Bids Manager

Bids Manager – Passenger Rolling Stock

Location:
Santa Fe Springs, CA

Department:
Project Management & Bids

Reports To:
Director of Programs

Employment Type:
Full-Time, Exempt

Position Summary

The Bids Manager leads the full lifecycle of bid development for passenger rolling stock projects, including new train manufacturing, mid-life overhauls, fleet upgrades, and long-term maintenance or service agreements. This role drives bid strategy, ensures cross-functional alignment, and delivers competitive, compliant, and compelling proposals that support both customer requirements and company objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Bid Leadership & Strategy

• Lead and manage the end-to-end bid process for passenger rail projects, ensuring on-time, high-quality, and compliant submissions.
• Develop bid strategies, value propositions, and win themes in collaboration with senior leadership and technical experts.
• Facilitate bid kick-off sessions, milestone reviews, and post-submission debriefs.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate inputs from engineering, operations, supply chain/procurement, finance, legal, and quality.
• Manage bid schedules, deliverables, risk reviews, and resource planning across all functions.
• Ensure technical, commercial, and contractual volumes align with client requirements and internal standards.

Bid Development & Documentation

• Oversee the preparation, editing, and finalization of technical and non-technical proposal content.
• Maintain a consistent narrative, structure, and branding across all proposal sections.
• Ensure all submissions meet regulatory requirements, industry standards (e.g., FRA, APTA, EN, ISO), and customer specifications.

Market & Opportunity Management

• Monitor tender portals, industry events, and market intelligence to identify new opportunities.
• Maintain a repository of templates, reference materials, pricing inputs, and lessons learned.
• Support negotiations and ensure smooth transition to project delivery teams upon contract award.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in bid management, proposal development, or commercial management.
• Experience in the rail, transportation, engineering, or large capital project industry strongly preferred.
• Understanding of passenger rolling stock systems, procurement processes, and public-sector tendering.

Skills & Competencies

• Strong leadership, planning, and project management capabilities.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• High attention to detail with the ability to synthesize complex technical information.
• Able to manage multiple bids simultaneously while working under tight deadlines.
• Proficiency with MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel) and bid management tools (SharePoint, CRM, etc.).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing international bids or consortium/joint venture proposals.
• Knowledge of passenger rail specifications, safety standards, and regulatory frameworks (e.g., EN, FRA, APTA, ISO).
• Bilingual capability in English and Korean is a plus.