UK

United Kingdom · Sales · Director/VP (16-20 years)

Director of Strategic Pursuits

Here is the whole job, in plain words. What it is, what you decide, how you're judged, how people get here and where they go next. Then the part no course gives you: twelve AI tutors who learn your work.

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  • Experience bandDirector/VP (16-20 years)
  • Direct reports5-10 reports
  • Reports toChief Commercial Officer (CCO)
  • UK framework levelUsually a director, accountable for a division and its numbers

Also advertised as VP of Bids & Proposals · Head of Major Tenders · Commercial Director – Strategic Accounts · Director of Bid Management

Built on 43,079 real UK job descriptions we analysed · grounded in qualifications employers recognise

Two short quizzes about you

1From this job to a course

The qualifications matched to this job

Level 5 Certificate in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 2 of 10 standards
Level 5 Award in Tender Management Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
Level 5 Diploma in Professional Sales Institute of Sales Professionals · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
IAO Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management Innovate Awarding · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
City & Guilds Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership City & Guilds Limited · Level 5 · covers 1 of 10 standards
TLM Level 3 Award in Bid Best Practice and Go-to-Market Strategy The Learning Machine · Level 3 · covers 3 of 10 standards

Matched from the standards this job is measured against: a suggestion, not an official ruling.

The units you would start with

Tender Management Level 5 Certificate in Professional Sales
Tendering for contracts IAO Level 5 Diploma in Leadership and Management
Manage a tendering process City & Guilds Level 5 NVQ Diploma in Management and Leadership
Enhanced Bid Basics TLM Level 3 Award in Bid Best Practice and Go-to-Market Strategy

The future skills this job leans on

AI Fluency working with AI as a thinking partner
Data Fluency turning numbers into a decision
Automation Fluency building AI into how work runs
Foresight Fluency seeing round the corner
Change Fluency taking people through change
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Your Plan Illustration

Built for Director of Strategic Pursuits

4 units that map to this job, from the qualifications that cover it.

  1. Tender Management Institute of Sales Professionals · covers 2 of 10 standards Level 5
  2. Tendering for contracts Innovate Awarding · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  3. Manage a tendering process City & Guilds Limited · covers 1 of 10 standards Level 5
  4. Enhanced Bid Basics The Learning Machine · covers 3 of 10 standards Level 3
These are the real units behind this job, in the order they rank for it. Nothing here is marked done, because this plan has not been started by anyone yet. Yours would fill in as you go.

2AI and this work

Will AI change your work as a Director of Strategic Pursuits?

Nobody can say exactly how. Here is what this job is being asked for next, and where to start.

The new skills this role is being asked for

  • AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning
  • Digital Transformation Leadership for Commercial Functions
Why each one is rising

The future skills this job leans on

We'll only ever tell you what we can actually back up. No hype, no scare tactics.

What happens when you start

Next, a free account. We build your Director of Strategic Pursuits plan as you set up, starting with a Future Fluency module on using AI in your job. No card.

Your first Future Fluency module is free. After that, your AI tutor is £70 a month.

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3What this role really is

This job leads the biggest and most complex bids a business makes, the ones that shape its market position for years. It involves leading a large team. It means lining up bid strategy with wider business goals, so the business pursues and wins the right opportunities rather than just responding to every RFP.

4What you'd actually use

The tools this job runs on, and how well you'd need to know each one.

Proposal Software (e.g., RFPIO, Loopio) Strategic

Leads the business case for platform selection/renewal, designs the integration strategy with CRM, and defines enterprise-wide content governance and future roadmap.

CRM (e.g., Salesforce, Dynamics 365) Architect

Defines the required fields, workflows, and approval processes within the CRM to support the strategic pursuits function. Mandates data standards for reporting to the board and C-suite.

Collaboration & Document Management (e.g., SharePoint, MS Teams) Strategic

Establishes the enterprise-wide information architecture for all commercial documents, ensuring seamless data flow and governance across systems.

Project & Portfolio Management (e.g., Asana, Smartsheet, Jira Align) Strategic

Selects and implements the PM tool for the department. Creates a portfolio view of all active bids to manage resource conflicts, track strategic progress, and report on overall performance to leadership.

Advanced Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) Strategic

Designs and mandates the master templates for all bid documents and presentations across the organisation, ensuring brand consistency, legal compliance, and messaging alignment.

5What you get to decide, and how that grows

Power in a job isn't your title. It's what you're allowed to decide. Here's how it grows as you move up.

