Bid Graduate Trainee

This is a two-year, full time fixed term, programme based in either the firm’s Birmingham or Manchester offices, with the option of up to 50% remote homeworking.

What is the role?

The role of a bid professional is crucial to any organisation’s success. A bid professional is responsible for submitting a completed bid to an existing or prospective client, on time. They ensure that all the client’s questions have been answered as fully as possible, and that the organisation has given itself the best possible chance of success.

Bids are high stakes with no second prizes. As bids and tenders are so critical to winning new work, as well as keeping existing contracts, bid professionals are vital to a company’s continuing existence.

What does the programme involve?

We are looking to recruit a Bid Graduate Trainee who wants to gain an in-depth understanding of legal services, develop their knowledge and skills to help win profitable work through the sales and tender process and shape a career within one of the UK’s best places to work. The programme is structured to take you through the various stages to manage the bid process. This includes working with team members, internal and external stakeholders to develop, research, essential administration, write and edit ensuring the bid meets both client specifications and the firm’s standards and requirements, to win bids.

Along with the practical experience, at the end of your first year, the firm will sponsor you to complete the full Agile Project Manager qualification. This will enable you to demonstrate and enhance your project management proficiency and contribute to an elevated business acumen, as well as enhance your career prospects within the firm and beyond.

Support and mentoring

The firm’s Head of Bids will be a key point of contact for you throughout your programme and they will provide supervision and mentoring throughout the two years.

It is anticipated that at the end of the two-year programme you would apply for, and would be offered, a role within our bid team.

The person

You listen to other people’s views while having confidence in your own convictions and express your own opinions well. You need to manage multiple resources to deliver a strong, winning case to the prospective client. You remain calm under and always read and interpret instructions carefully. Time management, efficiency, the ability to meet deadlines and work with minimal supervision are all important. So are leadership and teamwork – no one can produce a bid singlehandedly.

In addition, we will be looking for the following:

Educational qualifications

• A 2.1 degree

Skills, knowledge and experience

• Excellent communication skills
• Enjoyment of writing and able to put your ideas over clearly
• Thorough and always paying attention to detail
• Excellent verbal communication skills
• Organisational skills
• Ability to use your initiative
• Ability to use computers and software competently

Attributes

The key attributes of the person filling this role are:

• Achievement orientated – a desire to get things done by exercising influence and gaining the buy in of others
• Conscientious - self-disciplined, organised and deliberate
• Self-motivated - able to demonstrate determination and persistence
• Collaborative - works effectively as part of a team and involves others in developing solutions
• Strong networker - able to build relationships with people at all levels across the business and externally
• Curious learner – open mindset to learn new skills to develop a well-rounded business professional

The Mills & Reeve Business Services career structure

We have a firm wide business services career structure and published career progression frameworks for each of the business services teams. Within the firm wide career structure there are five career levels. For the purposes of the framework, this role is at an Assistant level and the role profile that details the outcomes and activities expected of Assistants across the firm will be provided during the interview process.

The package

As you would expect, the firm offers a generous salary and benefits. The firm’s standard benefits are detailed in the following link:  http://www.mills-reeve.com/benefits/

How to apply

Please follow the link to apply in the recruitment portal, attaching your CV and a covering note of no more than 500 words answering the question “Why do I believe I am the best candidate for the bid graduate trainee position”.

The firm

What really sets Mills & Reeve apart from other law firms is the way we work with our clients. We understand that clients, in the 21st century, no longer want a traditional law firm – they want one that embraces forward thinking approaches to service, billing, commercial know-how, innovation, people management and community engagement.

And finally‿

Mills & Reeve is committed to providing an inclusive and supportive working environment. We are happy to consider flexible working arrangements and endeavour to achieve the right balance for both our people and the business. This attitude to flexible working ensures we continue to provide outstanding service to our clients, whilst allowing our people to develop their careers in the knowledge that personal priorities will remain just that.

Mills & Reeve is committed to promoting equality, diversity and to providing an inclusive and supportive environment. Please click here to find further information regarding our diversity policy.

If you would like any more information about Mills & Reeve, you can visit our website by clicking on the following link: http://www.mills-reeve.com/

Although we have specified a closing date in September, we reserve the right to close the role earlier if we receive a high level of applications.