Job DescriptionJob SummaryWe are seeking an experienced Senior K-12 Bid Specialist to manage complex commercial and USDA commodity bid opportunities from initial review through submission, award analysis and post-bid follow-up. This role is ideal for a detail-oriented bid professional who can independently evaluate solicitations, coordinate pricing and compliance requirements, collaborate across departments and help identify opportunities that support future sales growth.
Key Responsibilities- Manage K-12 bids, RFPs and commodity-processing opportunities from receipt through submission and award follow-up.
- Review bid documents, specifications, pricing requirements, contractual terms, forms and submission instructions for accuracy and compliance.
- Partner with Sales, Brokers, Finance, Marketing, Product Development, Commodities, Operations and leadership to develop bid strategy and gather required inputs.
- Analyze market baskets, prior awards, competitive pricing, hard-spec and like-item opportunities, product gaps and potential risks.
- Coordinate required documentation such as specification sheets, Product Formulation Statements, CN labels, nutritional/allergen information, Buy American details, certifications, COIs and vendor forms.
- Prepare, review and document pricing, including approved price lists, deviated pricing requests and final submitted pricing.
- Track bid deadlines, samples, questions, signatures, certifications, approvals and other critical milestones.
- Maintain accurate bid, pricing and award information in Salesforce and other approved systems.
- Review award results, capture win/loss details and share competitive insights with Sales, Product Development and leadership.
Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, Finance, Marketing or a related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
- 5+ years of experience in bids, proposals, contracts, procurement, pricing or related commercial functions.
- K-12 school foodservice, USDA Foods or public-sector procurement experience strongly preferred, including working knowledge of K-12 bid requirements and school nutrition procurement processes.
- Ability to independently manage complex, high-value and deadline-driven bid opportunities.
- Strong analytical, financial, organizational and problem-solving skills with excellent attention to detail.
- Advanced Excel skills and experience working with large pricing or bid data sets.
- CRM experience required; Salesforce experience preferred.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to collaborate across departments and communicate with customers, brokers and leadership.
Preferred Attributes- Commercially minded, proactive, curious and analytical.
- Able to identify opportunities, risks and product gaps without waiting for detailed direction.
- Comfortable working independently while collaborating with cross-functional teams.
- Strong sense of ownership, urgency and accountability.
