Arriva is a leading European passenger transport partner, operating in 11 countries across the UK and Europe. We employ around 35,000 people and deliver more than 1.5 billion passenger journeys every year, connecting people and communities safely, reliably and sustainably.
With strong roots dating back to 1938, Arriva has an ambitious growth and sustainability agenda. In 2024, the business was acquired by I Squared Capital, a integral infrastructure investment fund manager, supporting Arriva’s next phase of development and long-term growth across our European markets.
We are now seeking a **Tender Project Manager** to play a key role in delivering high-quality, compliant and commercially robust tenders across the Group. This position combines senior project leadership, governance expertise and transformation management to ensure tenders are delivered to a consistently high standard, on time and aligned with Group governance requirements.
You will provide strategic oversight and coordination for complex, high-value tenders across multiple markets, working closely with senior stakeholders to ensure that commercial assumptions, financial analysis and bid strategies are robust, transparent and aligned with organisational objectives. In doing so, you will help ensure decision-makers have complete confidence in the insights and recommendations presented.
Alongside leading the delivery of major tenders, you will play an important role in strengthening Arriva’s overall tendering capability - driving continuous improvement in governance, tools, reporting and processes to enhance consistency, efficiency and organisational effectiveness across the Group.
This role can be based from either our **London, Netherlands or Mainland Europe operating country offices**, offering the opportunity to work within a highly collaborative and international environment.
**Key Responsibilities**
You will play a central role in shaping how tenders are delivered across the organisation, bringing structure, governance and strategic oversight to complex bidding activity.
Your responsibilities will include:
**Transformation & Governance Leadership**
- Lead Group‑wide transformation programmes modernising tendering processes, governance controls and commercial decision‑making.
- Define, implement and uphold Group governance standards.
- Act as product owner for tools, automation and AI‑enabled bidding solutions.
**Strategic Tender Project Leadership**
- Provide senior-level oversight, coordination and assurance for complex, high-value tenders.
- Provide constructive, value-adding commercial and financial challenge.
- Coordinate multi-disciplinary working groups to support high-quality submissions.
**Commercial & Financial Assurance**
- Own end‑to‑end commercial and financial assurance for major tenders.
- Interrogate financial models and drive corrective actions.
- Provide strategic recommendations to enhance bid competitiveness.
**Pipeline Visibility & Portfolio Management**
- Lead and optimise the Group tender pipeline process.
- Present pipeline intelligence to Executive and Group Boards.
- Enhance reporting tools such as Power BI dashboards.
**Stakeholder & Leadership Influence**
- Build strong, senior‑level relationships across Group functions.
- Act as a trusted adviser to the Group Tender Director.
- Champion best practice across markets.
**Continuous Improvement & Capability Building**
- Set and lead the continuous improvement strategy.
- Set up and continuously develop Group best‑practice library.
- Coach colleagues in governance, financial interpretation and tender management.
**What we’re looking for**
- Hold a Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, economics or a related discipline.
- Demonstrate strong project leadership experience, ideally within tendering, commercial delivery or large-scale project environments.
- Possess strong financial interpretation skills and the ability to interrogate financial models and assumptions.
- Have a solid understanding of investment and commercial evaluation metrics such as IRR, NPV and commercial risk.
- Show a high level of attention to detail while maintaining a strategic perspective on tender outcomes.
- Demonstrate strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills, with the ability to work confidently with senior leaders.
- Be comfortable working under pressure in complex, deadline-driven tender environments.
- Have a collaborative, organised and solutions-focused approach to delivering results.
- Have experience working in tendering, bidding or commercial roles.
- Have experience working within transport, infrastructure or other contract-based industries.