Manufacturing Bid Manager

Our client, a long-standing partner to the UK Ministry of Defence, is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Bid Manager to play a key role in winning and shaping complex manufacturing programmes.

A high number of candidates may make applications for this position, so make sure to send your CV and application through as soon as possible.

This is a high-impact role sitting at the interface of manufacturing, commercial, and business winning , with direct influence over cost strategy, industrial assumptions, and bid success across major defence programmes.

What youll be responsible for
Manufacturing Leadership in Bids
Lead manufacturing input into bids from early opportunity through submission
Define scope, assumptions, and industrial strategy within the Bid Directive
Position manufacturing as a value-adding contributor to business winning
Costing & Commercial Input
Build and validate manufacturing cost models (direct, indirect, materials, overheads)
Develop evidence-based 3-point estimates using Excel and historical data
Ensure cost assumptions are robust, auditable, and aligned to policy
Bid Development & Stakeholder Engagement
Produce clear, compliant and competitive bid material (PowerPoint)
Assess manufacturing risk, capacity and deliverability across programmes
Work closely with New Business, Commercial, Engineering and Operations teams
Provide forward visibility of upcoming bids and market intelligence
Continuous Improvement & Strategy
Apply lessons learned to improve future bids and cost competitiveness
Support functional and strategic change within Manufacturing
Raise the profile and impact of the Manufacturing Bid Team across programmes

What were looking for
Proven experience in manufacturing / operations-led bidding within a complex or regulated environment
Strong understanding of end-to-end manufacturing (procurement to delivery)
Commercially astute, with hands-on experience building manufacturing cost models
Confident producing and presenting bid packs to senior stakeholders
Able to articulate costing logic clearly and support audit requirements
Comfortable working across multiple bids to tight deadlines
Proactive, structured, and resilient in a fast-paced bidding environment
Backgrounds from defence, aerospace, automotive, rail, or similarly regulated manufacturing environments are particularly relevant.

Why consider this role
Direct impact on major UK defence programmes
High visibility role influencing industrial strategy and cost credibility
Work at the heart of business winning, not just delivery
Collaborative, senior-stakeholder-facing position

What happens now?
Upon submission of your application, should it meet our selection criteria, you will be contacted via e-mail by one of our talent acquisition specialists to arrange a screening call. This telephone chat is structured to explore a series of questions aimed at matching your competencies and capabilities to the specific demands of the position. Please note, this screening is contingent upon the initial success of your application.

Security Clearance : British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship
Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by our clients Security Team.

More about the role:
For more than 70 years, our client has been in a strong partnership with the UK military. They have accomplished numerous milestones in defence engineering and have provided essential defence capabilities to meet the requirements of the armed forces across land, sea, and air.

This job is at our client's site in Bolton facility, one of the North West's leading manufacturing sites for at least 25 years. The facility offers showers and bike racks and is near the motorway, with a petrol station outside. xwzovoh Amenities like an onsite canteen.