Bid Writer

Salary: £35,000 – £40,000 per annum, dependent on experience.

Tenure: Full-time, permanent basis.

Hours: 40 hours per week.

Annual Leave: 25 days annual leave per year plus 8 days bank and public holidays.

Location(s): Hybrid, attending our Bristol, Manchester, London or Keighley offices for at least 3 days per week.

Who we are

Dovetail & Slate is a specialist recruitment business focused on the education and public sectors, supporting organisations across the UK with their recruitment needs.
We work with schools, colleges, universities, local authorities, housing associations and other public sector organisations to provide high-quality permanent, temporary and interim recruitment solutions.
Our specialist teams understand the unique challenges of these sectors, allowing us to deliver tailored recruitment strategies and highly skilled candidates.
With deep industry knowledge and a strong focus on long-term partnerships, we help our clients attract, appoint and retain the talent they need to succeed.

Job Purpose

The Bid Writer will support the growth and development of Dovetail & Slate's business by preparing compelling, high-quality proposals in response to client requests, including tender opportunities, and by providing first-class administration and coordination of the end-to-end bid process. The role is essential in winning new business for existing and prospective clients. You will play a vital part in shaping the content and quality of our bids, ensuring they reflect Dovetail & Slate's values, services and objectives.

This role does not require extensive bid writing experience, although it would be advantageous. We'd also consider any applicants with a strong understanding of the recruitment industry, excellent writing skills, and the ability to communicate complex information clearly.

Duties and Responsibilities

Bid writing and content

• Prepare well-structured, clear, and persuasive bids and proposals for new business opportunities.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including Sales, Delivery, and Operations, to gather information and create winning bid content.
• Ensure all bids meet the clients' requirements and demonstrate Dovetail & Slate's ability to meet their needs effectively.
• Proofread and edit content to ensure accuracy, quality, and a consistent tone of voice across all documents.
• Maintain a library of template responses, ensuring all content is up-to-date and tailored to Dovetail & Slate's offerings.
• Work with the marketing team to develop compelling visuals and supporting materials for proposals.
• Deploy your excellent written communication skills across other areas of Dovetail & Slate's consultancy work.

Bids administration and coordination

• Manage the end-to-end bid process, from initial qualification and information gathering through to final submission.
• Own project planning and timeline management for each bid: build bid plans, set milestones and internal deadlines, and coordinate contributors to keep every submission on track.
• Manage relevant inboxes: monitor, triage and respond to tender notifications, clarification questions and internal queries, ensuring nothing is missed.
• Coordinate and administer the full range of procurement and tender portals (e.g. Find a Tender, Contracts Finder and client e-procurement systems): manage registrations, monitor for new opportunities, download documentation, submit clarification questions and upload final responses ahead of deadlines.
• Maintain accurate records of bids, deadlines, outcomes and feedback; track and report on bid outcomes, helping the business to identify areas for improvement in the process.
• Support the Chief Strategy Officer in strategy development, ensuring bids align with company goals.

Person Specification

• Previous experience in a bid writing, proposal writing, or business writing role is highly desirable.
• AND/OR you have a solid understanding of the recruitment industry with excellent writing skills.
• Strong research, writing, and editing skills with attention to detail.
• Exceptional organisational and administrative skills, with proven ability to plan projects and manage multiple deadlines, inboxes and portals simultaneously.
• Ability to meet tight deadlines and work under pressure without compromising on quality.
• Team player with excellent communication skills and a collaborative approach.
• Self-motivated, proactive, and able to work independently.
• Knowledge of MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint); experience with bid management software and e-procurement portals is a plus.