Thales people architect solutions that enable two-thirds of planes to take off and land safely. We create in-flight entertainment systems that engross 50 million fliers every year and we develop the avionics that control the world’s largest commercial aircrafts. Our simulators train the next generation of pilots for fighter jets, transporters and search and rescue helicopters. And, together, each and every member of our aerospace team makes a difference.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries; Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Bid & Project Manager

Location: Crawley, West Sussex – hybrid working from home/site determined by the stage of the bid/project.

Are you interested working in a high profile role where you’ll be influencing at senior levels? Are you an inquisitive individual that likes to identify and deliver winning strategies? Then look no further… We have an impactful Bid & Project Manager opportunity to join our Flight Avionics FLX business domain!

What the role has to offer:

• Be part of a team genuinely committed to your growth, with a development plan in place from day 1.
• Build an in-depth toolkit of transferrable skills that can take you anywhere in the business.
• Work on multi-entity and/or international projects and contribute to the ongoing success and growth of the business

Our Opportunity:

The purpose of the Bid & Project Manager role is to be the person in charge of specific bid-management activities to ensure the successful delivery of a bid or a number of bids. It requires professional bid management capabilities to be applied - giving rigour to change control, commercial awareness and stakeholder management.

The role is required to bring structure, clarity and governance to the process and discipline relating to bid management activities. It requires the successful management of the relationship with internal and external key UK and international customers and the effective management of multi-disciplinary bid teams to deliver high quality business winning proposals.

Day to day you will:

• Plan and manage the development and delivery of complex bids, working closely with domestic and international stakeholders.
• Bring structure, clarity and governance to the process and discipline relating to bid management activities.
• Manage the preparation of prequalification response submissions to customers with the objective of securing an invitation to bid.
• Participate in Bid Kick-Off meetings, providing bid management direction and engagement with the Bid Team.
• Manage the creation of the bid deliverables and ensuring review and governance, leading to the creation of a high quality proposal.
• Work effectively with Capture Leader to generate win themes that link customer needs with defined benefits of the Thales offering
• Ensure that cost estimates / target budgets are provided with support of Systems Engineering / Product Management.
• Ensure that cost estimates are effectively reviewed to ensure competitive and winning pricing

About you:

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual, who has a passion and drive growth and develop themselves personally. Strong negotiation, influencing, and communication skills are key as you will regularly deal with customers, partners, suppliers and other parts of the business. 

You should have experience leading on bids, projects, or engineering teams, where it is your responsibility for driving actions forward. Experience leading or influencing a team in order to reach an end goal is desirable, along with the ability to build solutions which meet the business and customer needs.

Ideally you will have experience of working in the defence / military, or similar heavy engineering sector.

Project Management qualifications such as (i.e. IPMA, APM or PMI) would be desirable for this role, but we are more interested in your experience and will support the right person to achieve their qualifications.

What We Can Offer

We’re committed to giving you opportunities to be your best. We believe in embracing the passion and potential of our people, and to achieve this we offer market leading training, development and experiences, along with the opportunity to be mentored and coached by some of the smartest minds in the industry. We hire from within as our first priority, so you’ll have a myriad of opportunities within our diverse, global organisation.

Flexibility

Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

Great journeys start here, apply now!