Bid Manager

We’re seeking a motivated, meticulous and experienced Bid Manager to lead our work-winning efforts across the practice.

About the role

This is a pivotal role in a business where winning new work is essential to our continued success and impact in the conservation and heritage sector.

You’ll be responsible for managing the full lifecycle of bids and proposals — from initial opportunity identification through to submission and post-bid review. Working closely with Directors, Associates, our collaborators and project teams, you’ll ensure our submissions are compelling, compliant, and aligned with our values and strategic goals.

This role sits within our central business support team and collaborates with colleagues across marketing, graphics, finance, and project management.

Key responsibilities include:

• Lead and manage the end-to-end bid process for EOIs, PQQs, RFPs, ITTs and design competitions.
• Coordinate inputs from internal teams and external consultants to produce high-quality, branded submissions.
• Write, edit and proof-read bid content, ensuring clarity, consistency and alignment with client requirements.
• Develop and maintain a library of reusable bid content, case studies, CVs and graphics.
• Monitor procurement portals and manage the procurement inbox.
• Conduct post-bid reviews and gather client feedback to inform future submissions.
• Track and report on bid activity, success rates, and associated costs.
• Support Directors and project teams in preparing for interviews and presentations.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of bid processes and tools.

What we think you need

These are the essential qualities and experiences we believe will help you thrive in this role:

• Proven experience managing bids in a professional services environment — ideally architecture, design, construction or heritage consulting.
• Strong writing and editing skills, with the ability to craft persuasive, client-focused content.
• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple deadlines and stakeholders.
• High attention to detail in both written and visual content.
• Strong interpersonal skills, able to collaborate effectively across teams and seniority levels.
• Commercial awareness and understanding of fee structures and procurement processes.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign and Photoshop).
• A demonstrable interest in architecture, design, or historic buildings.

What we’d like you to have

These are desirable but not essential — they’ll help you go even further in the role:

• Experience working within a conservation or heritage-focused business.
• Familiarity with project resource planning and time-based billing structures.
• Knowledge of procurement platforms and eTendering systems.
• Experience developing bid strategies and win themes.
• Understanding of public sector procurement frameworks.
• Skills in InDesign, Microsoft Project and/or similar planning tools.
• Experience in leading coordinated bid campaigns or design competitions.

How to apply

Please send your CV, a short cover letter and any supporting information to: recruitment@dia.co.uk