Bid Manager — Civil Works, Infrastructure & Marine Works – UAE

Overview

Cabo Norte is actively recruiting an experienced Bid Manager for a first-tier general contractor in the UAE, with an immediate requirement to support construction tendering activities.

The successful candidate will lead bid strategy and coordinate competitive, compliant proposals for civil works, infrastructure and marine construction projects.

Depending on the tender, project scopes may include transport infrastructure, major civil structures, utilities, coastal developments and marine works.

The principal challenge is developing a coherent, competitive offer from multiple specialist contributions while keeping the bid team focused on the client’s evaluation criteria, the contractor’s delivery capabilities and its commercial objectives.

This is an active vacancy, and the successful candidate is required as soon as possible. Candidates with relevant bid management experience and availability to progress promptly are encouraged to apply.

Key Responsibilities

• Review procurement documents and establish the client’s requirements, evaluation criteria and submission rules.
• Support bid/no-bid decisions by assessing strategic fit, competitive position, delivery capability and resource requirements.
• Develop bid strategy in collaboration with business development, tendering, engineering and operations.
• Establish the proposal structure, responsibilities, milestones and review process.
• Translate the contractor’s experience and capabilities into relevant, evidence-based proposal content.
• Coordinate technical, operational, commercial and corporate contributions.
• Work with the Tender Manager or estimating lead to keep proposal commitments consistent with pricing and programme assumptions.
• Coordinate joint venture or delivery partner contributions where applicable.
• Maintain a compliance matrix and resolve gaps, inconsistencies and unsupported claims.
• Organise internal reviews and secure management approval before submission.
• Coordinate submissions, client presentations and post-submission responses.
• Capture feedback and lessons learned to improve future bids.

Business And Technical Challenges

• Identifying what matters most to the client beyond the stated scope.
• Developing a credible competitive position within a demanding procurement process.
• Turning specialist technical input into a proposal that evaluators can assess easily.
• Demonstrating relevant experience without relying on generic corporate claims.
• Keeping proposed methods, resources, schedules and commercial commitments aligned.
• Coordinating partners and internal teams with different priorities and deadlines.
• Managing late changes without compromising compliance or proposal consistency.
• Maintaining proposal quality while working to demanding submission deadlines.

Required Experience

• Demonstrated experience managing construction bids within a general contractor or comparable project delivery business.
• A background in civil works, infrastructure or marine construction.
• Experience coordinating multidisciplinary teams through the complete bid process.
• Ability to interpret procurement requirements and develop structured, compliant responses.
• Experience developing bid strategies and communicating a contractor’s competitive position.
• Understanding of how construction methodology, programme, resources and commercial terms influence a proposal.
• Strong proposal writing, editing and presentation skills.
• Experience managing review processes and senior management approvals.
• Ability to coordinate competing inputs and deliver to fixed submission deadlines.
• Professional English communication skills.

Preferred Experience

• UAE or wider GCC construction-market experience.
• Exposure to major infrastructure procurement and complex prequalification processes.
• Experience with design-and-build or other integrated delivery arrangements.
• Experience coordinating joint venture or consortium bids.
• Familiarity with client interviews, presentations and negotiated procurement.
• An engineering, construction management or commercially relevant qualification.
• Experience using client feedback to improve bid quality and tender outcomes.
• Availability to join or progress through the recruitment process at short notice.

Leadership Profile

• Gives the bid team clear direction and establishes a practical process.
• Challenges generic claims and asks for supporting evidence.
• Knows when to involve technical, commercial or legal specialists.
• Maintains focus on client priorities throughout bid preparation.
• Resolves conflicting contributions before they reach the final submission.
• Coordinates multiple contributors while maintaining ownership of deadlines.
• Takes accountability for proposal quality, consistency and timely submission.
• Remains composed and decisive under tight tender deadlines.

Expected Outcomes

• Timely preparation and submission of compliant, competitive bids.
• Proposals that address the client’s requirements and evaluation criteria directly.
• A consistent explanation of the contractor’s proposed approach and relevant capabilities.
• Fewer compliance gaps and conflicting commitments.
• Effective coordination between business development, tendering and project delivery.
• Better-informed bid/no-bid decisions.
• A repeatable bid process supported by useful feedback and lessons learned.

Location And Eligibility

• Target location: United Arab Emirates.
• Sector scope: Civil works, infrastructure and marine construction.
• Employer environment: General contractors and construction businesses.
• Required language: English; French is an advantage.
• Work arrangement: On-site.
• Availability: An early start is preferred
• Employment terms and work authorisation: To be confirmed during the recruitment process.

How To Apply

Cabo Norte is actively recruiting for this position and is looking to identify suitable candidates as soon as possible.

Submit your CV with a brief overview of the construction bids you have managed, the sectors involved and your responsibility for bid strategy, proposal coordination and submission.

Please indicate your current location, notice period or availability, and interest in UAE-based opportunities.

Applications will be reviewed for this active requirement. Suitable candidates may be contacted promptly to discuss their experience, availability and fit for the assignment.

The employer’s identity will be disclosed at the appropriate stage of the recruitment process. Your profile will only be presented to the employer with your agreement.

About Cabo Norte

Cabo Norte is an executive search business focused on leadership and senior appointments across energy, water, marine, port, digital and industrial infrastructure.

Our focus spans the infrastructure lifecycle: strategy, engineering, project delivery, operations and asset optimisation. We look at the responsibilities candidates have held, the complexity they have managed and the outcomes they have delivered.