Education Bids Writer

We are looking for a Education Bids Writer to join the Targeted Provision team on a permanent and hybrid basis. You will play a key role in securing opportunities to provide specialist 1:1 educational support for vulnerable young people.

At Targeted Provision, our mission is to raise the standard of educational support offered to vulnerable young people in the UK. We work with schools and local authorities to provide specialist tutors and mentors for children and young people with additional educational needs. We believe that with the right support and role model in their lives, every child can grow in confidence and succeed in learning.

Our philosophy of team growth and development is person-centred and ethos-led, ensuring that every member of the company is aligned with our mission and can deliver the best outcomes for the children and young people we support.

What we offer our Education Bids Writer:

• £28,000 + p/a, depending on experience.
• 32 days of annual leave (FTE) and an additional day off on your birthday.
• Private Healthcare Plan.
• Flexible working hours and the flexibility of a hybrid role.
• Extensive CPD and upskilling opportunities, including unlimited access to the full TES CPD suite.
• Termly company events with the wider Targeted Provision Team.
• Working within an early-stage company focussed on the development and wellbeing of its team.
• A place within an ambitious and fast-growing company of child-centred individuals committed to transforming the world of support for vulnerable young people for the better.
• The opportunity to be heard, make real change within the team, and be part of the growth of an ambitious organisation.

The Education Bids Writer role

You will be responsible for identifying relevant procurement frameworks in the education sector and writing compelling applications that highlight our expertise in providing high-quality, specialist 1:1 support for young people with SEND and additional educational needs. Additionally, you will write individual bids for the specific young person referrals we receive under these frameworks, ensuring tailored educational support for each young person we serve.

Your responsibilities

1. Framework Opportunity Identification

• Monitor procurement platforms, local authority portals, and other channels to identify relevant framework (including Dynamic and Flexible Purchasing System (DPS / FPS) opportunities for alternative provision, tuition and educational support for young people with SEND and additional needs. 
• Research and track upcoming tenders for frameworks within the education / SEND / alternative provision sector.
• Maintain an accurate database of opportunities and submission deadlines.
• Make informed decisions about which framework opportunities are suitable and viable for Targeted Provision to pursue. 
• Develop an in-depth understanding of the procurement of alternative provision, tuition and SEND services, feeding back to the wider team on sector trends, areas for potential growth, as well as any areas of concern.

2. Framework Applications

• Write high-quality, tailored applications for framework submissions, clearly articulating Targeted Provision’s expertise in providing 1:1 support for vulnerable young people. You will develop persuasive, detailed responses to meet each opportunity’s requirements, showcasing Targeted Provision’s ethos, qualifications, experience, and success stories.
• Collaborate with internal teams to gather relevant information and evidence for framework submissions. This will include working closely with our Head of Partnerships and CFO to ensure appropriate costings are submitted for our support. 
• Ensure all applications meet strict deadlines. 
• Ensure that all necessary compliance documents, such as policies and insurance documents, are included in applications where necessary.
• Maintain accurate records of all submissions, feedback, and outcomes, including successful tenders and frameworks joined.
• Keep track of ongoing compliance requirements for frameworks we are a part of, ensuring that we continue to meet criteria for inclusion and renewal.

3. Bid Writing for Individual Learners 

• Review the information in ITTs and other associated documentation provided on the children or young people we are bidding to support, making informed judgements on our suitability for supporting the needs described in the timeframes required.
• Liaise with tutors via email, text and phone to confirm their availability and suitability for bids you are writing.
• Monitor and evaluate data on the impact of your bidding, with focus on assessing the viability of each account you are bidding on, and evaluating your bidding priorities.

4. Additional responsibilities

• Provide clear and compelling written overviews of Targeted Provision’s offer for vulnerable young people to feature in local authority Approved Alternative Provision Directories. 
• Complete Compliance Documentation as part of local authority quality assurance reviews, ensuring we clearly communicate how we are compliant with their expectations in areas such as Health and Safety, Safeguarding and Curriculum. 
• Undertake ad-hoc and projects related to growth and partnerships, as directed by the Head of Partnerships. 

About You

Required:

• Demonstrable interest in the education sector and commitment to changing the lives of vulnerable young people.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. A passion and flair for writing is a must, as you will be at the forefront of communicating Targeted Provision’s work externally. 
• Resilience - we exist in a competitive environment and there’s no guarantee that a majority of the bids you write will be successful.
• The ability and desire to work in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
• High levels of IT literacy and the ability to learn and adapt to new systems quickly.
• Knowledge and understanding of safeguarding in education.

Desirable:

• Experience in working for / with local authorities
• Experience of local authority procurement systems, such as Proactis or Intend.
• Knowledge of special education needs and disabilities
• Experience delivering excellent customer service
• Experience using Trello, Airtable, Salesforce or similar CRMs

Applying

It is a strict requirement that you have the ability to work in a way that promotes the health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people and follow safeguarding policies and procedures at all times. We take Safer Recruitment seriously and only those candidates who are able to demonstrate their ability to safeguard the safety and wellbeing of children and young people will be considered for this role.

We are keen to hear from candidates from all backgrounds. The over 2 million vulnerable children in the UK are disproportionately constituted of minority and LGBTQIA+ communities, as well as people with disabilities, refugees and migrants, and people living with mental health conditions. It is integral to our mission of raising the standard of support for the UK's vulnerable learners that we engage individuals from all backgrounds so that our team can better share/relate to the experiences of our students.