Bid Manager

Occasional international travel may be required to support bid presentations or stakeholder workshops

Overview

As a Senior Bids Manager, you will report directly to the Head of New Business and be a key member of the wider new business and marketing team. You will be responsible for the end-to-end management of bids and tenders across international markets (EMEA / USA) and will collaborate closely with the Bids team responsible for the Asia region.

This is a pivotal role ensuring all proposals align with our strategic objectives, brand standards, and client expectations—positioning the practice to win high-profile projects worldwide.

Why This Role is Key:

Lead efforts to secure transformative architectural commissions globally by shaping the strategy, quality, and delivery of bids.

Directly impact the future pipeline of projects for the practice.

Use your strategic thinking, creativity, and coordination skills to drive growth and elevate ZHA’s international reputation.

Main responsibilities:

Bid Strategy & Leadership

Lead the bid process from opportunity identification to submission and post-tender feedback

Develop and refine winning strategies

Coordinate a team of 3+ bid coordinators and identify key resources to maximise success

Foster accountability, collaboration, and high performance within the team

Bid Management & Execution

Oversee the preparation of EOIs, RFPs, pre-qualifications, and final submissions

Ensure compliance with client requirements, procurement policies, and internal branding standards

Manage bid timelines, meetings, documentation, and version control across platforms

Cross-functional Collaboration

Work closely with sector leads, design teams, marketing, finance, and external consultants to gather relevant content and technical input

Quality Control & Continuous Improvement

Implement and maintain a robust quality control process for submissions

Document lessons learned, analyse feedback, and evolve bidding strategies and practices for continuous improvement

Personal skills:

Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and deadline-driven.

Organised and detail focused.

Strong communication skills—both written and verbal.

Collaborative team player with excellent interpersonal skills.

Able to build strong relationships across all levels, internally and externally.

Professional, discreet, and able to handle confidential information.

Interest in architecture and the built environment.

Required experience

Minimum 5 years’ experience in bid management, ideally within architecture, construction, or the built environment.

Deep understanding of international bid processes, procurement regulations, and multi-disciplinary coordination.

Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external clients.

Experience leading and mentoring a small team.

High level of accuracy and ability to manage multiple complex submissions simultaneously.

Strong strategic thinking and content development capabilities.

Proficiency in Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign), asset management systems (e.g. OpenAsset), and bid portals.

Strong Microsoft Office skills (especially Word and PowerPoint); excellent writing, editing, and proofreading abilities.

Degree (or equivalent) in Architecture, Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field.

Professional certifications (e.g. CIM, APMP) preferred.

Experience in international markets (e.g. Middle East, Europe).