Bid Manager
Snapshot
Bid managers are responsible for researching and selecting tenders, analysing tenders and submitting tenders. They take into account the requirements of the tendering company and the possibilities for implementation. They take care of both the calculation of costs and the estimation of possible risks. Bid managers are responsible for communication with the contracting company or institutions. They work together with project managers serve as an interface to customers in larger companies. They are often the primarily responsible for the offers (proposals) and their presentation.
Bid managers are crucial in organizations that regularly participate in tenders and competitive bidding processes. Your role involves a blend of research, analysis, and communication to develop winning proposals. You’ll work closely with various teams, including project managers and potentially directly with clients, to understand their needs and translate them into a persuasive and feasible offer. This career band (4) signifies a professional and expert level, requiring a strong understanding of business principles and a proven ability to manage complex projects.
- • Researching and identifying relevant tender opportunities.
- • Analyzing tender requirements and assessing the feasibility of implementation.
- • Calculating costs and estimating potential risks associated with a project.
Where this occupation is in demand
Reported labour shortages and surpluses, by year. Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
Figures cover Administrative and commercial managers — 69 jobs including this one.
In shortage: Belgium, Italy.
Longest-running shortage: Italy, 3 years.
Select a place on the map to see its figures.
About this source›
Source: ELA/EURES labour shortages and surpluses. Readings are published at occupation-group level, and cover Europe. Editions differ in annex layout and country coverage, so a change between years does not always mean the labour market changed. Countries in grey were not reported, which is not the same as being in balance.
What these words mean
The four things this section reports
- Reported demand
- Whether employers report needing people in this job — a judgement published by a national or EU body, not a count.
- Where it is heading
- Which way employment in this job is expected to move over the coming years, from an official projection.
- Openings
- Roughly how many openings arise — from growth and from people leaving the job.
- Typical pay
- What people in this job typically earn where the source publishes it. Blank does not mean unpaid; it means nobody publishes it for that place.
A measure is left out when nobody publishes it for that place, rather than shown as zero.
Which way the market leans for you
- In your favour
- More openings than people looking — employers are competing for candidates.
- Balanced
- Openings and candidates are roughly matched.
- Competitive
- More people looking than openings — expect to compete.
- Mixed evidence
- Sources disagree, or the same occupation group is short in one part and oversupplied in another.
Every source resolves to one of these four, so there is a single vocabulary to learn. What differs is the evidence behind it, which is printed underneath each verdict — a measured ratio of openings to jobseekers, or an assessment published by a national body.
How this job compares with other jobs in the same country
- Strong
- Among the strongest in that country
- Good
- Stronger than most jobs in that country
- Mixed
- About typical for that country
- Weak
- Weaker than most jobs in that country
This is a rank within one country, not a score you can carry across borders — the registers behind two countries count different people, so the same number means different things in each. It is also why a job can be among the strongest in a country and still show as Competitive: it leads the field in a market that is crowded overall.
Where these come from
Every figure is published by a national statistics office, a public employment service or an EU body, and each card names its source and the period it covers. Some places are counted monthly, others assessed once or twice a year, so two places on the same map can be describing different moments — the date is always shown.
None of this predicts one person’s chances. It describes a market.
Reported demand · Typical pay · Where it is heading (United States, Ireland, Australia, Malta, United Kingdom)
| Reported demand | Typical pay | Where it is heading | |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Not reported | $102,320 2025-05 | +5.6% 2024–2034 · BLS 2024-2034 |
| Ireland | Not reported | — | +5.4% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| Australia | Assessed as balanced Jobs and Skills Australia 2025 * | — | — |
| Malta | Shortage reported ELA/EURES 2024 * | — | +22.3% 2023–2035 · Cedefop 2026 * |
| United Kingdom | Not reported | £90,000 2025-provisional | — |
* Published for occupation groups, not for individual job titles.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS)
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, Open Government Licence v3.0
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Future Outlook for bid manager
The outlook for bid manager reflects a balanced mix of automation exposure and durable, human-led work.
How are these scores calculated?
The Resilience Score (0–100) estimates how structurally protected this occupation is from automation and AI disruption, based on task-level analysis. Higher scores mean more human-judgment-intensive tasks. AI Exposure shows the estimated percentage of task hours that current AI capabilities could affect. These are model-derived structural indicators, not predictions about individual job security.
