Senior Programme & Bid Manager

Senior Programme & Bid Manager
Salary: Negotiable (depending on experience)
Location: North London
Schedule: Monday to Friday [3-days on site and 2-days WFH available]

Job Scope
Our client is seeking a Senior Programme & Bid Manager to lead the successful delivery of a portfolio of complex programmes and bids within a highly technical engineering environment.

This role provides senior oversight across programme execution, whilst also leading a structured bid management approach from opportunity through to contract award and delivery. You will play a key role in governance, performance, and strategic alignment across the business

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of Programme Managers and Bid professionals, creating a high-performance and accountable delivery culture
• Take ownership of the overall programme and bid portfolio, ensuring alignment with business strategy and customer priorities
• Manage resources and priorities across multiple live programmes and concurrent bids
• Ensure robust programme governance across schedule, cost, risk, change, and delivery performance
• Oversee bid strategy, planning, governance, and approval processes
• Ensure smooth transition from bid phase through to mobilisation and delivery
• Drive effective risk, issue, and opportunity management across all programmes and bids
• Establish and maintain reporting frameworks for senior leadership and governance forums
• Ensure compliance with internal processes, regulatory requirements, and contractual obligations
• Support financial planning, including budget oversight and revenue forecasting in collaboration with finance teams
• Drive continuous improvement through lessons learned and process optimisation
• Engage with customers and subcontractors to support programme delivery and bid development
• Provide additional project management support to internal engineering teams where required
• Lead performance management, succession planning, and development across the team

Requirements

• Proven leadership experience in programme and bid management within complex, multi-stakeholder environments
• Strong track record of delivering complex programmes and leading bids end-to-end
• Experience operating within matrix organisations and leading cross-functional teams
• Strong commercial awareness, including contractual and risk management capability
• Excellent governance, reporting, and decision-making skills
• Strong stakeholder management experience at senior and executive level
• Ability to operate confidently in high-pressure environments
• Collaborative and influential leadership style
• Willingness to travel occasionally within the UK and internationally

Experience Required

• Background in project / programme management, ideally within engineering, defence, or similarly complex industries
• Experience managing projects and bids from initial concept through to delivery
• Experience working with international customers or export contracts
• Strong financial awareness, including budgeting and forecasting
• Professional qualifications such as APM, PMP, PRINCE2, MSP or similar are desirable

Qualifications & Attributes

• Degree or equivalent experience in Project Management or a related discipline
• APM or similar qualification would be advantageous
• Confident, forward-thinking, and proactive approach
• Strong leadership and decision-making capability
• Commercially aware and customer-focused
• Organised, detail-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities
• Flexible and pragmatic in approach

Health & Safety
The successful candidate will be expected to comply with all company policies, procedures, and health & safety regulations. This includes taking responsibility for their own safety and that of others, using appropriate PPE where required, and supporting operational compliance standards.

If the above opportunity sounds of interest, please click apply and a member of our recruitment team will be in touch to discuss your application further.