Technical Proposal & Bid Specialist at ABNO Softwares International

About the job

• The Technical Bid & Proposal Officer is responsible for leading the end-to-end development of high-quality technical and commercial proposals that support the Company's growth objectives.
• The role serves as the critical link between Business Development, Engineering, Product, Project Delivery, Finance, and Legal teams to design winning solutions and prepare compelling bid responses for government, NGO, donor-funded, corporate, and private-sector opportunities.
• The position is responsible for identifying strategic opportunities, analyzing client requirements, coordinating solution design, developing technical methodologies, preparing implementation approaches, and ensuring that all proposals meet compliance requirements while maximizing technical evaluation scores.
• The role plays a strategic function in helping the Company secure ERP, Education Management Systems, Digital Transformation, Systems Integration, Cloud, and Software Implementation projects.

Key Responsibilities:

Bid Strategy & Opportunity Management

• Monitor tender portals, procurement platforms, donor-funded projects, government procurement opportunities, and private-sector bid invitations.
• Evaluate opportunities and recommend bid/no-bid decisions based on strategic fit, competitiveness, technical capability, resource availability, and profitability.
• Analyze Terms of Reference (TORs), Request for Proposals (RFPs), Expressions of Interest (EOIs), and tender specifications.
• Develop bid strategies and win themes that differentiate the Company from competitors.
• Identify strategic partnerships, consortium opportunities, and subcontracting arrangements where appropriate.
• Maintain and manage the Company's bid pipeline and opportunity tracker.

Technical Proposal Development

• Lead the preparation of technical proposals for ERP, Student Information Systems, Learning Management Systems, Digital Transformation, Cloud Solutions, Systems Integration, and Software Implementation projects.
• Interpret client requirements and translate them into practical and compelling technical solutions.
• Develop technical methodologies, implementation frameworks, project approaches, work plans, and deliverables.
• Prepare technical compliance matrices and evaluation response documents.
• Draft high-quality technical narratives that demonstrate the Company's capabilities, experience, and value proposition.
• Prepare project governance structures, implementation schedules, staffing plans, and resource allocation models.
• Develop risk management, quality assurance, change management, and project monitoring approaches.
• Ensure proposals effectively address all evaluation criteria and maximize technical scoring potential.

Solution Design & Requirements Analysis

• Analyze business and technical requirements contained within tender documents.
• Collaborate with Engineering, Product, and Project teams to design suitable technical solutions.
• Map client requirements to existing products and solutions.
• Identify gaps requiring customization, development, integration, or third-party solutions.
• Support the development of high-level solution architectures and deployment models.
• Recommend suitable hosting environments, including cloud, hybrid, or on premise options.
• Participate in solution discussions involving integrations, APIs, data migration, cybersecurity, and infrastructure requirements.

Proposal Coordination & Stakeholder Management

• Coordinate multidisciplinary proposal teams including:
• Engineering
• Product Management
• Project Management
• UI/UX
• Infrastructure
• Finance
• Legal
• Business Development
• Manage proposal timelines and ensure all contributors deliver inputs within agreed deadlines.
• Facilitate proposal review meetings and technical solution workshops.
• Ensure consistency, quality, and alignment across all proposal sections.

Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure all proposals meet mandatory compliance requirements and procurement regulations.
• Review submissions for completeness, accuracy, and responsiveness.
• Verify that all technical, financial, legal, and administrative requirements are addressed.
• Maintain a repository of standard proposal content, case studies, references, CVs, certifications, company profiles, and technical documentation.
• Coordinate periodic updates of statutory and compliance documents.

Post-Submission & Contract Award Support

• Coordinate responses to clarification requests and evaluation queries.
• Participate in client presentations, technical demonstrations, and proposal defense sessions where required.
• Support contract negotiations and project initiation activities.
• Conduct post-bid reviews and lessons-learned sessions.
• Maintain records of bid performance, success rates, and improvement opportunities.

Market Intelligence & Competitive Analysis

• Monitor industry trends, procurement developments, and emerging technology opportunities.
• Conduct competitor analysis and benchmarking.
• Identify recurring client needs and recommend enhancements to products and services.
• Provide management with strategic insights regarding market positioning and business growth opportunities.

Knowledge, skills and experience required

• Strong technical writing and documentation skills, with the ability to translate complex software and ICT solutions into clear, client-focused proposals.
• Experience in bid management, including tender analysis, proposal structuring, and compliance checking for public and private sector opportunities.
• Background in software, ERP/MIS, or ICT solutions, with the ability to collaborate effectively with developers, project managers, and consultants.
• Proficiency in office productivity tools (e.g., word processing, spreadsheets, presentation software) and familiarity with bid or CRM management systems.
• Excellent analytical, research, and problem-solving abilities to understand client requirements and design tailored solution narratives.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills, with attention to detail and a commitment to accuracy and quality in all deliverables.
• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience with institutional or government tenders in Kenya or the region is an advantage; knowledge of education sector solutions is a plus.
• CIPS Certification or KISM Certification is an added advantage.
• Minimum of 2–3 years' experience in technical proposal development, bid management, presales, solution consulting, or ICT business development.
• Proven experience preparing successful proposals and tender submissions.
• Experience responding to government, donor-funded, NGO, and corporate ICT tenders.
• Experience with ERP, Education Technology, Digital Transformation, Software Development, Systems Integration, or Cloud Implementation projects.