Contracts / Bid Manager

You own every bid Xtend UK submits and every contract Xtend UK signs. Larger MOD opportunities, framework calls, and Army HQ tenders are coming, and this role is the difference between winning them and losing them. You will run war rooms, deliver against firm deadlines, and convert technical capability into a winning narrative. A bid-winning mentality is the core of the role.

Core responsibilities

• Own end-to-end bid response on MOD tenders, framework calls, and prime sub-contract opportunities. From qualification to submission, you run it.
• Build the bid library from the ground up - standard responses, past performance, case studies, compliance evidence, CVs, policies. Make every future bid faster than the last.
• Run the war room: coordinate BD, technical, compliance, finance, and global engineering into one coherent, on-time, on-brand submission.
• Lead contract review and negotiation support; manage red-lines with legal and external counsel.
• Own the contracts register live: obligations, milestones, deliverables, change requests, renewals.
• Drive disciplined bid / no-bid decisions. Declining the wrong opportunity is part of the role.
• Push win rate up through structured post-bid reviews. Every loss generates a lesson; every win gets templated.

• 5+ years bid, capture, or contracts management in UK defence or regulated B2G - with wins that can be substantiated by reference.
• Demonstrable wins on MOD or prime-led tenders. Experience with DEFCON clauses and Single Source regulations.
• Outstanding written English under pressure - able to produce a winning narrative on a tight submission deadline.
• Strong programme discipline. You can drive a cross-functional bid team to a hard submission deadline under pressure.
• Fluent English; right to work in the UK.
• Strong advantage: APMP Foundation / Practitioner, prior UAV / ISR / defence-electronics sector experience, ex-military or MOD background.

Environment and expectations

• Xtend UK is a fast-growing defence-tech company. Pace is high, structure is being built, and ownership is real.
• You will be expected to contribute beyond the formal scope of your role. Team members support each other to execute the mission successfully.
• Mission-first mentality. We are building capability that ends up in the hands of operators - that comes before process and hierarchy.
• This role is built for operating under pressure with evolving requirements - submission dates move, customer asks shift, and the bid still needs to land.
• Bid leadership here is not just process management. You shape win themes, drive the technical and commercial narrative, and own the outcome.
• Revenue impact is direct and visible. The bids you run determine the contracts the company signs.
• Execution speed matters. We operate with urgency, high ownership, and a strong bias toward action.