Specialist, Bid Management

The role  

This role aligns to the following industry titles - Proposal Manager, Bid Manager,  RFP Manager, contracts and bid specialist. 

Bid management is a strategic, high-priority area for Pearson. The Bid Management Specialist is a pivotal role within our organization, responsible for leading the development of bids and contracts for state educational materials adoptions, pivotal to our Career and College Readiness business. The role works directly with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) in key departments (Sales, Product Management, Marketing, Finance, and Inventory) to create winning responses. The ideal candidate has a strong project management background, preferably with expertise in managing submissions for large government contracts or state textbook adoptions, can manage multiple projects simultaneously, and thrives in a fast-paced environment.  

Specific Responsibilities: 

• Manage all aspects of the state adoption process from analyzing and communicating bid requirements to stakeholders, conducting meetings, submitting various documents throughout the process, through final bid submissions, and execution of state government adoption contracts.  
• Prepare comprehensive proposals, ensuring accurate formatting, proofreading, and compliance with submission guidelines. 
• Customize proposal text, drawing from the proposals team's resources, to align with the specific requirements of each proposal. 
• Manage the production of both physical and electronic copies of applications/proposals, including hard copies and digital submissions. 
• Manage project meetings, and communicate project status and other key information, to ensure stakeholder and management input and issue resolution.  
• Assemble final applications/proposals, adhering to authorizer/client-specific instructions for both hard and soft copies. 
• Oversee the management of RFA/RFP forms, maintaining a well-organized record of relevant documents and information. 
• Create and manage tasks/tickets to accurately reflect the status of the application/proposal process. 
• Research, and maintain understanding of, specific state government adoption and bid requirements for assigned states to attain subject matter expert status. 
• Collaborate with subject matter experts (SMEs) to customize and finalize pricing details for proposals. 
• Review and revise application/proposal inputs, collaborating closely with internal teams and management to ensure accuracy and consistency. 
• Ensure the use of templates to uphold quality standards and streamline the proposal creation process. 
• Follow established application/proposal writing standards, emphasizing readability, consistency, and tone. 
• Edit applications/proposals and related documents to ensure completeness and compliance with editorial standards and RFA/RFP requirements. 
• Ensure that all public applications/proposals are accessible for posting on appropriate platforms. 
• Develop a deep understanding of the company's key aspects, including curriculum, finance, operations, and data. 
• Foster open communication with cross-functional teams and leadership members to facilitate collaboration. 
• Infuse win strategies and themes into proposals and applications to enhance their persuasiveness and competitive edge. 
• Stay current with Pearson products and services to effectively communicate their value in proposals. 
• Review and adapt competitive standard language to optimize proposals, RFPs, or state bids for success. 
• Attend required applicant/bidder meetings, participating virtually or in person, as necessary. 

Required Minimum Qualifications 

• Bachelor’s degree in English, Business, Journalism, Education, Marketing or Communications; advanced degree not required but preferred. 
• Proven project management, bids and proposals management or contract management experience. 
• Prior experience managing large, complex government contracts or state textbook adoptions preferred. 
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. 
• Proficiency in proofreading, formatting, and producing high-quality documents. 
• Familiarity with RFA/RFP processes and requirements. 
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Professional (Excel, PowerPoint, Word), SharePoint, and Adobe Acrobat Professional. 
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and leadership. 
• Knowledge of education (K-12 public/private/charter schools). 
• Adaptability to meet tight deadlines and manage multiple projects simultaneously. 
• Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive attitude.