Proposals Manager

About the role

The Proposals Manager will lead the end‑to‑end development and submission of commercial proposals for Wabtec’s Freight Services and Freight Components businesses across Sub‑Saharan Africa. The role supports aftermarket solutions for locomotives and wagons and acts as a key commercial partner to the sales team.

Key responsibilities

• Lead end‑to‑end commercial proposal development, interpreting bid requests, coordinating technical and pricing inputs, conducting financial and risk analysis, defining win strategies, reviewing contract terms, and obtaining internal approvals.
• Ensure compliance with Delegations of Authority, approval processes, document deviations, prepare executive summaries, and support internal and external audits.
• Coordinate proposal activities across Sales, Finance, Legal, Engineering, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Project Management to deliver integrated “One Wabtec” bids.
• Serve as the commercial interface with customers during the bid phase and maintain ongoing stakeholder engagement.
• Manage bid documentation, knowledge transfer from Inquiry‑to‑Order to Order‑to‑Revenue, conduct market and competitive analysis, and track bid and sales data.

Required profile

• Degree or diploma in Engineering, Business, Finance or a related field.
• Experience in proposals and/or contracts management within heavy engineering or similar industries.
• Ability to interpret RFPs and contracts, understand customer expectations and deliver high‑quality solutions.
• Proven ability to work independently and lead cross‑functional matrix teams under tight deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and willingness to travel across Sub‑Saharan Africa.

Required skills

• Advanced Excel proficiency.
• Experience with ERP systems such as Oracle.
• Experience with CRM tools such as Salesforce.