Senior Bid and Tender Manager

Salary: £56,000 to £68,000 per annum, dependent upon experience
Contract Type: Permanent, Full-time

Location: Gatwick, Aviation House with a minimum of 2 days per week onsite
Security Level: BPSS

Visa Restrictions: This position does not (currently) offer visa sponsorship

Closing Date: 27th November 2026
Interview Date: 7th and 9th of December 2026

CAA International (CAAi) is the commercial and technical advisory arm of the UK Civil Aviation Authority (UK CAA) and a purpose-led Social Enterprise. Working internationally, we provide consultancy, training, e-examinations and digital solutions to aviation regulators, governments, development bodies and industry organisations. Through sharing expertise, building capability and supporting the adoption of international good practice, we help our customers improve organisational performance and contribute to higher aviation standards worldwide.

The Role

Reporting to the Head of Business Development and Operations, the Bid and Tender Manager will lead and coordinate CAAi's bid management activities, ensuring the successful development and submission of high-quality, compliant and commercially competitive proposals across our international portfolio.

This role is critical to supporting CAAi's growth ambitions by managing the end-to-end bid process, from opportunity qualification through to contract award. The successful candidate will work closely with subject matter experts, delivery teams, finance colleagues and senior stakeholders to develop compelling submissions that demonstrate CAAi's expertise, capability and value proposition to customers worldwide.

The postholder will play a key role in strengthening bid management disciplines, improving win rates and supporting the delivery of sustainable commercial growth across consultancy, training, e-examinations, digital solutions and technical advisory services.

Core Accountabilities

• Lead the end-to-end management of bids, tenders, proposals and framework submissions, ensuring timely, compliant and high-quality responses.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary bid teams, establishing clear responsibilities, timelines and deliverables throughout the proposal lifecycle.
• Develop bid strategies, win themes and customer-focused value propositions that strengthen CAAi's competitive position.
• Facilitate bid governance processes, including opportunity assessments, bid reviews and approval stages.
• Work closely with technical experts, operational teams and finance colleagues to develop robust technical and commercial proposals.
• Ensure all bid submissions comply with customer requirements, organisational policies and governance arrangements.
• Maintain and continuously improve bid management processes, templates, content libraries and lessons learned repositories.
• Monitor bid performance metrics, win rates and return on bid investment, providing insight and recommendations for continuous improvement.
• Support the development of strategic pursuits and major commercial opportunities through effective planning and stakeholder engagement.
• Collaborate with Business Development and Marketing colleagues to ensure consistent messaging and positioning across proposals and customer-facing materials.
• Build strong internal relationships to promote best practice and a culture of high-quality proposal development.
• Identify opportunities to leverage technology, automation and AI-enabled tools to improve bid efficiency and effectiveness.
• Contribute to market intelligence gathering and competitor analysis activities that support business development priorities.
• Support contract mobilisation activities where required to ensure a smooth transition from bid award to project delivery.

About You

To be considered for this role, you must have:

• Proven experience in bid, tender and proposal management within consultancy, professional services, aviation, infrastructure, technology or other regulated sectors.
• Demonstrable experience managing complex bids and competitive procurement exercises from qualification to submission.
• Excellent written, editing and communication skills with the ability to produce clear, persuasive and customer-focused proposals.
• Strong project management and organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously.
• Experience coordinating and influencing multidisciplinary teams within a matrix environment.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of bid governance, pricing and proposal development processes.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building skills.
• Experience using Microsoft 365 applications including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams and SharePoint.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Experience maintaining bid libraries, proposal content and knowledge management systems.
• Educated to degree level or able to demonstrate an equivalent combination of professional experience and achievement.
• Ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, customers and stakeholders at all levels.

Desirable

• APMP Foundation, Practitioner or equivalent bid management qualification.
• Experience of public sector procurement processes and framework competitions.
• Knowledge of aviation, transport, regulatory or international development sectors.
• Experience using AI and digital tools to support proposal development and content management.
• Project management qualifications such as PRINCE2, APM or PMP.

Why Join Us?

CAAi offers a unique opportunity to contribute directly to projects that help improve aviation standards, safety and organisational capability around the world. As part of a purpose-led social enterprise, every successful bid helps extend the global reach of UK aviation expertise and supports aviation organisations in delivering positive outcomes for the communities they serve.

You will join a collaborative and ambitious team working on a diverse portfolio of international opportunities, helping shape the future growth and impact of CAAi while developing your own professional expertise in a dynamic and rewarding environment.

Additional Information

For many appointments within the CAA / CAAi, these roles require access to operationally sensitive infrastructure and/or Nationally Protected information. For these roles the post holders must undergo National Security Vetting and achieve the appropriate level of clearance.

To be vetted you must have the right to work in the UK so that meaningful checks can be undertaken.

If you do not meet these requirements, we may not be able to accept your application.

For more information on BPSS clearance please visit the UK Government website.  

The CAA / CAAi values high ethical standards and personal integrity among employees. If invited for interview, you will be asked to complete a declaration of interest.

Working With Us

We offer a range of excellent benefits such as flexible working arrangements, free onsite gym at Gatwick, 28 days annual leave, additional 5 days leave purchase scheme, a generous pension scheme and much more.

We are on a journey towards being increasingly adaptable, where our colleagues collaborate as part of cross-functional teams. This approach ensures we never stop learning together. It also means that you may become involved in activities that take you out of your day-to-day role, providing you with opportunities to develop and grow your career with us.

We have embraced hybrid working and offer flexible working patterns, being open to having a conversation about what works for you. We know where and when we work is important in achieving a work-life balance.

We are passionate about diversity and ensuring all are included at the CAA. We are an equal opportunity employer and actively encourage applications from candidates of all backgrounds. We use fair and inclusive selection approaches to hire the best person for the job based on merit alone.

Our Values

Do The Right Thing, Never Stop Learning, Build Collaborative Relationships, Respect Everyone.

Closing Date: 27th November 2026
Interview Date: 7th and 9th of December 2026

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.

No recruitment agencies please.