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JOB DETAILS

Bid Manager - Water

CompanyDowner
LocationSydney
Work ModeOn Site
PostedNovember 9, 2026
About The Company
Enabling communities to thrive. It’s what we’ve done for more than 150 years. Solving problems. Making the extraordinary run smoothly every day. We’re keeping the lights on and the water flowing. Running the hospitals that take care of us. Delivering the transport that takes us from A to B. Maintaining communication networks that keep people connected. Helping our Government and Defence customers keep them protected. Delivering train fleets. Building bridges, roads and streets. Now we’re building momentum too. Moving forward even faster. Across Australia and New Zealand, we’re transforming the way we work. Unlocking our potential to lead by example. Using our passion and expertise to deliver complex projects and turn fresh ideas into solutions that make society a better place. Creating opportunities for our people, growth and value for our shareholders, and world-class solutions for our customers. Imagining. Innovating. Engineering. Enabling.
About the Role

Bid Manager Water

The opportunity

We have an opportunity for an experienced Bid Manager to join our Energy and Utilities Growth team, based in Sydney or Brisbane.

 

Reporting to the Head of Pre Contracts Water, you will lead major water and wastewater bids across NSW and Queensland, managing opportunities from qualification and strategy through to governance, submission, negotiation and handover.

 

This is a senior bid leadership role where you will bring together multidisciplinary teams across operations, engineering, estimating, commercial and submissions to develop compelling and commercially sound solutions.

 

Key responsibilities include:

  • Leading complex D and C, ECI, alliance, collaborative and program bids
  • Developing bid strategies, win themes, delivery models and competitive positioning
  • Leading qualification, bid planning, competitive analysis and stakeholder mapping
  • Integrating design, delivery, operations, estimating, commercial, procurement and mobilisation strategies
  • Managing contractual, commercial, technical, safety, schedule and delivery risks
  • Leading workshops, executive reviews, client interactions and negotiations
  • Managing governance requirements, review gates and delegated authority approvals
  • Delivering high quality, compliant and persuasive submissions on time
  • Managing clarifications, final offers, interviews and post tender negotiations
  • Ensuring an effective handover of scope, price, program, commitments and risks to delivery teams

     

What we’re looking for

You will be an experienced bid professional with a strong understanding of complex infrastructure pursuits and the ability to lead multidisciplinary teams through high value tender processes.

 

Ideally, you will bring:

  • Proven experience leading complex, high value infrastructure bids, preferably within the water and wastewater sector
  • Experience across D and C, ECI, alliance, collaborative or program delivery models
  • Experience leading multidisciplinary bid teams and integrating estimating, commercial, technical and submission workstreams
  • Strong commercial acumen and an understanding of contractual and delivery risk
  • Excellent written communication, facilitation, presentation and stakeholder management skills
  • Strong planning and analytical capability with excellent attention to detail
  • The confidence to challenge assumptions and identify practical value opportunities
  • A relevant tertiary qualification in engineering, construction, quantity surveying, commerce or business is preferred
  • Knowledge of the NSW and Queensland water markets will be highly regarded
  • Flexibility to travel across NSW and Queensland when required
  • You will be collaborative, pragmatic and accountable, with the ability to work autonomously, engage confidently with senior stakeholders and remain composed during demanding bid periods.

     

What we offer

  • The opportunity to lead significant water and wastewater infrastructure bids across NSW and Queensland
  • A senior role with exposure to operational leaders, executives, clients and industry partners
  • The opportunity to influence bid strategy, solution development and commercial outcomes
  • A collaborative environment working across technical, commercial, estimating and operational teams
  • Career development opportunities across Downer’s broader Energy and Utilities business

     

About Energy and Utilities

Downer’s Energy and Utilities business provides end to end services across power, gas, water and telecommunications infrastructure. Our teams work with clients to deliver and maintain critical infrastructure and essential services for communities across Australia and New Zealand.

 

How to apply

If you are an experienced Bid Manager looking to play a key role in securing major water infrastructure opportunities, we would like to hear from you.

 

Please submit your application through the online application process.

 

Downer is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We recognise the importance of embracing diverse experiences, perspectives and backgrounds to build stronger teams and deliver better outcomes.

 

Please note that Downer does not accept unsolicited resumes from recruitment agencies. Unsolicited resumes submitted by recruitment agencies will not be considered and no agency fees will be payable.

 

Key Skills
Bid managementInfrastructureWater and wastewaterCommercial acumenStakeholder managementStrategic planningRisk managementTender processesMultidisciplinary team leadershipContractual knowledgeProject deliveryNegotiationGovernanceEstimatingEngineeringSubmission development
Categories
ConstructionEngineeringEnergyManagement & LeadershipConsulting
Benefits
Career development opportunitiesExposure to senior leadershipCollaborative work environment
Job Information
📋Core Responsibilities
Lead major water and wastewater bids from qualification through to submission, negotiation, and handover. Manage multidisciplinary teams to develop commercially sound solutions while ensuring governance and compliance requirements are met.
📋Job Type
full time
📊Experience Level
10+
💼Company Size
18190
📊Visa Sponsorship
No
💼Language
English
🏢Working Hours
40 hours
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