How could bid manager change as AI adoption grows?
Several task areas may shift toward AI-assisted workflows, so reskilling becomes more important.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Several task areas may shift toward AI-assisted workflows, so reskilling becomes more important.
Illustrative scenario based on task automatability — not a forecast. Values are rounded the further ahead you look.
Model-based estimate. Use it as a planning signal, not a guarantee.
Compare this to your profile
How AI may change this role
Deterministic, model-based interpretation of current role signals — not a guarantee of replacement.
What still depends on people
- carry out tendering
- manage project changes
- manage resources
Where AI may become a co-pilot
- perform risk analysis
- evaluate project plans
- deliver business research proposals
Tasks most exposed to automation
- manage information sources
- report on grants
Vital Signs & AI Vectors
AI Exposure Vectors
0-100%Exposure to AI-assisted analysis, pattern recognition, and predictive modelling tasks
Exposure to workflow automation, decision-support software, and process digitisation
Exposure to content generation, creative augmentation, and large language model tools
Exposure to physical automation, robotics, and sensor-driven task displacement
Technical Details
NexFuture v3.0 estimates automation exposure natively from ESCO essential-skill groups, weighted by skill mass and calibrated against expert anchors. Scores are probabilistic estimates, not guarantees. See the NexFuture Methodology White Paper for full details.
Measures automation exposure. It does not measure pay, demand, or how many jobs exist near you.
What people in this role usually do
Management & Entrepreneurship
A typical day as a bid manager
09 09:00 · Morning evaluate project plans
10 10:30 · Mid-morning deliver business research proposals
12 12:00 · Midday carry out tendering
14 14:00 · Afternoon give live presentation
15 15:30 · Late afternoon implement a management system
17 17:00 · Wrap-up report on grants
Task order is illustrative. Individual days vary.
What you need to do this work
The skills, knowledge and tools this role calls for — and the traits and rewards that come with it.
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evaluate project plans
Evaluate proposals and project plans and assess feasibility issues.
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deliver business research proposals
Compile information aimed at impacting positively the bottom line of companies. Investigate and present finding of high relevance for the decision-making process.
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report on grants
Inform the grant giver and grant receiver accurately and in time about new developments.
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perform risk analysis
Identify and assess factors that may jeopardise the success of a project or threaten the organisation's functioning. Implement procedures to avoid or minimise their impact.
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carry out tendering
Place the request for a quotation to the organisation requesting a tender, then perform the work or supply the goods agreed with them during the tendering process.
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manage project changes
Manage requested or identified changes to the original project planning, assess the need to implement the changes and communicate them to the different project stakeholders. Update the relevant project documentation.
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manage resources
Manage personnel, machinery and equipment in order to optimise production results, in accordance with the policies and plans of the company.
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implement a management system
Make and monitor the changes in business processes that are needed to create a system that collectively manage different parts of the business of an organisation.
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give live presentation
Deliver a speech or talk in which a new product, service, idea, or piece of work is demonstrated and explained to an audience.
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manage information sources
Identify relevant internal and external information sources and providers. Organise the information workflow and define information deliverables.
cost management
The process of planning, monitoring and adjusting the expenses and revenues of a business in order to achieve cost efficiency and capability.
project management
The discipline of project management, the activities which comprise this area and the variables implied in it, such as time, resources, requirements, deadlines, and responding to unexpected events.
Path to become a bid manager
What it typically takes to qualify: education level, where it is a regulated profession, and where to study.
Master's or equivalent level
4 programmes in 4 countries teach the core skills of this job. Plus 17 short courses that build single skills.
Growth Pathways & Similar Roles
Explore typical career progression paths, adjacent skills, and similar roles to plan your next transition.
Where does bid manager fit?
Similarity scores based on skill overlap from ESCO data.
For organisations
The data on this page, working for your students, clients and staff.
Frequently asked questions
What industries commonly hire bid managers?
What skills are most important for a bid manager?
Can I work as a bid manager on a freelance basis?
Is there a shortage of Bid Manager in Europe?
How much does Bid Manager pay in the United States?
Sources: ESCO O*NET ELA/EURES Cedefop BLS Data updated October 3, 2026 About our data