The choiceComing in Where you are nowThe step above
Strategic Bid/No-Bid Escalate to Senior Tender Manager for recommendation. Propose recommendation to Senior Tender Manager and Lead Tender Strategist. Make recommendation to Director of Strategic Pursuits, providing detailed rationale.
Team Hiring & Structure No hiring authority. Provide feedback on candidate suitability. Interview candidates and provide hiring recommendations to managers. Lead interviews, provide strong recommendations, and mentor new hires.
Budget Allocation (Bid-related spend) Request approval for minor expenses (<£100) from supervisor. Request approval for project-specific expenses (<£500) from manager. Propose and manage project budgets up to £5K, requiring manager approval.

6How you'll be judged

The scoreboard, and what is not on it. The hard targets, how often each is actually looked at, and the quiet signals that never reach a dashboard.

Revenue from Strategic Pursuits
Total contract value secured from bids directly managed or overseen by your function.
Target · Secure £50M+ in new contract value annually, with a clear growth trajectory.

In Q2, your team closed three major deals totalling £18M, contributing directly to the £55M annual target.

Strategic Bid Win Rate
The percentage of high-value, strategically important bids (typically £5M+) that we win against the competition.
Target · Achieve a >40% win rate on all qualified strategic bids.

Out of 10 strategic bids submitted this quarter, your team won 5, resulting in a 50% win rate, exceeding the target.

Return on Bid Investment (ROBI)
The revenue generated from won bids compared to the total cost (time, resources, external spend) of all bids submitted.
Target · Maintain an average ROBI of 5:1 or better across the bid portfolio.

If the total cost of all bids in a year was £10M and revenue from wins was £50M, your ROBI is 5:1.

Team Productivity & Efficiency
Measures how effectively your team processes bids, including average cycle time and resource utilisation.
Target · Reduce average strategic bid cycle time by 10% year-on-year without compromising quality, and improve resource allocation efficiency by 15%.

Implemented a new review process that cut average bid production from 12 to 10 weeks, freeing up 15% of lead time for strategic planning.

Strategic Alignment & Influence
How well your function's strategy aligns with overall business goals and your ability to influence senior leadership decisions.
  • You're regularly invited to C-suite strategy sessions
  • your input on market trends and competitive landscape directly shapes sales and product roadmaps
  • your team's bid pipeline directly reflects company priorities. Board members actively seek your insights on major market opportunities.
Team Leadership & Development
Your effectiveness in building, mentoring, and retaining a high-performing strategic pursuits team.
  • High retention rates within your team
  • clear succession plans for key roles
  • positive feedback in 360-degree reviews about your coaching and development efforts
  • a visible pipeline of talent progressing into more senior roles within your function and beyond. You'll be known for growing great people.
Process Innovation & Optimisation
Your drive to continuously improve our bid processes, tools, and methodologies.
  • Successful implementation of new technologies (e.g., advanced AI for bid analysis)
  • demonstrable improvements in bid quality and efficiency
  • regular sharing of best practices across the sales organisation
  • a culture of continuous improvement within your team.
Client & Partner Relationships
The strength of relationships with key clients and strategic partners, especially during complex tender processes.
  • Direct feedback from clients praising our bid engagement
  • strategic partners actively seeking your input on joint pursuits
  • your team is seen as a trusted advisor, not just a vendor responder. You're the one who can pick up the phone to a key client's procurement lead.

7Would you like it

Both sides. What people enjoy, and what grinds them down.

What people enjoy
Making a Tangible Business Impact

You'll thrive on seeing your strategic decisions directly translate into multi-million-pound contract wins that secure the company's future. The thrill of closing a major deal, knowing you orchestrated the winning bid, is what gets you up in the morning.

Leading the team to win a £30M government contract that opens up a new market segment for the company, directly impacting quarterly earnings and future growth projections.

Leading & Developing a High-Performing Team

You'll get immense satisfaction from building, coaching, and empowering a team of bid professionals. Watching your direct reports grow into senior roles and seeing the collective success of your function will be a major driver.

A junior team member you mentored progresses to a Lead Tender Strategist role, and the overall team's win rate improves significantly due to your leadership and process improvements.

Solving Complex, High-Stakes Challenges

You love the intellectual challenge of dissecting intricate RFPs, understanding complex client problems, and crafting innovative, winning solutions under immense pressure. The bigger the challenge, the more engaged you are.

Successfully navigating a highly competitive bid with ambiguous requirements and multiple stakeholders, ultimately delivering a solution that not only wins but also sets a new industry standard.

