Specialist tender writing & bid management services across multiple sectors and product types. Whether you're an end user looking to select the right supply partner or a distributor trying to improve win rates, we can create a bespoke package to support your needs.Get in touch: natalie@wsiltd.co.uk

Headhunted to join this micro-business as a new business sales role, my responsibilities quickly broadened to fully support the growth of the business, including: Sales & Business Development Strategy – focussed on specific country markets & industries within the UK and EU. The company turnover increased by 50% from 2014 to 2016. Design & Product Development – key role in designing new garments incorporating innovative technology, working with end users for feedback to coordinate with a 3rd party designer and ensuring factory sampling & production matched end user needs Marketing – from designing & writing copy for the website (www.shield360.co.uk) to developing exhibition materials working with a 3rd party agency, I also completed applications for 4 industry awards – we won two (ITMA Best Innovation – Textiles for Clothing 2015 & Professional Clothing Awards – PPE Innovation of the Year 2016) & we were finalists in the other two  Production Certification – managing the certification process for existing ranges with EN standard updates and new fabrics and garment ranges products as they were developed Technical Product & Sales Training – delivered for end users as well as for sales teams of distribution partners. I also supported sales presentations for clients and successfully won a number of large contracts with our clients Tender Writing & Bid Management – supporting clients by managing and writing major bids and tenders for them, including re-writing existing bid library documentation and increasing the quality of responses with subsequent enhanced success General Business Administration – included raising invoices, credit control, completion of audit information, approval of supplier invoices, developing and writing company policies.

Head-hunted to join the business due to my previous experience in corporate uniforms and work wear, as part of the UK senior management team, my role is varied and not exclusively aligned with my position / title, including the following tasks & responsibilities:•Develop & Implement strategy for business growth through both new clients and expanding product & service offering for existing clients, successes included first time award to national framework and award of the company’s first major station wear contract with Buckinghamshire Fire & Rescue Service worth ca. £400k.•Responsibility for all UK tender opportunities - (public & private sectors) including re-writing all documents and creating a new tender document library •Product Development & Innovation – driven by identified need in market to prevent heat stress in fire fighters, established Global Station Wear Innovation Project Team•Re-Focussed & Trained Customer Service Team - including implementation and training of new Customer Knowledge Sheets; Customer Champion roles and direct sales processes to address non-profit/loss-making practices•Responsible for all UK marketing & PR activities, utilising & translating information from German HQ and working with two separate local agents (for PR and exhibition material), successes include establishing a national recognition award with a major trade magazine, organising and presenting at two customer engagement events•Global CRM Champion - working across Asia Pacific & European subsidiary units to implement the CRM system and gather feedback across 95 users •General Senior Management Responsibilities: identifying process improvements to help increase profit opportunities; personnel management including warehouse staffing issues, implementing training and best practice, as well as managing a recent disciplinary procedure for admin team member.

From a standing start, my role required me to identify and create new business opportunities which are multi-sited and/or £250k+ p.a. in value. I have also recruited, trained and coached a Bid Writer who directly reported to me.Working across all industry sectors (public and private), as well as responding to OJEC/OJEU tender opportunities, the role also involved: knowledge of sister companies and cross-selling services; completion of site surveys; cleaning specification recommendation; assessing resource and equipment requirements, and costing/quote completion. Achievements included: •Winning the largest County Council contract in organisation’s recent history (£1.3m p.a.) within my first 7 months with the company which led to a further £4m p.a. win for extended services•Winning additional services for a financial sector client to the tune of 100% turnover increase (>£1m p.a.)•Achieving my annual target in my first 10 months within the industry

My most recent role was a combination of key account management and new business development, with cross market customers, including Fire, Police, Transport and Hospitality.My responsibilities included budget setting, achieving KPI's, sales and administration management, stock control and forecasting, setting and achieving customer expectations, logistics planning and maintaining supplier relationships.Achievements included: •Promoted four times (the first just three months after I joined the company), I almost doubled my salary in just over four years•Turning around a failing account from the brink of losing our client to successfully negotiating a 2.5 year extension, 2 years prior to the contract end (extra £1.8m t/over)•Consistently forecasted and delivered client roll outs >99% complete ‘on time in full’ (OTIF) against an industry standard whereby 90% is considered ‘excellent’ •Within two years, I increased my portfolio from £800k to £3 million p.a. by adding new customers and developing existing accounts•Winning the company’s largest global hotel contract (£150k p.a.) including exporting goods to regions previously outside of the company’s European export markets e.g. Russia, Southern and Northern Africa. •Whilst the company was in administration, the only three accounts across the business which hit annual forecasted sales were mine.

This role was largely telephone based business-to-business sales and required me to influence key decision makers across numerous sectors up to director level. Working in a highly competitive industry, I consistently exceeded my targets.

My main responsibilities involved the management of new and existing contracts, customer service and general administration.