Strategic Bid Development Manager

University of the West of Scotland – Research Services

Paisley campus

Full-time, Permanent: 35 hours per week

Start date: From 1^st August 2025

University of the West of Scotland is seeking an experienced Strategic Bid Development Manager to join our team and lead the development of high-impact research proposals.

Based in Research Services, a dynamic department playing a crucial role supporting research policy and governance, researcher development, research project management and providing professional funding advice and support to academic colleagues, this strategic bid-writing role will develop bids and implement strategies to enhance proposal quality and success rates, supporting the generation of additional research and enterprise funding from a variety of funding sources.

The post holder will be creative, highly motivated and with demonstrable experience of writing and project managing successful funding applications. Working closely with academics, partners and stakeholders this post will suit a candidate with a forensic eye for detail, the ability to build ad hoc teams, develop strong partnerships while you develop value propositions and write funding applications with different groups, providing expert advice while managing workload to strict and often competing deadlines.

The successful candidate should have the following:

• Masters level or equivalent qualification and experience.
• A proven track record of success in competitive bid writing and editing proposal content leading to securing strategic, high value contracts in a complex funding environment (UKRI, Horizon Europe or similar).
• Strategic management and leadership experience, managing cross-functional teams in relation to the role.
• Experience in leading storyboarding sessions, participating in key review meetings / final document review, content sign-off, and document production.
• Experience of managing complex projects in a diverse and fast-paced funding environment.
• Ability to effectively respond to decisions in a changing environment and anticipate future needs.

About us

The University of the West of Scotland is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic modern universities. Our reach across the country, together with our London campus, means that UWS is a significant force in global knowledge creation, innovation, and a leading provider of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree education. Our degrees provide students with a transformational experience; equipping them with highly sought-after graduate skills that set them up for global success in world-leading sectors, industries and businesses.

With cutting-edge courses, modern pedagogy and practical knowledge, we enable our students and staff to experience the joy of learning, teaching, research and innovation, and apply their knowledge for the benefit of others.

UWS is officially ranked by Times Higher Education in the top 200 universities worldwide under 50 years old (2023 Young University Rankings).

Our professional services teams are the backbone of UWS, providing robust and innovative solutions to support the vast range of work across learning and teaching, and research and innovation. You will join a supportive and dedicated team, playing a key role in a range of work that will help drive forward our ambition to deliver world-leading research, and graduates who will design, shape and build a new future.

We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes:

• 24 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays
• An additional days leave on your birthday
• Defined benefit contribution pension scheme (currently 19.3%), including death in service benefits upon joining the scheme
• A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance
• Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers
• Fitness facilities across our campuses
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Professional, career and research development opportunities

Interview date: Friday 9^th of May 2025

The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.

You can find out more about how the University uses your personal data as part of the recruitment process by looking at the UWS HR Applicant Privacy Notice at www.uws.ac.uk

UWS is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.

UWS is a “Disability Confident” employer.

University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC002520.