What frustrates people
  • Losing a 'must-win' bid due to factors outside your control (e.g., last-minute political interference, an irrational competitor bid).
  • Senior leadership changing strategic direction mid-bid, forcing a complete overhaul of the proposal at the 11th hour.
  • Resource constraints preventing you from pursuing every promising opportunity or adequately staffing key bids.
  • Navigating internal resistance or siloed thinking from other departments that impacts bid quality or timeliness.
  • The constant pressure of absolute deadlines and the high stakes associated with every major tender.
What this role does not give you
  • A 9-to-5, predictable work schedule (especially during critical bid cycles).
  • A role where you only focus on individual contributions without significant leadership or management responsibilities.
  • An environment free from high-pressure situations or the need to make tough, high-stakes decisions.
  • A role where you're not expected to challenge senior stakeholders or drive organisational change.

8Who you work with

This role directly impacts the company's top-line revenue, market share, and long-term strategic direction. You're accountable for securing the multi-million-pound contracts that underpin our growth plans, influencing product roadmaps based on market demand, and building a high-performing, resilient strategic pursuits function. Your decisions directly affect resource allocation across Sales, Product, and Delivery for major opportunities.

Inside the business
  • Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)
  • Sales Leadership (VPs, Regional Directors)
  • Product & Solutions Leadership
  • Legal & Finance Directors
  • Delivery & Operations Directors
  • Marketing Director
Outside the business
  • Key Client Procurement Leads
  • Strategic Partner Alliances
  • Industry Analysts & Consultants
  • Government Contract Officers (for public sector bids)

9What you need before you start

Not a wish list. The things you would be expected to already have.

  • Proven track record of leading and winning multi-million-pound strategic tenders (typically £5M+) in a complex B2B or public sector environment.
  • Extensive experience (10+ years) in bid management, strategic pursuits, or a related commercial leadership role, with at least 5 years managing managers.
  • Demonstrable experience in building, mentoring, and leading large teams (25+ people), including direct reports who are themselves managers or lead strategists.
  • Strong commercial acumen and P&L management experience, ideally with direct accountability for significant revenue targets.
  • Experience presenting to and influencing C-suite executives and board members on strategic commercial initiatives.
  • A deep understanding of complex sales cycles, procurement processes, and contract negotiation strategies.
  • A history of driving process improvement and technology adoption within a bid or commercial function.

10What to practise next

Where the job is going, and what to do about it starting this week.

Advanced Data Analytics & Visualisation for Commercial Performance

As data becomes more central to commercial decision-making, you'll need to be able to interpret complex analytical models and guide your team in creating compelling, data-driven insights for C-suite and board consumption. This isn't about being an analyst; it's about being an expert consumer and director of analytics.

Predictive Modelling for Sales Forecasting · A/B Testing & Experimentation Design (Commercial) · Advanced Data Visualisation Principles · Data Governance & Quality for Commercial Data

  • This quarter: Review your team's current reporting suite. Identify areas where data visualisation could be significantly improved for executive consumption.
  • Next 6 months: Work with your Sales Operations or Data Science team to implement one new predictive model for bid qualification or sales forecasting.
  • Next 12 months: Lead a project to standardise commercial data definitions and improve data quality across key systems (CRM, proposal software).
  • Ongoing: Regularly challenge your team's analytical outputs, pushing for deeper insights and more actionable recommendations.

Quick win: Ask your team to present their next performance review using only three key data visualisations, challenging them to distil complexity. This will sharpen their skills and your ability to direct them.

11Staying current once you are in

What people here do to keep up
  • Regularly attend and present at industry conferences (e.g., APMP Bid & Proposal Con, Sales Innovation Expo) to stay abreast of best practices and network with peers.
  • Actively participate in executive leadership development programmes, focusing on areas like organisational change, financial acumen, and board engagement.
  • Mentor emerging talent within the company, both within your function and across other departments, to build your leadership legacy.
  • Engage with industry analysts and thought leaders to gain insights into market trends and competitive strategies.
  • Continuously review and experiment with new AI and digital tools relevant to commercial strategy and bid management.

12The rising capability

The rising capability

Zavmo analysis

What's rising in its place

This is where the work is heading, and the higher pay with it. Get fluent here and the shift stops being a threat and starts being your edge.

AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning

AI is rapidly changing how we analyse markets, predict client behaviour, and anticipate competitor moves. As a Director, you'll need to guide your team in using these tools to identify future opportunities and risks, not just react to current ones. This is about proactive strategy, not reactive bidding.

