Director, Bids and Proposals

Location: Irvine, United States of America

Thales people architect solutions that enable two-thirds of planes to take off and land safely. We create in-flight entertainment systems that engross 50 million fliers every year and we develop the avionics that control the world’s largest commercial aircrafts. Our simulators train the next generation of pilots for fighter jets, transporters and search and rescue helicopters. And, together, each and every member of our aerospace team makes a difference.

Director of Bids and Proposals

Irvine, CA (Hybrid)

Position Summary

Thales is looking for a Director of Bids and Proposals (DBP) to support and manage all bid activities for Thales Inflight Experience (IFE) business line (BL) including all inflight entertainment and connectivity product portfolios as well as integrated offers while contributing directly to EXCOM initiatives.  This position commands a high level of expertise and an understanding at the enterprise level of the commercial, technical and value implications of the solutions to be proposed to the customer.  These wide ranges of activities not only require an experienced global view of the business but will also consume the unit financial stake of over of 50% of the BL yearly order intake budget. The position is required to develop and sustain the growth of the inflight entertainment and connectivity business and to support the Avionics (AVS) Global Business Unit (GBU) in achieving their long-term corporate growth commitments. The DBP will challenge and motivate cross-functional, multi-disciplined stakeholder personnel that support the bid process, to promote cooperation and an attitude of commitment in the pursuit of our objectives.  The DBP will encourage a culture of continuous improvement in bid quality, robustness, technical rationalization and overall project feasibility working cooperatively with Sales, Customer Delivery, Product Management and Engineering. Through performance of the duties listed below, the DBP will provide value added support to the Sales process by ensuring regional and centralized bid strategies and process are incorporated into the customer proposals, coordinating and leveraging key company strengths into individual Sales campaigns serving to improve the company’s effectiveness to compete in the marketplace while improving profitability.  Furthermore, assurance that RFPs are responded to in a timely manner and completely is a key objective of this position.

In this position, you will also endeavor to collect regional customer order intake, gross margin, customer pursuit, market and trend information to provide continuous performance monitoring and feedback and to assist effectively forecasting and reporting global order intake and profitability.  The position will also serve to ensure compliance with established company processes and utilize the appropriate company Bid Management process for presentation to management for required approvals.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Bids & Proposals management for both IFE and Connectivity as well as combined offers; Manage and coordinate the core bid team stakeholders including Financial Analysts, Program Management and Engineering for cost development; Define the initial project baseline based on a viable solution and project structure regarding the customer requirements and Company strategy/policy; Organize bid kick off meetings to communicate and flow down customer RFP requirements through the organization: cost and price targets and customer product / system requirements; ensuring that all bid requirements are acknowledged and understood; Create and validate the bid based on the stakeholders’ commitment and by validating risks and opportunities of the future project; Based on the initial project baseline, define major milestones for delivery and acceptance, consolidate costs and validate the whole project baseline for the bid.
• Manage a matrix team consisting of both internal and external third parties; collect and review the required input (costs data and technical information) to create the bid package, whilst ensuring that the bid schedule and milestones are adhered; Review the bid package and ensure that it is accurate, meet the bid target setting requirements as identified by the sales manager, and meet the current corporate requirements for cash flow, payment schedules and GM (%).
• Coordinate executive reviews of the bid package; focused on commitments, risks and financial analysis; Make presentations to the GBU level at Corporate for gate and business model trends; Launch the solution oriented phase, organize and plan the future project; Coordinate the Sales / Program handover of successful bids, ensuring Program Management is fully briefed on the customer requirements and subsequent program scope of work, company commitments and associated bid