Presales Manager

Role: Presales Manager - IT Infra

Location: Noida/Chennai (Hybrid)

Job Description:

The Presales Manager plays a critical role in the sales enablement function, ensuring the successful management of the bid lifecycle for both RFXs (Request for Proposals) and proactive pursuits in IT services - Cloud, Data centers, Digital workplace solutions, Managed network services. You will be responsible for overseeing the quality, compliance, and strategic alignment of all bid responses, ensuring they meet customer requirements and business objectives. This role involves working closely with internal stakeholders, clients, and third-party partners to drive high-quality, on-time responses that add value to both the client and our organization.

Key Responsibilities:

• End-to-End Bid Lifecycle Ownership: Manage and coordinate the bid process, from initial client requests to final proposal submission, ensuring all requirements are met and exceeded.
• Collaboration & Stakeholder Management: Lead cross-functional teams to engage stakeholders across leadership, sales, solutions, finance, commercial, Business Risk Management, and third-party advisors throughout the bid process.
• Internal Review & Governance: Ensure all bids comply with internal governance processes, quality standards, and client expectations. Coordinate internal reviews and budget management throughout the pursuit.
• Client Interaction: Increased interaction with client stakeholders over the course of the pursuit lifecycle to gather requirements and ensure alignment with client business and IT objectives.
• Bid Quality & Consistency: Responsible for the overall quality and consistency of client deliverables, including proposals, storyboards, and presentations. Ensure that responses meet or exceed client expectations.
• Proposal Development & Editing: Oversee the creation of detailed, well-crafted proposal content. Work with internal teams to develop, edit, and refine proposal drafts.
• Creative Services Coordination: Lead the coordination of creative services, including graphic design, document layout, and presentation development for client-facing materials.
• Orals & Due Diligence: Participate in oral presentations, due diligence processes, and client visits to effectively communicate our value proposition and secure client buy-in.
• Budget Management: Oversee budget management and resource allocation for each bid, ensuring that project costs are effectively tracked and managed.
• Proposal Systems & Process Improvement: Contribute to the development of new proposal templates, improved systems, and processes for bid management, ensuring continuous improvement.

Requirements, Experience, Education and Skills

• Experience: Minimum 7+ years of experience in a full-time Bid Management role within the IT services or similar industry. Experience in IT infrastructure and services, including cloud technologies, data centers, networking, and digital transformation.
• Shared services Exposure: Having experience in shared services/ platform-based services will be an added advantage
• Leadership: Prior experience leading sales enablement workflows on key projects, with the ability to manage both individual tasks and team efforts.
• Stakeholder Management: Strong interpersonal communication and influencing skills to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Project Management: Proven ability to manage multiple bids simultaneously, driving projects to completion on time and within budget.
• Writing & Editing: Strong writing, editing, and communication skills, with an ability to craft clear, compelling, and persuasive proposal content.
• Technology Proficiency: Highly proficient in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel; experience with proposal management tools is a plus.
• Under Pressure Performance: A calm, level-headed nature and the ability to stay organized and focused under tight deadlines and high-pressure situations.
• Client-Facing Experience: Experience in developing and presenting client-facing proposals, presentations, and pitches.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Previous experience in leading and managing teams within the bid management function.
• Exposure to working with multiple business units and international stakeholders.
• Strong understanding of IT service offerings and their application to client business challenges.