Technical Pre-Sales & Bid Writer

We are seeking a Technical Pre-Sales & Bid Writer to play a dual role within our bid office and pre-sales function. This individual will bridge the gap between our technical product capabilities and the written responses required to win competitive government tenders.

On the pre-sales side, you will support the sales and business development team by articulating Laxton's hardware and software solutions for prospective clients, participating in technical discussions, and helping shape solutions that meet client requirements. On the bid side, you will take ownership of technical content within bid submissions - translating complex solutions into compelling, compliant, and well-structured written responses.

This is a highly collaborative role, working closely with engineering, product, commercial, and delivery teams to produce world-class bids and pre-sales materials for government identity, voter registration, and border management programmes.

Responsibilities

The Job Role is focused on the following:

Pre-Sales and Technical Solutioning

• Develop a thorough working knowledge of Laxton's full solution portfolio, including biometric capture hardware, identity management software, enrolment platforms, and associated services.
• Support business development and sales leads in technical client engagements - presentations, demonstrations, and solution workshops. 
• Assist in the design of solution architectures that respond to client requirements, including hardware configurations, software deployment models, integration approaches, and service delivery frameworks.
• Produce pre-sales collateral such as solution overviews, technical presentations, product datasheets, and capability statements tailored to specific opportunities.
• Respond to Requests for Information (RFIs) and preliminary technical questionnaires in collaboration with product and engineering teams.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of competitor offerings, market trends, and emerging standards in government identity (e.g. ICAO, ISO/IEC 19794, MOSIP).

Bid Writing and Technical Documentation

• Lead the preparation of technical volumes within bid submissions, including solution descriptions, system architecture narratives, implementation methodologies, and staffing plans.
• Analyse tender documents (RFPs, ITTs, RFQs) to extract technical requirements, evaluation criteria, and compliance obligations, and translate these into a structured response strategy.
• Write clear, persuasive, and technically accurate content that addresses evaluator questions and differentiates Laxton's offering.
• Coordinate input from subject matter experts across engineering, product, delivery, and legal to assemble complete and consistent bid responses.
• Maintain and develop a library of reusable bid content, case studies, technical descriptions, and standard responses for efficient reuse across pursuits.
• Ensure all technical content is compliant with tender requirements, formatted correctly, and submitted on time.
• Participate in bid reviews (red team, pink team) and incorporate feedback into final submissions.

Bid Management Support

• Support the Bid Manager in planning and coordinating bid activity, including maintaining bid schedules, tracking open actions, and managing document control.
• Participate in pursuit qualification exercises and win strategy development.
• Contribute to post-submission activities including clarification responses, presentation preparation, and lessons learned reviews.
• Help develop and maintain bid process standards, templates, and quality benchmarks across the bid office.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, engineering, or a related field.

Experience 

• Minimum of 5-10 years in a similar role.
• Experience in the government identity, biometrics, border management, or election technology sectors.
• Familiarity with relevant technical standards such as ICAO Doc 9303, ISO/IEC 19794, or OSIA (Open Standards Identity APIs).
• Background in systems integration, biometric capture, AFIS/ABIS, or civil registration platforms.
• Experience with international public sector procurement - UN agencies, development banks, or direct government tenders.
• Knowledge of standard bid methodology and frameworks.
• Proficiency in basic bid management tools and CRM platforms.
• Demonstrable experience in technical bid writing, pre-sales engineering, or a similar technical authoring role within a solution-selling environment.
• Strong written English communication skills with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly and persuasively for a non-specialist audience.
• Ability to understand and articulate integrated hardware/software solutions at a system level.
• Highly organised with strong attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple concurrent pursuits under deadline pressure.
• Experience working with formal tender processes - familiarity with RFP/ITT structures, compliance matrices, and evaluation frameworks.
• Collaborative working style with the confidence to engage with senior technical and commercial stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite, particularly Word, PowerPoint, and SharePoint/document management tools.

Competencies

• Technical Acumen: Understands hardware, software, and services at a system level; can translate architecture into narrative.
• Written Communication: Writes with clarity, precision, and purpose; adapts style for procurement evaluators and technical reviewers.
• Commercial Awareness: Understands bid strategy, win themes, and how to position a solution competitively.
• Stakeholder Management: Builds effective working relationships with engineering, product, legal, and commercial teams.
• Deadline Discipline: Manages time effectively across concurrent workstreams; escalates risks proactively.
• Continuous Improvement: Contributes to building better processes, content liabilities, and bid quality over time.

The Candidate should be able to commute daily (Monday to Friday) to the company office in Santa Maria da Feira.