  • Generative AI for Market Simulation
  • Predictive Analytics for Client Needs
  • Automated Competitive Landscape Mapping
  • Ethical AI Use in Commercial Strategy

Digital Transformation Leadership for Commercial Functions

The entire commercial function is undergoing digital transformation. As Director, you're not just a user of technology; you're a driver of its adoption and integration. This means understanding how new digital tools and platforms can fundamentally change how we operate, from CRM to proposal generation and beyond.

  • Commercial Tech Stack Optimisation
  • Data-Driven Commercial Strategy
  • Automation of Commercial Workflows
  • User Adoption & Change Management

13What you’ll use

What you’ll use

Skills this role draws on

Technical

  • Strategic Bid/No-Bid Frameworks
  • Advanced Shipley Method (or equivalent)
  • Competitive Intelligence & Black Hat Strategy
  • Value Proposition Design & Articulation
  • Pricing Strategy & Commercial Modelling

14The pathway

The pathway

How you actually get there, here

How you become one varies far more by country than what one does. This is the UK route. Most people take one of these ways in; the right one depends on where you're starting from.

  1. 1

    Head of Bids & Proposals (L5)

    3-5 years

    Skills to master

    • Mastering full departmental P&L ownership, leading large teams (10-25 people), driving significant process improvement, and consistently hitting strategic win rate targets.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently exceeding revenue targets for bids under your management.
    • Successfully implemented a major departmental transformation or new technology.
    • Developed and promoted at least two managers or lead strategists from your team.
    • Recognised internally as a strategic leader who can influence across departments.
  2. 2

    Senior Sales Director / VP of Sales (Strategic Accounts)

    4-6 years

    Skills to master

    • Deep expertise in managing complex, multi-million-pound client relationships, leading strategic account planning, and driving revenue growth through direct sales leadership. Understanding the full sales lifecycle from a strategic perspective.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Consistently overachieving sales quotas for strategic accounts.
    • Proven ability to build and maintain C-level client relationships.
    • Demonstrated leadership in developing and executing complex sales strategies.
    • A clear understanding of the bid process from the salesperson's perspective and how to optimise it for wins.
  3. 3

    Consulting Director (Sales/Commercial Strategy)

    5-7 years

    Skills to master

    • Developing and advising on commercial strategies for multiple clients, leading large consulting engagements, and building a strong network across diverse industries. Bringing an external, best-practice perspective.

    You're ready to move on when

    • Successfully led major commercial strategy projects for enterprise clients.
    • Strong track record of business development and client relationship management in a consulting context.
    • Deep expertise in various commercial models and go-to-market strategies.
    • A desire to transition from advising to directly owning and executing strategy within an organisation.

15Where this role leads

The long view: This role can lead to chief commercial officer, general manager or business unit CEO, or chief strategy officer, positions that carry responsibility for a company's overall commercial direction.

The ten Future Fluencies

Zavmo analysis

The credential is what you can do today. These are what keep you valuable.

A qualification proves you can do the job as it's defined today. These ten are what decide whether you're still the obvious person for it in five years. They're the capabilities employers are now writing into senior roles faster than people are learning them. Zavmo weaves them through whatever you study, so you come out with both: the credential and the fluency.

The highlighted ones are the Fluencies your role leans on hardest, from how Director of Strategic Pursuits is actually changing.

Where it leads

Roles this leads to

Also named as a next step, with no page in the catalogue yet:

  • General Manager / Business Unit Director

How you would learn this

One to one, on the work you already do

A tutor sets the task against your own job and marks the reasoning, at your pace. There is no cohort to fall behind.

A lesson from Tender Management, worked against Director of Strategic Pursuits.

Tender Management Level 5

Applied to your work in Director of Strategic Pursuits

This unit aims to enable learners to identify tender opportunities and understand the core principles of effective tender management. Learners will be able to prepare necessary documentation, write compelling tender documents, and submit them according to specified guidelines and deadlines.

How the thinking builds
  1. 1 Remember
  2. 2 Understand
  3. 3 Apply
  4. 4 Analyse
  5. 5 Evaluate
  6. 6 Create
An illustration of a Zavmo lesson, built from this role’s own route. The unit, its objective and every criterion above are the awarding body’s own words, not an example.

It is £70 a month, billed monthly. Your free first module is Future Fluency, and you can cancel any time.

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See Your Progress Grow Illustration
Director of Strategic Pursuits
  • Strategic Bid/No-Bid Frameworks
  • Advanced Shipley Method (or equivalent)
  • Competitive Intelligence & Black Hat Strategy
  • Value Proposition Design & Articulation
  • Pricing Strategy & Commercial Modelling
This is your Mind Palace on learn.zavmo.ai. Every skill above comes from this role's own record, not an example borrowed from another job. A node lights up when you evidence it, and what you build stays yours between jobs. That is the part a course cannot do.

