New

Bids & Proposal Management Lead

GKN Aerospace Inc

Mar 14, 2026
Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities. GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of 3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career. Job Summary The Proposal Management Lead is responsible for leading sole-source and competitive proposal activities supporting Defense BL strategic growth objectives. This role oversees end-to-end proposal development inclusive of market forecasting, competitive analysis, acquisition budget analysis and departmental resource management. The individual serves as a key business partner to Business Development, Programs, Finance, Engineering, Contracts, Supply Chain and Executive Leadership to ensure compliant, compelling, and profitable bids aligned with long-term growth strategy. Job Responsibilities Lead and manage all phases of proposal development for competitive and sole-source opportunities from capture transition through submission Establish proposal strategies aligned with Business Development led win themes, pricing strategy, risk posture, and long-term strategic business objectives for new captures and Programs led for follow-on business. Ensure Development of proposal schedules, compliance matrices, and executive review materials. Drive cross-functional integration across Business Development, Programs, Engineering, Operations, Finance, Contracts, and Supply Chain. Ensure proposals are compliant, compelling, executable, and aligned with margin objectives. Lead critical proposal reviews including Red Team Gold Team reviews as appropriate and incorporate actionable feedback. Lead Gate Review process beginning at Gate 0 and through Contract Award Co-Lead customer discussions relating to requirements definition and proposal walkthrough as required. Responsibility for record retention of all proposal documentation throughout the proposal lifecycle. Support shaping of bid/no-bid decisions. Partner with Business Development to shape opportunities prior to RFP release. Support Business Development objectives relating to: o to market forecasting activities to identify pipeline opportunities and revenue outlook. o Industry trends, government budgets, customer acquisition forecasts, and customer priorities o Development of competitive playbooks and SWOT assessments for priority pursuits. Conduct structured competitive analysis including competitor capabilities, pricing tendencies, past performance, and positioning. Support strategies and pricing levers to improve probability of win (PWIN). Develop and manage Bid and Proposal Management operating budget including labor, material, and consultant expenditures related to proposal activity. Implement resource planning models to balance workload across proposal managers. Track and report on proposal investment versus win outcomes. Drive continuous improvement initiatives to increase proposal efficiency and reduce cost per bid including identification and implementation of processes, templates and tools. Lead, mentor, and develop a team of proposal managers and analysts. Job Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Business, Finance, Engineering, or related field. 6 - 8 years of experience in proposal management, capture management, business management, or related field. Strong financial acumen including pricing strategy, budgeting, and cost analysis. Proven people leadership and departmental management experience Proven strategic thinking and business acumen. Executive communication and presentation skills and abilities. Must be a U.S. Person per ITAR regulations to comply with export compliance requirements, with ability to obtain a Department of Defense security clearance if needed. Preferred Experience in government contracting or regulated industries. Knowledge of acquisition frameworks. MBA or advanced degree. We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go? A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. We arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.