Steven Coles, CPP APMP Fellow (Class of 2024)
Leader, Customer Success at Upland Qvidian
Bio
Steven is driven by helping people and organizations succeed in their work and careers. He does this by intensifying their impact on corporate goals and strategic imperatives, challenging the status quo, and elevating the status of the people he works with and within the leadership of every organisation he touches.
Steven’s career in bids and proposals spans three decades in leadership and individual contributor roles across the defence, telecommunications, facilities management, and information technology sectors.
Steven is a builder and leader of highly acclaimed bid and proposal teams where he applies his leadership skills to recruit and retain top talent to deliver capture, bid management, proposal development, and RFP automation services. In addition to providing guidance and mentorship to his team in their APMP certification journeys – five to APMP Foundation and two to APMP Practitioner – Steven proudly coached and led his team in the following professional development and personal growth endeavours:
- Served on the APMP UK Chapter board for seven years from 2018 to 2024, including technology director, membership director, and as the Chapter CEO in 2021 and Past CEO for 2022 and 2023. During his time as Chapter CEO, APMP UK grew its membership by 14% to over 2,600 members, while new APMP Foundation certifications were up by 40% on the previous year.
- Creation of APMP UK’s BIDx® brand during the COVID-19 pandemic.
- APMP UK Annual Awards 2016: team finalist in the Knowledge Management award category for the third consecutive year.
- APMP UK Annual Awards 2015: team finalist in three categories: Bid Excellence, Innovation, and Knowledge Management.
- APMP UK Annual Awards 2014: team finalist in three categories: Bid Excellence, Innovation, and Knowledge Management.
- Nurturing the co-creation of the APMP Mental Health Affinity Group.Nurturing the co-creation of the APMP Mental Health Affinity Group.
- Nurturing the co-creation of the APMP PRIDE Affinity Group.
An APMP member since 2002, Steven was the 2022 APMP HQ Chair and 2021 APMP UK CEO and served both organisations in various Board roles. For his service to the profession and his leadership of APMP, Steven was awarded APMP's highest honour, the William C. McRae Founders Award, in 2023 and was awarded APMP Fellow in 2024.
What does being an APMP Fellow mean to you?
Receiving this award is a phenomenal feeling and achievement, and it means the world to me. I’ve worked tirelessly with bid and proposal professionals throughout my career, and this award really represents everybody I’ve worked with and for, who I’ve mentored and coached, and who have mentored and coached me.
What's your best memory from attending an APMP event?
Spending quality time with peers, making friendships that endure decades and oceans, and enjoying those "Eureka!" moments with faces old and new.
What advice do you have for a proposal professional entering our field?
Be accountable for your own professional development and personal growth. Talk to the quiet person in the corner of the room. Focus on what you can control. Leave what you can't control. Stand your ground. Be humble.
