Head of Sales – Exhibitions

We are seeking a highly commercial and results-driven Head of Sales – Exhibitions & Sponsorships to lead our commercial sales function, drive revenue growth, and develop strategic sales initiatives across our exhibition portfolio.

This is a senior leadership role for a proven sales professional with a strong track record in exhibition sales, sponsorship sales, business development, and commercial strategy. The successful candidate will be responsible for developing and executing sales strategies, leading and motivating a high-performing sales team, maximising exhibition and sponsorship revenue, and identifying new business opportunities to support the organisation’s continued growth.

We are looking for a proactive commercial leader who combines strategic thinking with a hands-on, hunter mentality, thrives in a target-driven environment, and understands how to turn market opportunities into measurable commercial results.

Key Responsibilities

Commercial Strategy & Revenue Growth:

• Develop and execute comprehensive sales strategies to achieve revenue targets and drive sustainable commercial growth.
• Lead the commercial sales function across exhibition space sales, sponsorships, partnerships, and other revenue-generating opportunities.
• Identify new markets, customer segments, and business opportunities to expand the exhibition portfolio.
• Establish clear sales targets, KPIs, revenue forecasts, and performance objectives.
• Drive new business acquisition while maximising revenue from existing clients and strategic accounts.

Sales Leadership & Team Management:

• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team to consistently achieve and exceed commercial targets.
• Build a high-performance sales culture focused on accountability, proactive business development, and measurable results.
• Monitor individual and team performance, providing guidance and support to improve conversion rates and overall productivity.
• Oversee the sales pipeline, ensuring opportunities are actively managed and progressed through the sales cycle.

Exhibition & Sponsorship Sales:

• Drive sales of exhibition space, sponsorship packages, and integrated commercial opportunities.
• Develop compelling sales propositions tailored to exhibitors, sponsors, and strategic partners.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key clients, decision-makers, and industry stakeholders.
• Negotiate high-value commercial agreements and close strategic deals.
• Identify opportunities to increase client spend, renewals, upselling, and cross-selling across the portfolio.

CRM, Pipeline & Commercial Performance:

• Ensure effective use of CRM systems to manage leads, sales pipelines, client relationships, forecasting, and reporting.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date CRM records, sales activities, opportunity stages, and revenue projections.
• Use CRM data and commercial analytics to assess performance, identify gaps, improve conversion rates, and inform decision-making.
• Establish regular sales reporting, pipeline reviews, and performance tracking to maintain visibility over commercial progress.
• Implement disciplined sales processes and ensure the team follows best practices in pipeline management and forecasting.

Market Development & Stakeholder Engagement:

• Analyse market trends, competitor activity, and customer needs to identify opportunities for portfolio growth.
• Collaborate with marketing, event management, operations, and senior leadership teams to align commercial objectives.
• Represent the organisation at industry events and key client meetings to strengthen market presence and generate new business.
• Contribute to portfolio planning, pricing strategies, and the development of new commercial products and sponsorship opportunities.

Requirements:

• Significant experience in senior sales or commercial leadership within the exhibitions, events, trade shows, or B2B media industry.
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding revenue targets through exhibition sales, sponsorship sales, and new business development.
• Demonstrated experience leading, managing, and developing a sales team.
• Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to develop sales strategies and translate them into measurable revenue growth.
• Excellent understanding of CRM systems, sales pipeline management, forecasting, reporting, and performance analytics.
• A proactive, commercially driven, and entrepreneurial mindset, with a strong focus on winning new business.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, relationship-building, and closing skills.
• Ability to analyse sales performance, identify commercial opportunities, and make data-driven decisions.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, target-driven environment with clear accountability for commercial results.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a strategic yet hands-on sales leader who understands the exhibition and sponsorship business inside out. They are confident developing commercial strategies, leading sales teams, winning high-value clients, and driving revenue growth.

They have excellent CRM discipline, a strong understanding of sales metrics and forecasting, and the ability to turn commercial plans into tangible results. Above all, they are a true business developer who leads from the front, challenges the status quo, and consistently delivers against ambitious sales targets.

Salt is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.