We are seeking a talented individual to join our Commercial Enablement COE team at Mercer. This role will be based in Mumbai. This is a hybrid role that has a requirement of working at least three days a week in the office.
Senior Manager – Bid Management
UK Strategic Bid Centre
Commercial Enablement CoE supports various Mercer businesses worldwide primarily across Proposal & Bid Management, Client Research and Creative Services. As a part of the Proposal & Bid Management support, the CoE teams are responsible for end-to-end management of bids and winning more business for key Mercer businesses. Specifically in support of the UK Retirements and Investments Advisory business.
The purpose of this role is to lead and manage a team of 5-6 bid managers who support a key part of the UK business. In addition to team leadership responsibilities, you will be required to independently manage production of high-quality RFP responses and Pitch presentations.
We will count on you to:
Deliver bids end-to-end, drive the bid strategy and manage communication with all relevant stakeholders, both onshore and offshore. The incumbent will be a collaborator, a great communicator who will work with sales leaders, consultants, and bid teams to aid revenue generation for the business. You will help define and shape our responses, resulting in impactful and high-quality content to communicate winning differentiators. You will also collaborate with business on strategic sales initiatives as well as working on operational improvements to benefit the bid management function.
The candidate is expected to demonstrate experience in managing bids independently, and delivering high value bids and demonstrating a strong understanding of the bid life cycle. The candidate is also expected to understand cultural sensitivities and business needs of the operating companies to deliver high quality bids. You will be required to:
- Lead and manage a team of bid managers by providing clear guidance, coaching, and support on best practices and effective ways of working.
- Oversee daily workflows and ensure smooth coordination within the team. Proactively manage escalations and resolve issues efficiently.
- Foster the professional development of team members by mentoring and coaching.
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the bid management process to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and win rates.
- Provide strategic leadership and expertise in the Wealth & Investment business, ensuring bid strategies are fully aligned with Mercer's service offerings and overarching business priorities.
- Champion the adoption and continuous enhancement of Mercer's bid management methodology across the team, driving consistency and excellence in all submissions.
- Take ownership of the end-to-end project management for complex RFI/RFP submissions and high-stakes client or prospect pitches, setting clear timelines, managing cross-functional stakeholder engagement, and steering critical meetings to successful outcomes.
- Lead comprehensive analysis of RFPs and client documentation to ensure a thorough understanding of client needs, competitive landscape, and risk factors.
- Strategically mentor and lead virtual bid teams, ensuring the right mix of skills and expertise to maximise bid success.
- Drive the development and execution of tailored win plans, ensuring all team members are aligned with client requirements and key deliverables.
- Collaborate at senior levels with sales, delivery, legal, finance, and other stakeholders to craft compelling, differentiated client value propositions and proposal narratives that resonate with decision-makers.
- Proactively identify, evaluate, and mitigate technical, commercial, and reputational risks associated with bids, safeguarding Mercer's interests and reputation.
- Act as a senior escalation point for bid-related challenges, resolving complex issues and ensuring seamless coordination across teams.
- Lead strategic discussions with pursuit teams to define and refine client-centric value propositions and Mercer's unique differentiators, influencing bid strategy.
- Oversee the creation of persuasive executive summaries and key proposal sections that clearly articulate Mercer's competitive advantage and why us messaging.
- Ensure all bid content and visuals meet Mercer's brand standards and effectively support the overall messaging, working closely with design teams to elevate proposal quality.
- Maintain accountability for the integrity and version control of master proposal drafts, ensuring timely incorporation of feedback and distribution to stakeholders.
- Conduct rigorous final reviews of proposals and pitch presentations alongside senior sales and delivery leaders to ensure quality, compliance, and strategic alignment.
- Carry out content management activities, including collecting and updating content for proposal database and extracting best practice content
What you need to have:
- 12 +years of experience in a pre-sales/ bid management environment
- Past experience in managing bid center teams of 4-6 proposal/ bid managers for a large multinational set-up, preferably for the UK/ Europe region
- Proven track record of managing complex, high-value bids from inception to submission under tight deadlines.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively across multiple departments and external partners.
- Strategic thinker with the ability to contribute to business development and growth initiatives.
- Ability to analyse client requirements and tailor bids to meet their specific needs and expectations.
- Resilient and adaptable, able to work under pressure and manage competing priorities effectively.
- Commitment to continuous improvement and staying updated on industry trends and best practices.
- Postgraduate/ Graduate in Science, Technology, Engineering or Commerce would be preferred. Other postgraduate degrees may also be considered.
- Experience of working as a part of bid teams in a professional services environment.
- Very strong written and verbal communication required
- Proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint and Excel
- Exceptional customer service focus
- Advanced business writing ability with outstanding grammar and proofreading/ editing skills
What makes you stand out:
- Experience on sales lifecycle and content/proposal management tools like Salesforce, QorusDocs, Qvidian, Loopio, SharePoint etc. would be preferred
- Demonstrated understanding of financial markets is preferred
- Experience of directly dealing with senior internal stakeholders preferred
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
Why join our team:
- We help you be your best through professional development opportunities, interesting work and supportive leaders.
- We foster a vibrant and inclusive culture where you can work with talented colleagues to create new solutions and have impact for colleagues, clients and communities.
- Our scale enables us to provide a range of career opportunities, as well as benefits and rewards to enhance your well-being.
- Being part of the CoE provides strong opportunities for growth through exposure to diverse global pursuits, cross-functional collaboration and a strong CoE learning ecosystem that supports building new skills and career progression.
Mercer is a business of Marsh (NYSE: MRSH), a global leader in risk, reinsurance and capital, people and investments, and management consulting, advising clients in 130 countries. With annual revenue of over $27 billion and more than 95,000 colleagues, Marsh helps build the confidence to thrive through the power of perspective. For more information about Mercer, visit mercer.com, or follow us on LinkedIn and X.
Marsh is committed to embracing a diverse, inclusive and flexible work environment. We aim to attract and retain the best people and embrace diversity of age, background, caste, disability, ethnic origin, family duties, gender orientation or expression, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, parental status, personal or social status, political affiliation, race, religion and beliefs, sex/gender, sexual orientation or expression, skin color, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.
