Bid Manager

Bid Manager

Location: Derby (Hybrid Working) Contract: Permanent Company: Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS)

Salary: £50,000 - £55,000

Who We Are

Are you a talented bid professional looking for your next challenge? Do you have the commercial awareness, writing skills and drive to help win new business and support ambitious growth plans?

If you're looking for a role where your contributions are valued, your ideas make a real impact and you're part of a growing and collaborative team, we'd love to hear from you.

At Arriva Road Transport Services (ARTS), we exist to prove that alternative transport can be better than the journey it replaces. Every year, we deliver over 80,000 rail replacement journeys, facilitate more than 20,000 train crew taxi journeys, and provide dedicated frontline support to customers across the UK.

As we continue to grow, we're expanding into new markets and seeking a Bid Manager to play a key role in securing new business opportunities and helping shape the future of our organisation.

The Opportunity

Reporting to the Head of Commercial Bids, you'll take ownership of bid opportunities from qualification through to submission, working closely with operational, finance and commercial stakeholders to develop winning solutions and compelling proposals.

This is a hands-on role for an experienced Bid Manager who enjoys developing bid content, designing commercially viable solutions and managing multiple opportunities within a fast-paced environment. You'll also support the development of a Commercial Bids Executive and contribute to the continued growth of the ARTS business.

What You'll Be Doing

Bid & Proposal Management Manage the full bid lifecycle from qualified opportunity through to submission and contract award

Develop persuasive, high-quality bid responses tailored to customer requirements

Coordinate contributions from Operations, Finance, Legal and HR teams

Manage bid plans, timelines and governance processes to ensure successful submissions

Maintain and continuously improve bid content libraries, case studies and supporting documentation

Solution Design & Commercial Development Translate customer requirements into practical, deliverable transport solutions

Work with operational teams to develop costed and commercially viable proposals

Support pricing development and commercial modelling activities

Identify risks, assumptions and opportunities within proposed solutions

Engage with suppliers and supply chain partners to support bid development

Pipeline & Opportunity Management Manage multiple live opportunities across a varied pipeline

Support bid/no-bid decisions through commercial and strategic assessment

Maintain CRM records and provide regular pipeline updates

Manage tender portals, clarification questions and submission requirements

Work closely with the Commercial Bids Executive to ensure seamless opportunity handover and progression

Client & Stakeholder Engagement Represent ARTS during client meetings, presentations and clarification discussions

Build positive relationships with procurement teams and key stakeholders

Support the transition of successful bids into operational mobilisation

Ensure contractual commitments and commercial assumptions are effectively handed over to delivery teams

What We're Looking For Proven experience managing the full bid lifecycle from opportunity through to award

Strong bid writing and proposal development skills

Experience working within formal tender and procurement environments

Commercial awareness and experience supporting pricing or commercial modelling activities

Excellent project management and organisational skills

The ability to manage multiple concurrent bids and deadlines

Strong stakeholder engagement and communication skills

Experience mentoring or supporting junior colleagues

Strong Microsoft Office and CRM system skills

Experience within transport, rail, logistics, infrastructure or managed services environments would be advantageous. APMP qualifications and experience using eTendering platforms would also be desirable.

Why Join Arriva

At ARTS, you'll join an ambitious and growing business where you'll play a direct role in shaping our future success.

We offer:

Competitive salary

Hybrid working

Free travel on Arriva branded rail services across the country

Arriva Village employee discounts

Employee Assistance Programme with 24-hour confidential support

Opportunities for professional development and career progression

Ready to Help Drive Our Growth? If you're an experienced Bid Manager looking for an opportunity to make a real impact within a growing organisation, we'd love to hear from you.