Contracts and Bids Director

Company Description

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, 60+ retail stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things, and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

Job Description

In a time of unprecedented expansion, we are seeking an experienced Contracts and Bids Director. In this role, you will use your extensive knowledge of bids, contracts and the public bidding process to help ensure the Bid department’s activities are competitive, accurate and timely. The position also requires interpreting contractual requirements and coordinating bid responses in partnership with various internal teams—including the writing, editing and production of statements of qualifications and proposals. The ideal candidate has a results-based mindset and excels at multitasking to meet competing deadlines. Proactive and resourceful, you also possess outstanding leadership and people skills, and you feel strongly that visual designs and aesthetics can tell a story as effectively as words.

A day in the office looks like this:

• Overseeing the development of several thousand bid responses to ensure all deadlines are met, quality is sustained and bid packages are complete
• Ensuring compliance with all customer contracts and/or requirements
• Evaluating and recommending enhancements to the firm’s bidding process; helping implement approved enhancements in coordination with the Business Development team and senior management
• Gathering, formatting and maintaining accurate, up-to-date information, including staff biographies and resumes, project descriptions, statistics and other information for marketing and research purposes
• Partnering with our Research, Design and Development team to track and research bid-related information to drive product development
• Collaborating with the Sales and Business Development teams to develop a response strategy that considers the competitive landscape
• Communicating daily with our national sales force and strategizing opportunities with the executive management team
• Following emerging trends and apprising executive management of their potential impact

Qualifications

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

• 5–7 years of management experience as a bid or contracts professional
• Associate’s or bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications or Marketing; relevant business experience will also be considered
• Deep knowledge of bidding and contracting processes
• Strong planning, organizational and time-management skills with a proven ability to manage multiple bids at once
• Familiarity with procurement websites, such as BidNet, PlanetBids, Bonfire, etc.
• Experience working and collaborating with turnkey operators and architects a plus
• Extreme attention to detail
• Proficient with Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.)

Additional Information

And here’s our end of the bargain! 

• Salary: $141,500 – $180,000 with an annual bonus of up to 20%
• Paid leave for new parents to support work/life balance and family bonding
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• On-site preschool for our employees’ children
• On-site employee gym for all levels/fitness needs
• Generous employee discount
• Casual dress…and we really mean it

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you. 
To learn more about Lakeshore, visit www.lakeshorelearning.com/careers 
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

To learn about how we collect and use Applicant information, please visit our Employee/Applicant Privacy Policy.