Head of Bids & Commercial (Engineering)

Role: Head of Bids & Commercial (Engineering)

Location: Knutsford, Parkgate Industrial Estate (Office Based)

Working Hours: Mon-Fri, 8:30am till 5pm. 40 hours per week

We’re looking for a senior commercial leader to take ownership of bid governance and commercial decision-making at Oliver Valves, a £100m global engineering business.

This role sits at the centre of how we win work. You will lead the internal sales and bid function, ensuring all opportunities are commercially sound, contractually robust, and operationally deliverable.

You will act as the gatekeeper for major bids — reviewing scope, challenging assumptions, and approving or rejecting opportunities based on margin, risk, and delivery capability.

Working closely with engineering, supply chain, and operations, you will ensure alignment before orders are accepted, reducing downstream issues and improving overall contract performance.

We are looking for someone who:

• Has led bid and/or commercial functions within engineering or manufacturing

• Is experienced in contract review and negotiation (LDs, warranties, liabilities)

• Has operated formal bid governance and approval processes

• Is confident challenging senior stakeholders and making difficult commercial decisions

• Focuses on margin, risk, and quality of order intake — not just revenue

You will play a key role in improving margin, reducing risk exposure, and embedding a more disciplined, commercially focused culture across the business.

This is a high-impact role with a clear path to director level.