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Bid manager skills for your resume and career

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Jennifer Tockman,

TeWhan Hahn Ph.D.

Below we've compiled a list of the most critical bid manager skills. We ranked the top skills for bid managers based on the percentage of resumes they appeared on. For example, 17.5% of bid manager resumes contained project management as a skill. Continue reading to find out what skills a bid manager needs to be successful in the workplace.

15 bid manager skills for your resume and career

1. Project Management

Here's how bid managers use project management:

Applied project management methodology to navigate the bidding process from initial RFP through implementation of solution.
Developed project management skills by executing multiple process improvement projects in order to cultivate efficient procedures.

2. Value Proposition

A value proposition is the moral and the conviction of why and how a business operates. A good value proposition may highlight what sets a business apart from its competitors, but it should always focus on how customers define your value. It summarizes why a customer would choose your product or service.

Here's how bid managers use value proposition:

Apply business acumen and industry trends to create and communicate value proposition to C-level executives.
Led sales team through Client Value Proposition and Win Theme discussions.

3. Pursuit

Here's how bid managers use pursuit:

Create and track internal budgets for the sales pursuit teams involved in creating the solution to maintain within corporate budget guidelines.
Led the proposal process and support to efficiently develop and deliver complex and lengthy sales pursuit and bid engagements.

4. RFP

RFP stands for request for proposal and is a document that contains details about a project or bids from contractors who are responsible for completing the project.

Here's how bid managers use rfp:

Perform in depth analysis of Request For Proposal (RFP) requirements to create a thorough and accurate response.
Saved sales team 100s of hours in needing to write custom RFP answers.

5. Business Development

Business development is the ideas or initiatives that work to make business work better. Selling, advertising, product development, supply chain management, and vendor management are only a few of the divisions involved with it. There is still a lot of networking, negotiating, forming alliances, and trying to save money. The goals set for business development guide and coordinate with all of these various operations and sectors.

Here's how bid managers use business development:

Prepared and designed presentations in collaboration with Business Development teams for all customer briefs related to on- going proposal opportunities.
Formulated offer strategy in coordination with business development team and Key account mangers.

6. Subject Matter Experts

Here's how bid managers use subject matter experts:

Evaluated client RFPs and collaborated with salespeople and subject matter experts to plan strategies for winning proposals.
Provided daily work direction to marketing communications specialists, proposal/technical writers, and administrative support staff and coached subject matter experts.

7. Bid Strategy

Here's how bid managers use bid strategy:

Collaborate with account team to define customer requirements and develop bid strategy.

8. RFQ

A request for quotation (RFQ) is a document that a corporation submits to one or more potential suppliers obtaining quotations for a service or product. Typically, an RFQ seeks a detailed list of prices for something that is measurable like hardware and it involves more than the price per item. RFQ, call for bids and invitation for bid generally mean the same thing.

Here's how bid managers use rfq:

Managed pricing for new business opportunities from transactional business to 2500+ lane RFQ's.
Develop and coordinate all RFI's and RFQ's for each department analyze responses, negotiate pricing and delivery contracts.

9. RFx

Here's how bid managers use rfx:

Program-managed proposal (RFX) responses including all internal governance requirements (Technical Review, Commercial Review, etc.
Lead US focal Bid Manager for any RFx or deliverable that IBM and Workday partnered.

10. SharePoint

Here's how bid managers use sharepoint:

Managed and maintained SharePoint site for proposal content and business collateral.
Mentored corporate developers on best practices for design and implementation of SharePoint sites for proposal and IDIQ contract development and management.

11. Proposal Process

Here's how bid managers use proposal process:

Study requests for proposals, identify competitors and keep abreast of changes/trends affecting proposals or proposal process.
Enabled team to adhere to standard set of guidelines for improved quality and efficiency by developing SLG Proposal Process Manual.

12. Apmp

Here's how bid managers use apmp:

Project managed the complex pursuits using APMP best practice principles.

13. Bid Proposals

Here's how bid managers use bid proposals:

Obtained bid proposals for upcoming projects and responsible for interpreting dealer CAD drawing into our product line and bidding accordingly.
Coordinated efforts of various departments for required response to bid proposals.

14. Bid Preparation

Here's how bid managers use bid preparation:

Handled bid preparation and submission.

15. Opportunity Management

Here's how bid managers use opportunity management:

Created and updated records in IBM s Opportunity Management System.

What skills help Bid Managers find jobs?

Tell us what job you are looking for, we’ll show you what skills employers want.

What type of skills will young bid managers need?

Jennifer Tockman

Director of Career Development and BOLD Women's Leadership Network, Colby-Sawyer College

Flexibility, ability to adapt to whatever style work style, and the environment we are using given the world around us, working as a team (even if remote), can be a self-learner, especially in a private fashion. Excellent communication skills are also essential for success.

What soft skills should all bid managers possess?

TeWhan Hahn Ph.D.

Professor of Finance, Auburn University at Montgomery

Writing skills including email writing, being able to work in teams, and knowing the workplace etiquettes.

Do you want to know more?

List of bid manager skills to add to your resume

The most important skills for a bid manager resume and required skills for a bid manager to have include:

Project Management
Value Proposition
Pursuit
RFP
Business Development
Subject Matter Experts
Bid Strategy
RFQ
RFx
SharePoint
Proposal Process
Apmp

Bid Proposals
Bid Preparation
Opportunity Management
Bid Responses
Sales Process
Client Relationships
Bid Management
Proposal Content
Pricing Strategy
Executive Summaries
USD
RFIs

Solution Design
Bid Submission
GSA
SMEs
HR
Competitive Pricing
Sigma
C-Level
Customer Complaints
Government Contracts
Process Improvement
K-12

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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