Skip to content

Sales & marketing

Bid writer

Bid writers prepare documents used to request contracts to provide services or apply for funding.

Annual Salary

£20,000 to £55,000

Average UK salary in 2023 was £34,963
(source Office for National Statistics)

Working hours

37 to 39 a week

You could work: evenings; occasionally

2.9%
Future employment

There will be 2.9% more Bid writer jobs in 2027.

Day to day tasks

As a bid writer you'll:

  • find out about possible business opportunities
  • work with clients and planning teams
  • gather evidence to complete Pre Qualification Questionnaires (PQQ)
  • collect data for bids, like financial records
  • check the rules the bid must follow
  • present technical information in easy to understand ways
  • keep accurate records and save material to a 'bid library' for future use
  • design, write, edit and submit bid documents

Working environment

You could work at a client's business or in an office.

You can get into this job through:

  • a university course
  • an apprenticeship
  • working towards this role
  • specialist courses run by professional bodies
University

Some employers will expect you to have a degree.

Relevant subjects include:

  • English
  • business management
  • sales and marketing
  • law

You could also study a subject relevant to an industry you want to specialise in, like IT, civil engineering or housing.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
  • 2 to 3 A levels, or equivalent, for a degree
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • student finance for fees and living costs|https://www.gov.uk/student-finance
  • university courses and entry requirements|https://www.ucas.com/
Apprenticeship

You can work towards this role by completing a bid and proposal co-ordinator advanced apprenticeship.

Entry requirements

There are no set entry requirements but it may help you to get in if you have:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English and maths, for an advanced apprenticeship
For more information
  • equivalent entry requirements|https://www.gov.uk/what-different-qualification-levels-mean/list-of-qualification-levels
  • guide to apprenticeships|https://www.gov.uk/apprenticeships-guide
Work

You could start as a trainee or junior bid writer. You’ll usually need a minimum of 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English and maths. Many employers will prefer you to have at least A levels.

You may also be able to work your way up through administrative jobs, especially in bid writing companies.

Other routes

The Association of Bid & Proposal Management Professionals offers qualifications for people working in bid and proposal writing.

More information

Career tips

A professional marketing qualification may help you find work.

If you're preparing bids for international funding, the ability to speak other languages can help.

Experience in writing or research may be helpful when applying for work as a bid writer.

Professional and industry bodies

You can join the Association of Bid Proposal Management Professionals for professional recognition, training opportunities and to make industry contacts.

Showing jobs in:
View all vacancies in this region

You could become a team leader, senior bid writer or bids and proposals manager.

You could also transfer your skills to other kinds of technical writing or contract management.

Skills required and how your skills match up

What skills are required?

You'll need:

  • knowledge of English language
  • excellent written communication skills
  • to be thorough and pay attention to detail
  • excellent verbal communication skills
  • knowledge of computer operating systems, hardware and software
  • the ability to think clearly using logic and reasoning
  • administration skills
  • the ability to use your initiative
  • to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
My top 5 skills
Please sign in to compare your skills to this job. Sign in

To save or view your choices and results you must sign in or register (takes 1 minute).

Sign in Register