Bid Director

The Vacancy

We are seeking an experienced Bid Director to lead our bid services function and play a critical role in delivering our business growth strategy for WPS including Housing Maintenance, FM and Liberty

You will be accountable for setting and executing the bid strategy that supports both strategic and organic growth, ensuring bids are high quality, competitive and fully compliant with governance and operating frameworks. Leading a team of senior bid professionals, you will drive consistency, performance and continuous improvement across all bid activity.

The role sits at the centre of the business’s work‑winning activity and demands strong commercial insight, strategic leadership and the credibility to influence at Board and senior leadership level.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and deliver the bid services strategy aligned to the overall business growth plan.
• Own bid governance, processes and approval frameworks, ensuring compliance with delegated authority and operating standards.
• Lead the bid services operational plan to support 12‑month, 3‑year and 5‑year growth targets.
• Provide senior oversight and challenge on major bids (typically £10m+), maximising value and managing risk.
• Lead, manage and develop a high‑performing bid team (c. 12 people).
• Maintain and improve bid success rates through effective targeting, quality assurance and performance management.
• Ensure alignment and consistency of bid services across business units and partners.
• Establish KPIs, reporting and competitor intelligence to track performance and inform strategy.
• Ensure all bids meet SHEQ, industry and governance requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement through feedback, benchmarking, training and tools.

About you

You will bring extensive experience leading bid or work‑winning teams within a relevant sector, with strong commercial and strategic capability and a track record of delivering high‑value, complex bids. You are a confident senior leader with excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, highly organised, action‑oriented and comfortable operating in a fast‑paced environment

Why join us?

This is a high‑impact leadership role with real influence over how we win work and grow the WPS business. You’ll work closely with senior leaders, shape long‑term strategy and lead a critical function at the heart of our success.

Work for Wates

Wates is one of the UK’s leading family-owned development, building and property maintenance companies.  Founded over 125 years ago, we have a proud legacy in the built environment.

We are driven by our purpose, ‘reimagining places for people to thrive’ and our three promises:

• Thriving places – working with customers, partners and communities to create places that are more sustainable, inclusive, and full of opportunity.
• Thriving planet – protecting nature and taking action on climate change by collaborating and innovating with our partners.
• Thriving people – creating opportunities and relationships so that everyone who works for and with us feels included, invested in and treated with care.

We are proud to be recognised as Gold Investors in People and as a Disability Confident employer.  We also ensure that our recruitment processes do not treat anyone less favourably due to an offending background.