiveness checks are in place and costs reflect the latest assumptions.

Key Skills:

• Thorough understanding of the manufacturing production process, from procurement to delivery.
• Commercially astute, with expertise in cost models for direct/indirect costs, materials, and other manufacturing-related expenses.
• Strong presentation skills, capable of creating and presenting bid packs and cost brochures to senior management using PowerPoint.
• Excellent communication skills, adept at building networks and strong relationships across multi-functional teams and stakeholders.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team, with a proactive and self-motivated approach.
• Skilled in articulating costing theories and ensuring evidence is collected for audit purposes.
• Experience in applying lessons learned for continuous improvement in the bidding process.
• Capable of working to tight deadlines across multiple bids, with logical thinking and data analysis skills.
• High-level communication skills, able to interface with key stakeholders, respond to complex situations, and influence the function and wider business.
• Enthusiastic, proactive, and tenacious, with the ability to prioritise strategic business needs while managing day-to-day tactical decisions.

Salary (Rate): £33.00

City: Bolton

Country: United Kingdom

Working Arrangements: on-site

IR35 Status: inside IR35

Seniority Level: Mid-Level

Industry: Other