Bid and Contract Manager (m/f/d)

Job description

As Manager, Proposals & Contracts, you will be responsible for the development, coordination, and execution of customer proposals and supporting documentation for Fluence’s energy storage projects.

You will oversee the preparation of compliant, compelling, and commercially sound proposals and coordinate contract documentation during the pre-award and negotiation phases. This role sits at the critical intersection of Sales, Legal, Finance, and Engineering, ensuring that each proposal and contract meets both customer requirements and Fluence’s commercial standards.

Key Outcomes

• Deliver high-quality proposals and contract packages that support successful deal conversion and order intake.
• Ensure proposals and contracts are compliant, complete, and aligned with Fluence’s governance framework.
• Streamline tools, templates, and processes to improve speed, quality, and collaboration.

Responsibilities

Proposal Management

• Manage the end-to-end proposal preparation process for customer bids, including EPC, supply-only, and service contracts.
• Oversee review of RFPs/RFQs and customer requirements; define proposal strategy and content plan.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Legal, and Finance to develop cost, scope, and risk-aligned proposals.
• Review and approve proposal narratives, pricing documentation, and compliance matrices prior to submission.
• Ensure all proposals are aligned with Fluence’s commercial strategy and approval requirements.
• Participate in customer meetings, clarifications, and bid presentations as needed.

Contract Management

• Manage contract documentation during the negotiation and finalisation stages.
• Support alignment between proposals, negotiated terms, and final contract execution.
• Ensure document control and version tracking, maintaining consistency across all deliverables.
• Ensure adherence to internal approval workflows and contractual governance.
• Provide oversight on risk and scope alignment between commercial and technical documents.
• Support Lead Negotiators and Account Managers by coordinating the handover from proposal to negotiation phase.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Coordinate proposal and contract activities across Sales, Legal, Finance, Engineering, Delivery, and Product functions.
• Serve as the main point of contact between Sales Operations, Business Development, and supporting departments to ensure proposals are executable and commercially compliant.
• Facilitate internal reviews and ensure timely alignment across all contributors.
• Manage dependencies and resolve bottlenecks to maintain proposal timelines.
• Promote collaboration and knowledge sharing between regional and global commercial operations teams.

Process & Tools Improvement

• Identify, design, and implement improvements to proposal and contracting processes, templates, and tools.
• Drive adoption of automation and AI-based document management or proposal software.
• Develop metrics to track proposal efficiency, success rate, and cycle time improvements.
• Capture and disseminate lessons learned to enhance future proposal and contracting outcomes.

Commercial Governance & Compliance (optional M4 extension)

• Ensure adherence to Fluence’s commercial governance framework, including risk reviews and approval procedures.
• Support the preparation and coordination of internal approval documentation for bids and contracts.
• Partner with Legal and Finance to enforce compliance with contracting policies and approval thresholds.
• Support audit preparation and ensure records are properly maintained and retrievable.

Success Measures

• On-time and accurate submission of proposals and contract documentation.
• Proposal win rate and order intake contribution within target range.
• Improved proposal cycle times and efficiency metrics.
• Positive feedback from Sales, Legal, and Engineering stakeholders.
• Implementation of measurable process improvements and tool enhancements.

Person Specification

Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 8–10 years of experience in proposal management, contracts administration, or commercial operations.
• Proven experience managing proposal and contract processes in infrastructure, renewables, or technology sectors.
• Strong understanding of commercial and contractual frameworks for EPC and services projects.
• Excellent communication, coordination, and stakeholder management skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Salesforce, and document management tools.
• German Language C1, C2 level

Preferred

• Experience with energy storage, renewables, or complex B2B infrastructure projects.
• Familiarity with AI-enabled proposal automation or contract management tools.
• Additional European language proficiency.

Competencies

• Critical: Collaboration, commercial acumen, planning and coordination, and communication.
• Important: Process improvement, attention to detail, stakeholder management, and decision-making.
• Supporting: Analytical thinking, adaptability, and resilience.