General Manager - Business Development - Exhibition & Conferences Industry

General Manager - Business Development - Exhibition & Conferences

A leader in the events and exhibitions industry specializing in hosting trade shows for different segments is looking for a dynamic Sales Head to build, manage and grow relationships with new exhibitors as well as existing clients and facilitate the growing sales team. The ideal candidate will have 10-15 years of sales experience and possess strong hunting, consultative selling and business development abilities.

General Manager Business Development will own the full sales cycle by using discovery calls to leverage understanding of new stakeholders'/business unit leaders 'priorities and challenges and then partnering with them.

Key Responsibilities:

- Develop and implement strategic sales plans to achieve company objectives and revenue targets.

- Lead, motivate, and manage the sales team, providing guidance, coaching, and performance feedback to ensure high levels of productivity and effectiveness.

- Establish and maintain strong relationships with key exhibitors/ past participants to drive business growth and maximize sales opportunities.

- Develop retention strategies for key exhibitors.

- Analyze competitor exhibitor trends, and customer feedback to identify opportunities for acquisition and improvement by visiting relevant competitor exhibitions.

- Collaborate with other departments such as marketing, floor plan, and operations to align sales strategies with overall business objectives.

- Develop and monitor sales performance metrics, reporting on key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and identify areas for improvement for self and team.

- Oversee the sales pipeline, ensuring timely follow-up on leads and opportunities to drive sales conversions.

- Represent the company at conferences, and networking functions to promote the brand and establish partnerships.

Qualifications:

- Bachelor's degree in business administration, Sales, Marketing, or related field; MBA or equivalent preferred.

- Proven track record of at least 10 years of success in sales management, with a minimum of 5 years of experience in a senior leadership role in similar industry.

- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build rapport and negotiate effectively with clients and stakeholders.

- Solid understanding of sales processes, techniques, and best practices, with experience in B2B sales preferred.

- Demonstrated ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and effectively manage multiple priorities.

- Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and generate actionable insights to drive sales performance.