Lead Bid Manager

Role: Lead Bid Manager

Location: Hybrid, based from one of our offices in Derby, Manchester or Warrington

Salary: we anticipate paying a salary in the £63,600.00 - £83,500.00 range

Rolls‑Royce SMR is leading the transformation of clean energy through innovative Small Modular Reactor technology. Our mission is to provide secure, low‑carbon, affordable energy at global scale — enabling industry, communities and nations to decarbonise. Backed by decades of engineering excellence, we are creating the UK’s flagship green export product and setting new standards in nuclear innovation.

Our Strategy & Business Development – Proposals team sits at the heart of how we win and deliver new nuclear programmes. The team partners with engineering, regulatory, commercial and project delivery colleagues to shape winning solutions that reflect our SMR capability and strategic ambition. As a Lead Bid Manager, you will guide high‑performing teams through complex bid development, directly influencing the future pipeline of national and international SMR projects.

This is a senior role for an experienced bidding professional who wants to lead large‑scale, complex bids with significant strategic importance. You will shape the strategy, direction and delivery of high‑value national and international bids, ensuring our proposals are compelling, technically robust, commercially sound and aligned with customer goals. Your leadership will be central to how Rolls‑Royce SMR secures flagship programmes and builds global partnerships.

We’ll need you to:

• Leading the end‑to‑end development of significant, complex bids for new nuclear power plant programmes in the UK and internationally.
• Shaping bid strategy, overseeing solution development, and advising on risk, positioning and commercial structure.
• Leading multidisciplinary bid teams across engineering, safety and regulatory affairs, commercial, PMO and supply chain.
• Supporting client engagement activities including presentations, clarifications and negotiations.
• Managing bid budgets, timelines and governance reviews.
• Coaching and mentoring team members and acting as a functional expert in best‑practice bidding.
• Contributing to continuous improvement of processes, tools and templates across the function.

As a Lead Bid Manager, your work will directly shape the UK and global deployment of SMR technology. You will influence multi‑billion‑pound decisions, guide project strategies and help secure opportunities that transform clean energy infrastructure. This is a rare chance to make a lasting impact on one of the most exciting engineering programmes in the world.

What you’ll bring:

• Demonstrable experience leading major bids within nuclear, energy or large infrastructure sectors.
• Strong leadership skills with experience guiding multidisciplinary teams and stakeholders.
• Extensive understanding of bid governance, compliance, and quality assurance.
• Ability to solve complex technical, commercial and strategic challenges.
• Experience authoring and reviewing technical content from SMEs.
• Ability to manage risk, budgets and programme timelines.
• A relevant degree (engineering, business, PM or similar); APMP/PMQ desirable but not essential.

What’s in it for you?

We anticipate a salary of £63,600.00 - £83,500.00 dependent on the skills, values, and knowledge you bring.

We also offer excellent benefits including:

• Bonus - Performance related bonus of up to 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance - £2200, enabling you to create a bespoke package
• Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions.
• Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days
• Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care
• Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay
• £250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchases

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

•    A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
•    Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
•    A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

•    Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
•    Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
•    Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check
 

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