London, UK
Senior bid manager
at MCM
MCM is seeking a senior bid manager to join its team in London.
MCM is not a typical architecture and design practice. What we do extends beyond aesthetics and functionality. And just as we put people at the centre of our responses, we put our clients at the centre of our marketing and business development initiatives.
As we grow our share of the market, we need a forward-thinking, strategic and driven senior bid manager to lead our pitch strategy and process. From initial lead qualification through to final pitch presentation, we need you to ensure MCM is a cut above the rest.
Aim of the role
In this role you’ll need to develop and implement a considered MCM pitching approach to increase quality, consistency and our success rate. You’ll need to champion the MCM strategy and brand throughout the process while guiding, educating and managing the client pitch team. We need to ensure that our pitch responses articulate clearly how we can help clients achieve on their project purpose.
This role sits within the marketing and business development who are responsible for delivering all facets of MCM’s brand awareness and lead generation. Core activities outlined below represent an overview of the role but should not be a prescriptive list of activities. As a developing role, MCM recognises that support will be required to develop elements of the role itself and will commit to doing so.
Core acitivites
Pitching responsibilities:
- project managing the pitching process from start to finish – including internal pitch milestones, scheduling of meetings and rehearsals, roles and responsibilities, and ensuring key deadlines are met
- leading structured kick-off and update meetings during the pitch process
- researching clients to give our teams a better understanding of who they are pitching to
- working with the directors and associates to map out existing relationships, what projects we have undertaken with the client, and other relevant clients
- providing strategic advice on key messaging, pitch team, our differentiators, competitor intelligence and pitch format
- developing our proposition and key messaging, ensuring it aligns to the client’s commercial and design needs
- reviewing pitch response documents and collateral to ensure that we are addressing the client’s requirements and that key messages are integrated throughout
- managing, drafting and updating standard information such as practice information, CVs, case studies, insurance certification, financials, methodology, sustainability, expertise and other critical or requested details
- producing all pitching documentation and collateral, including credentials, written fee proposals and presentations for interviews
- ensuring visual themes and design details are on brand, consistent and finished to a professional standard
- linking closely with the wider Marketing and Business Development team to ensure all client targeting activities are joined up
- contributing to pipeline accuracy and communicating on pitch progress on a regular basis to senior stakeholders
- reviewing the pitch outcome with client and pitch team to garner insight and lessons learnt to inform future pitch strategies
- implementing tools and resources to enable more efficient pitching documentation
- continuously improving our pitch methodology, strategy and tools
Managing and mentoring people:
- encourage communications and interactions throughout the business, encouraging and in support of a culture of collaboration and shared problem solving
- coach and mentor junior colleagues both within your team and throughout the business
- manage your project to ensure each team member has a valued role to play and is empowered within their given remit to excel
- engender individual responsibility and ownership for tasks
- actively participate in and promote continual professional development throughout the business
Successful applicants will be/have most or all of the following:
- best in class pitch methodology and experience
- background in writing (e.g. reporter, technical writer etc.), with deep understanding of structuring and writing proposal content
- demonstrated strong client relationship and stakeholder management skills
- comfortable and effective working with and influencing multiple stakeholders at senior levels
- experience of project managing competitive tenders
- understanding of corporate real estate market, design, architecture and/or management consultancy
- effective project management and organisational skills
- exceptional attention to detail and focus on quality
- strong use of initiative and able to work under pressure and to tight deadlines
- strong interpersonal communication and presentation skills
- eye for modern graphic design
- fluent with tools such as InDesign and Microsoft Office suite
Please include your CV and a covering note.
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