Be part of something great
Maximus is a global organisation that specialises in providing health and employment services to millions of people every year. Here in the UK we employ around 5,000 people across the country to deliver services that have a profound impact on people’s lives. From assessments and health services to employability programmes and specialist support, we do work that matters with people who care.
Salary
£33,000.00 - £42,000.00
Home based
- 9% combined pension
- 25 days annual leave
- Flexible benefits package
- Holiday trade scheme
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Bid Writer Level 2 is a key role to support our growth strategy within Business Development, providing high quality writing expertise and support for Maximus bid and proposal opportunities, enabling us to win work and grow our business.
The role will work proactively with wider Business Development (e.g. Sales, Solutions) and wider business colleagues to develop a clear understanding of our bidding strategy (e.g. Win Themes) and ensure that approach is translated into a clear and winning set of bid responses to our commissioners.
The role is key to ensuring that we can meet all the written requirements of a tender within the specified, often demanding timescales provided by the commissioner via a rigorous feedback and review process.
Specific Accountabilities:
1. Technical Writing and Content Creation
• As defined within the approach to bidding, the Bid Writer will own a response or set of responses as part of a competitive tendering opportunity.
• They will be responsible for working closely with colleagues in the Sales and Solution teams to understand our solution proposals as they evolve and develop written responses that reflect/articulate these discussions clearly and comprehensively.
• They will draft responses that fully respond to or exceed commissioner requirements, developed in line with tender documentation (e.g. ITT, specification, scoring criteria) and in adherence to agreed review/submission deadlines.
2. Research
• Support opportunities by contributing to research and data gathering from both internal and external sources, aimed at strengthening our bid responses.
• Typical deliverables include case studies, management information and literature reviews.
• This will require positive, proactive relationship building with colleagues from key workstreams across the business (both operational and corporate services).
3. Storyboarding
• Storyboarding is a critical part of the response planning process that increases bid writing efficiency and quality. It helps Bid Writers understand the task, generate ideas and map out their writing before beginning the first draft.
• Bid Writers will be responsible for leading on their own particular responses during a storyboarding session, interviewing key bid and wider business stakeholders to obtain the relevant information to complete their response.
4. Proofreading
• As part of each bid process, Bid Writers will be tasked with proofreading work and materials created by other team members in line with an opportunity-specific Proofing Checklist.
• They will be required to provide a high level of attention to detail that ensures the highest standard of bid submission.
5. Content Management
• Bid Writers will be responsible for supporting the Head of Bid Writing with the ongoing development and maintenance of Maximus’ Content Library.
• This will include ensuring contract summaries, case studies and references remain up to date.
• It will also include regularly refreshing the team’s collateral on key topics such as Social Value, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Environmental Sustainability.
6. Leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Proficiency in and/or a willingness to embrace using AI-driven tools and technologies to enhance bid writing efficiency and quality will be key.
• Maximus’ Bid Writing Team has access to a range of cutting-edge tools to support various elements of the bid process.
7. Continuous improvement/lessons learnt
• Following each submission, Bid Writers will collaborate with Bid Management colleagues to conduct a detailed lessons learnt process, providing feedback to improve future bidding activity.
• A detailed win/loss analysis will also be conducted to understand the positives and areas for improvement within the bid results.
Key Contacts & Relationships:
Internal
* Director of Bidding Services
* Head of Bid Writing
* Bid Writers
* Head of Bid Management
* Bid Managers
* Sales Leads
* Solution Architects
* Workstream Leads
External
* Community Partners
* Subcontractor Organisations
* External Subject Matter Experts/Consultants
* Bid Writing Consultancies...Less
Preferred Skills and Qualifications
Qualifications & Experience
Essential
• Strong, demonstrable track record of writing content for winning bids (at least 18 months experience).
• Experience of working in a busy bid writing environment, under pressure with the ability to manage multiple stakeholder needs and demands.
• Experience of generating new ideas as part of a Bid Writing or Solution team.
• Experience of collating and consolidating opportunity related research to support in the localisation and personalisation of business cases/proposals.
• Experience of working to both internal and external deadlines
Desirable
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Creative writing qualification.
• APMP Foundation, Practitioner or Professional certification.
• Experience in bid/proposal writing within the employment/skills, contact centre, justice or health/disability assessment sectors.
Individual Competencies
• Excellent written communication skills, with the ability to draft concise, clear and compelling bids for clients, to a high standard of spelling and grammar.
• Proactive and energetic with an ability to manage a pressurised workload.
• Able to manage competing deadlines and priorities confidently.
• Ability to interpret and tailor writing styles to a range of audiences from different sectors and commissioners.
• MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel expertise.
• High level of accuracy and attention to detail required with ability to work quickly, diligently and efficiently.
• Editing, proofreading and report formatting skills.
• Good interpersonal skills, able to build strong relationships with a range of key internal and external stakeholders.
Desirable
• Interest in one of Maximus’ core specialities, e.g. employment/skills, health or contact centre services.
• Interest in or knowledge of using AI within bid writing.
• Peer reviewing and providing feedback, both written and verbal.
Travel Requirements Minimal travel expectations include quarterly Business Development away days, and occasional team meetings to encourage engagement and upskilling.
EEO Statement
Maximus is committed to developing, maintaining and supporting a culture of diversity, equity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process. We know that feeling included has a dramatic impact on personal wellbeing and are working to ensure that no job applicant receives less favourable treatment due to any personal characteristic. Advertisements for posts will include sufficiently clear and accurate information to enable potential applicants to assess their own suitability for the post.
We are a Disability Confident Leader, thanks to our commitment to the recruitment, retention and career development of people with disabilities and long term conditions. The Disability Confident scheme includes a guaranteed interview for any applicant with a disability who meets the minimum requirements for a job. When you complete your job application you will find a question asking you if you would like to apply under the Disability Confident Guaranteed Interview Scheme. If you feel that you have a disability and apply under this scheme, providing that you meet the essential criteria for the job, you will then be invited for interview. Your Guaranteed Interview application will only be shared with the hiring manager and the local resourcing team. Where reasonable, Maximus will review and consider adjustments for those applicants who express a requirement for them during the recruitment process.