16The detail, folded away

Everything else the record holds

The career branches in full, how AI is already showing up in the day-to-day, and the questions people ask about this job. Here when you want them, out of the way while you decide.

Where it leads next, rung by rung

Where it leads

The career path, and where it branches

Director of Strategic Pursuits is a start, not a ceiling. Each step below asks for new skills and hands back more autonomy.

  1. Chief Commercial Officer (CCO)

    3-5 years

    L7

    • M&A strategy and integration for commercial functions.
    • Global market expansion and new business model development.
    • Advanced pricing and portfolio optimisation across all revenue streams.
    • Leading significant organisational transformation initiatives.

  2. General Manager / Business Unit Director

    4-6 years

    L7

    • Product lifecycle management and innovation.
    • Operational efficiency and service delivery optimisation.
    • Financial modelling and investment analysis for business unit growth.
    • Building and managing strategic partnerships for a specific business line.
Working with AI on the job

Working with AI

Where AI is starting to help

Let's be real, at your level, every minute counts. You're not just managing bids; you're shaping strategy, leading a large team, and influencing the board. Imagine if you could offload some of the heavy lifting – the deep dives into market data, the initial drafts of strategic summaries, or the complex analysis of competitor moves. That's where AI comes in. It's not about replacing your strategic brain; it's about giving you superpowers.

For a Director of Strategic Pursuits, AI isn't just a fancy tool; it's a strategic advantage. It means less time sifting through noise and more time focusing on high-impact decisions. We're talking about using intelligent assistants to augment your strategic planning, market intelligence, and team oversight, giving you back precious hours every week to focus on what truly matters: winning big.

Strategic Market & Competitor Analysis

AI platforms can digest vast amounts of market reports, competitor filings, and news articles in minutes, providing you with concise, actionable insights into market trends, competitor strategies, and potential client pain points. This means faster, more informed strategic planning for your team.

Predictive Bid Outcome Modelling

Use AI to analyse historical bid data (won/lost, pricing, win themes, client type) to predict the likelihood of success for new opportunities. This helps you make smarter 'Bid/No-Bid' decisions and allocate resources more effectively, focusing your team's efforts where they have the highest chance of success.

Executive Summary & Board Report Generation

Feed AI your team's detailed proposal content and key win themes, and it can draft compelling executive summaries or even initial versions of board-level reports. This frees up your time from initial drafting, allowing you to focus on refining the strategic narrative and key messages.

Optimised Resource Allocation & Workflow

AI-powered project management tools can analyse team workload, skill sets, and bid complexity to recommend optimal resource allocation for upcoming tenders. It can also identify potential bottlenecks before they happen, helping you proactively manage your team's capacity and ensure on-time submissions.

Common questions

Common questions

How do you become a Director of Strategic Pursuits?

Common routes in include Head of Bids & Proposals (3-5 years), Senior Sales Director / VP of Sales (Strategic Accounts) (4-6 years) and Consulting Director (Sales/Commercial Strategy) (5-7 years). Times vary with prior experience.

Where can a Director of Strategic Pursuits progress to?

This role can lead on to Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) (3-5 years) and General Manager / Business Unit Director (4-6 years), depending on the skills you build.

What new skills matter most for a Director of Strategic Pursuits?

Increasingly, AI-Driven Strategic Foresight & Scenario Planning and Digital Transformation Leadership for Commercial Functions. These are the skills our record of this role lists as growing.

Free tools

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Three free tools, no account needed. Each one ends with a role, a level and a way in.

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17Where to go from here

Other roles at Level 7

Same depth of qualification, different job. Useful if the work appeals but this particular role does not.

 More jobs in sales

Stay in the field you know and move sideways rather than up.
If you leave this industry

The strategic leadership skills built in this role transfer to senior commercial leadership or general management roles in other industries. This applies particularly to sectors with complex B2B sales cycles, such as technology, professional services, defence, or large infrastructure projects. Leading strategic wins and large teams counts in most sectors.

This role profile is © 2026 Growth Engineering Technologies Ltd. Built from UK occupational standards and regulated qualification data, and written for Zavmo.

You're not behind. You're right on time. The shift is only just beginning. Your role won't look the same in two years. Be the one who leads the change, not the one it happens to. Start my Director of Strategic Pursuits plan, free What happens next: a free account, then we build your plan as you set up. No card. Build your plan, see your roadmap and meet the twelve tutors matched to you. All free. When you're ready to start learning, it's £70 a month, billed monthly. Cancel any time and billing stops.