BID Manager
Location: Newport (On-Site)
Sector: Electronics Manufacturing / Engineering
Salary £ Excellent plus benefits
Our client is an established and expanding electronics manufacturing organisation is seeking an experienced BID Manager to lead and manage its quotation and bid function.
This role sits at the centre of the commercial and engineering interface, ensuring that quotations for new and existing customers are delivered accurately, competitively and on time.
You will coordinate cross-functional inputs across engineering, supply chain, operations and quality to produce robust costed proposals and ensure a controlled handover into New Product Introduction (NPI).
This is a senior position responsible for the performance, governance and continuous improvement of the quotation process, including pricing accuracy, cycle time and risk management.
Key Responsibilities
Bid & Quotation Leadership
Lead and coordinate the bid and quotation team
Deliver accurate and timely quotations for both new and existing customers
Manage quotation workload planning and prioritisation
Review and approve bids prior to submission
Ensure quotation packages are complete, risk-reviewed and commercially viable
Interface directly with customers on technical and commercial quotation queries
Costing & Commercial Accountability
Develop full cost models including:
Labour standards
Material and supply chain pricing
Tooling and fixtures
NRE (Non-Recurring Engineering)
CAPEX requirements
Subcontract services
Validate BOM structures and manufacturing assumptions with engineering and operations
Analyse variance between quoted and actual build costs
Support commercial management with strategic pricing decisions
Data, Systems & Reporting
Analyse large BOM and pricing datasets
Develop quotation tracking dashboards and reporting
Use Power BI or similar BI tools to monitor quotation metrics and win rates
Build Excel-based estimating tools including advanced formulae and macros
Extract structured data from ERP and CRM systems
Work with IT to improve system integration and automation
Cross-Functional Coordination
Lead RFQ kick-off meetings with programme managers, engineering and supply chain
Coordinate cross-departmental activities to meet submission deadlines
Manage communication with customers during the bid process
Support sales and account teams with opportunity qualification
NPI & Operational Handover
Manage transition from bid stage into New Product Introduction (NPI)
Ensure manufacturing assumptions are documented and understood
Provide documentation packages required for project teams
Risk Review
Identify technical and supply chain risks within RFQs
Assess manufacturability and cost exposure
Escalate high-risk opportunities
Support bid / no-bid decisions
Process & Continuous Improvement
Develop quotation procedures, tools and work instructions
Improve quote accuracy, turnaround time and process efficiency
Develop reporting metrics (turnaround time, win rate, margin accuracy)
Improve data usage and ERP/CRM integration
Team Leadership
Recruit, develop and manage quotation engineers
Conduct performance reviews and training plans
Provide coaching and technical guidance
Address performance and disciplinary issues where required
Candidate Requirements
Essential
5+ years’ experience in electronics manufacturing or contract manufacturing
Experience in bid management, estimating, cost engineering or quotation management
Strong leadership and team management capability
Excellent technical and commercial communication skills
Ability to manage multiple RFQs under tight deadlines
Strong analytical and numerical ability
Advanced Microsoft Excel skills (data manipulation, pivot tables, complex formulas)
Experience analysing structured datasets such as BOMs and cost models
High attention to detail and commercial awareness
Desirable
Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Business or related field
Experience with Power BI or similar analytics tools
Excel macros / VBA experience
Knowledge of ERP/MRP systems (SAP, Epicor, IFS etc.)
CRM experience (e.g., Salesforce)
Understanding of electronics assembly or box-build manufacturing
Experience supporting aerospace, defence, medical or industrial sectors
Lean or continuous improvement experience
Eligibility for security clearance advantageous
Additional Information
Candidates must have the right to work in the UK.
This role requires full on-site presence in Newport.
Interested - please send your CV to Gary Simpson