Description
At CDW, we make it happen, together. Trust, connection, and commitment are at the heart of how we work together to deliver for our customers. It's why we're coworkers, not just employees. Coworkers who genuinely believe in supporting our customers and one another. We collectively forge our path forward with a level of commitment that speaks to who we are and where we're headed. We're proud to share our story and Make Amazing Happen at CDW.
As a Principal Bid Manager, you will lead complex, high-value and strategically critical bids across CDW. You will be accountable for shaping winning bid strategies, governing the end-to-end proposal lifecycle and elevating bid quality through best-in-class proposal management.
Operating as a senior, trusted partner to Sales, Business Development and Delivery teams, you will establish and lead virtual bid teams, define pursuit strategy, oversee governance and ensure the delivery of high-quality, compliant and compelling proposals. In addition, you will play a key role in developing CDW's bid management capability, mentoring others and driving continuous improvement across the function.
What You'll Do- Lead bid / no-bid decisions, providing clear strategic rationale and recommendations for pursuit
- Own and manage complex proposal projects from qualification through to submission, working in close partnership with the Account Manager
- Develop and manage detailed proposal plans, including risk analysis, contingency planning and governance milestones
- Establish and lead high-performing, cross-functional virtual bid teams, ensuring clarity of roles, accountability and engagement
- Facilitate proposal strategy sessions and storyboarding workshops, underpinned by customer insight and competitive analysis
- Coach, challenge and support contributors to drive high-quality, customer-focused content and consistent messaging
- Review, critique and shape proposal content to ensure coherence, compliance and a compelling, win-focused narrative
- Ensure all internal governance, approval and qualification processes are followed
- Provide senior oversight of bid presentations where required, including messaging, slide development and rehearsal preparation
- Lead post-submission and post-decision reviews, capturing lessons learned and developing actionable improvement plans
- Identify high-quality reusable content and contribute to the ongoing development of the bid content library
- Act as a subject-matter expert and mentor within the bid community, supporting capability uplift and best practice
- Proactively lead and contribute to initiatives that improve CDW's bid and proposal management maturity
- Significant experience in bid and proposal management within a sales or vendor-side environment
- Proven track record of leading complex, high-value or strategic bids end-to-end
- Deep understanding of strategic proposal management, including qualification, planning, storyboarding and governance
- Exceptional facilitation and stakeholder management skills; able to influence, motivate and challenge senior contributors
- Strong project management capability with the ability to lead under pressure and manage multiple concurrent bids
- Commercially and business-savvy, with the ability to align bid strategy to broader account and organisational objectives
- High level of customer empathy, with the ability to interpret RFPs and uncover underlying customer drivers
- Advanced strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Strong proposal writing, editing and quality assurance capability
- Comfortable operating in a high-profile, deadline-driven environment
- Demonstrated ability to coach and mentor others, contributing to team and function development
- APMP Foundation accreditation desirable, with Practitioner or progression toward it strongly preferred
CDW is committed to being an AI-fluent organization
We're looking for people who bring curiosity, a learner's mindset, and a willingness to engage with ever-evolving technology and tools. We value adopting AI as a partner, openness to experimentation, and a shared interest in learning together on AI. Our goal is to create a culture where AI enhances- not replaces- human creativity and decision-making. You don't need to be an expert today; what matters is your readiness to explore, adapt, and grow with us as we integrate AI responsibly and effectively into our work.Additionally, CDW is committed to fostering an equitable, transparent, and respectful hiring process for all applicants. During our application process, our goal is to understand your experience, strengths, skills, and qualifications. As an AI forward company, we see AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for new ways of thinking, creating, and communicating. We encourage candidates to embrace an AI mindset, one that's curious, adaptive, and ready to explore what's possible. We welcome thoughtful use of AI to expand your perspective and elevate how you share your story, while ensuring your application remains rooted in your own background, judgment, and voice.
About Us
CDW is a Fortune 500 technology solutions provider that helps businesses, government, education, and healthcare organizations achieve what's possible through technology. What makes CDW different isn't just what we do- it's how we do it. At CDW we act as one- building trust, speaking candidly, and working together to achieve more. We play to win- focusing on what matters most and delivering for our customers. And we think forward- staying curious, moving fast, and continuously learning. We believe meaningful work happens when people feel supported, heard, and empowered to contribute. That's why we think of ourselves as coworkers, not just employees- working together to solve complex challenges and deliver real impact for our customers and communities.
As a full-stack, full-lifecycle technology partner, CDW brings deep expertise, strong relationships, and broad industry knowledge to help turn ideas into outcomes. When you join CDW, you become part of a collaborative environment where your work matters, your growth is supported, and your contributions help shape what's next.
Together, we deliver the full promise of what technology can do. Together, we Make Amazing Happen.
CDW is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other basis prohibited by state and local law.
CDW London, England Office
One New Change, London, United Kingdom, EC4M 9AF
