Introducing Chris Thompson: BWL’s New Senior Bid Writer

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Chris Thompson joins BWL Group as a Senior Bid Writer, combining his background in translation with a talent for clear, compelling bids. We caught up with him to hear more about his journey.

By Christopher Thompson, Senior Bid Writer

Tell us a bit about your background – where are you from? 

I grew up in Chester-Le-Street, Country Durham, and currently live not too far from there. I’ve lived in a lot of different cities and countries in between, but I always end up back in the North East. 

What attracted you to join BWL Group? 

I was really drawn to the company’s commitment to having one writer oversee an entire bid from start to finish. That’s my preferred writing approach, and it does wonders for the overall quality of the bid. 

I was also eager to take on the challenge of writing about industries I had less experience with. 

What experience do you bring to the team? 

I spent five years as a German-to-English translator before becoming a bid writer. This mainly involved translating websites and documents for German and Austrian start-ups and universities. At first glance, both roles seem pretty unrelated, but they ultimately rely on the same core strengths: effective communication and research skills. 

What’s your role at BWL Group, and what does a typical day look like for you? 

As a Senior Bid Writer, I’m responsible for overseeing the development of winning bid responses for our clients. This involves analysing the tender documents, creating detailed response storyboards, and extracting relevant information from the client. I then use this input to craft high-quality responses that showcase the client’s experience and capabilities and align with the evaluation criteria. 

What I get up to on any given day depends on what stage of the bid I’m in. Some days are more planning-focused, while others are purely for writing. 

What’s one thing you’re looking forward to most in this role? 

The majority of the bids I worked on previously were in the healthcare industry, which I really enjoyed. But I’m really looking forward to branching out into other industries at BWL, like construction. 

Do you have a favourite sector or type of bid to work on? 

I have a real soft spot for health and social care. Those were the bids I cut my teeth on, and I like how everything always comes back to the service users and what will benefit them. 

Also, the Social Value section of any bid is always a nice change of pace. 

How do you start your day? 

The first thing I do is feed my dog and make a pot of coffee. Then I’ll usually put a podcast on while I get ready. I think I freelanced too long to ever call myself a morning person, but I’m happy with my little routine. 

What do you like to do outside of work? 

I’m a serial hobbyist. So I guess my main pastime is buying a bunch of gear for my latest obsession, then moving on to the next thing in about six weeks. 

I’ve a baby niece, so I’ve been making a lot of quilts lately, but it’s only a matter of time before I impulse-buy a pottery wheel. Watch this space. 

How do you balance work with home life? 

I have a very stubborn English Bulldog (shoutout to George!) who isn’t shy about letting me know when it’s time to log off and go outside. 

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learned in bid writing so far? 

I think the concept of “Keep it simple, stupid” has applied to every bid I’ve ever written. If I’m finding something hard to write, it’s almost always because I’m trying to squeeze too many ideas into one section.  

If it’s hard to write, it’s probably hard to read, so keep it simple. 

What do you find most rewarding about working in bidding? 

I really like working with small businesses. My first winning bid was a small Welsh plumbing company made up of a father, his son and a handful of contractors. They had all the right skills and experience, and just needed help selling themselves and navigating the overall bidding process, which can be pretty daunting. I was over the moon when I found out they’d secured the contract. 

What advice would you give to someone interested in pursuing a career in bidding? 

Don’t worry too much about your lack of experience. A couple of years ago, I was a translator who didn’t know what bid writing was. But you soon realise how transferable your skills actually are. If you’re a good communicator and eager to learn about new industries, you’re already on the right track. 

You can read more about Christopher’s professional experience on our website here.

If you’d like to know more about our services our team offers, please contact us, and we’ll be in touch. Alternatively, email us at enquiries@bwlgroup.co.uk.