Ilham
Bid Manager for the System BU
FRANCE

What is your job?

I’ve been the bid manager for the Systems Business Unit (BU) in France for two years. I was previously a signalling engineer, still within the Systems BU, working on projects in France (NExTEO, OCTYS, etc.) and internationally, all over the world (Jeddah, Casablanca, etc.).

What do you do at SYSTRA?

During my seven years at SYSTRA, I’ve had the opportunity to carry out a variety of tasks. For the first three years, I worked on subjects related to metro and tramway signalling systems. These were projects in foreign markets (Jeddah metro, Casablanca tramway) but also in France (OCTYS L6, FASTO…). My main assignment was to define the signalling system that would meet the client’s operating, safety, and maintenance requirements. I then carried out an assignment for the NExTEO project of the RER B and RER D, a large-scale project which aims to improve the quality of service of the lines considered to be the most critical in the Paris region.

For the past two years, I’ve been a bid manager in the Systems BU’s bid department. I supervise all the BU’s productions and carry out some of them. Our aim is to put forward winning bids which will enable SYSTRA to continue to consolidate its status as a world leader in transport systems.

What are the 3 important qualities or skills in your job?

Communication skills: a winning bid is one in which the various parties involved work together to highlight SYSTRA’s expertise, offer the best price and demonstrate to the client our added value in the context of their project. It is therefore important that communication within the team is based on a sound and constructive exchange. In my opinion, this is one of the fundamental roles of a bid manager.

Ability to work under pressure: an offer is characterised by tight deadlines that must be met. It is therefore important to manage the pressure linked to these deadlines and to be able to produce the bid on time.

Good capitalisation but also a good understanding of the client’s need: the key to effective work on a bid, as on a project, is good capitalisation. It is necessary to start from a solid base. However, it is also essential to understand the context and the needs of the client. The offer must reflect the specific context of the client and what SYSTRA can offer.

Why SYSTRA?

Since joining SYSTRA in 2014, I’ve had the opportunity to work on a variety of assignments. This has enabled me to acquire skills in several areas of the transport systems field and to develop an adaptability that will allow me to be more relaxed for the remainder of my career.

Furthermore, doing work that has meaning and a direct and lasting impact on society, such as public transport, is also very motivating and stimulating, and this is what SYSTRA offers its employees.

Finally, the international aspect of SYSTRA makes us open-minded, not only in our professional exchanges, but also in our relations with others. 

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