The Opportunity

As the Pursuit Manager, you will act as the bridge between opportunity development and proposal execution, ensuring opportunities are strategically positioned, commercially robust, and aligned with business objectives, risk appetite, and delivery capability. You will own the pursuit process from qualification through to contract readiness while coordinating stakeholders across Sales, Business Development, Sales Engineering, Proposals, and Estimation.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end pursuit lifecycle from opportunity qualification through to contract readiness. 
• Assess opportunity readiness and ensure deals are sufficiently developed before pursuit activation. 
• Define and lead pursuit strategies that maximise conversion potential and competitive advantage.
• Drive stakeholder alignment around win themes, commercial positioning, and deal execution. 
• Protect margin integrity through effective commercial governance and pricing discipline.
• Coordinate Sales, Sales Engineering, Proposals, and Estimation teams to deliver aligned solutions.
• Support bid/no-bid decisions and ensure governance processes are followed throughout the pursuit journey. 
• Maintain CRM pipeline accuracy and actively manage opportunity progression. 
• Ensure opportunities are fully prepared for proposal development, negotiations, and successful close. 
• Embed repeatable pursuit processes that improve conversion rates and commercial outcomes. 

Requirements

• Relevant qualification in Business, Commerce, Engineering, Sales, or a related field.
• Proven experience in pursuit management, bid management, business development, commercial management, or complex solution sales.
• Strong understanding of opportunity qualification, proposal development, commercial negotiations, and deal governance.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple stakeholders across technical and commercial teams.
• Experience working in engineering, industrial, mining, infrastructure, or project-based environments will be advantageous.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to balance growth objectives, profitability, and risk management.
• Excellent communication, influencing, negotiation, and leadership skills.
• Advanced CRM and pipeline management experience.

What Success Looks Like

• Improved opportunity-to-win conversion rates.
• Strong commercial discipline and margin protection.
• Accurate and actively managed pursuit pipelines.
• Improved cross-functional collaboration and reduced proposal rework.
• Consistent client engagement throughout the sales lifecycle.
• Standardized and scalable pursuit practices that support predictable business growth.

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially minded professional who thrives in a fast-paced environment where strategy, sales execution, and business growth converge.
Please note that if you have not received a response within 14 days of your application, kindly consider your application unsuccessful.
For more information, please contact:
Wesley Gouws
Email: wgouws@networkrecruitment.co.za