Senior Bid Manager (m/f/d) – Space & Defence [26177]

Shape Europe's Next Generation of Space and Defence Programmes
We are looking for an experienced and driven Senior Bid Manager to join our growing Space & Defence business in Germany.
In this strategic role, you will lead the preparation and delivery of high-value, complex proposals for institutional, governmental, and industrial customers across the space, defence, security, and aerospace sectors. You will work closely with technical experts, project managers, commercial teams, and senior leadership to deliver compelling and compliant bids that secure critical business opportunities.
This position offers the opportunity to contribute to some of Europe's most prestigious programmes involving satellite systems, mission operations, command and control systems, Earth observation, cybersecurity, defence digitalisation, and space domain awareness.
Your Responsibilities
Bid Leadership & Management
Lead and manage the complete bid lifecycle from opportunity qualification through proposal submission and contract award;
Develop and implement win strategies that align customer requirements with company capabilities and competitive strengths;
Establish bid governance, schedules, review plans, and resource allocation for major opportunities;
Manage multiple simultaneous bids while ensuring quality, compliance, and timely delivery.
Proposal Development
Analyse customer requirements, tender documentation, evaluation criteria, and contractual condition;
Coordinate multidisciplinary teams including engineering, operations, finance, legal, procurement, and programme management;
Develop proposal structures, compliance matrices, executive summaries, and customer-focused value propositions;
Ensure all submissions meet technical, commercial, legal, and quality requirements.
Commercial & Strategic Support
Support pricing strategy, business case development, and risk management activities;
Contribute to capture planning and pre-sales activities alongside business development teams;
Assess competitor positioning and identify differentiators and win themes;
Support contract negotiations, clarification processes, customer presentations, and best-and-final offer submissions.
Continuous Improvement
Drive proposal excellence and bid management best practices;
Contribute to process improvements, lessons learned activities, and proposal knowledge management;
Mentor junior bid managers and proposal coordinators.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Essential
Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Business Administration, Aerospace, Defence Studies, Project Management, or a related discipline;
Minimum 8 years of experience in bid management, proposal management, capture management, or business development;
Proven experience delivering successful bids within the space, defence, aerospace, security, IT, or engineering sectors;
Strong knowledge of European public procurement and competitive tendering processes;
Demonstrated experience working with customers such as:
European Space Agency (ESA)
EUMETSAT
European Commission and EU Agencies
NATO organisations
German Federal Ministries and Defence Authorities
Major aerospace and defence primes
Languages
Fluent German language skills (C2), both written and spoken;
Fluent English language skills (C2), both written and spoken;
Ability to prepare professional proposals, reports, presentations, and customer communications in both German and English.
Technical & Professional Skills
Excellent proposal writing and editing capabilities;
Strong project management and stakeholder management skills;
Experience managing cross-functional and international teams;
Strong commercial awareness and risk management capabilities;
Proficiency with Microsoft Office, SharePoint, CRM systems, and proposal management tools.
Desirable Qualifications
APMP Certification (Foundation, Practitioner, or Professional);
Knowledge of defence procurement regulations and security frameworks;
Experience with large framework agreements, service contracts, and system integration programmes;
Familiarity with space systems, satellite operations, mission planning, command and control systems, cybersecurity, or defence digitalisation projects;
Eligibility to obtain national or European security clearance.
Personal Attributes
You are:
A strategic thinker with a strong customer focus;
Highly organised and able to manage multiple priorities;
Comfortable engaging with senior executives and technical subject matter experts;
Results-oriented and capable of delivering under tight deadlines;
A strong communicator who can build consensus and motivate multidisciplinary teams.

Employment type
Full-time

Work arrangement
No