Commercial Sales Director

ZipRecruiter; City Of London; On-site; GBP 125,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm is seeking a Sales Director to lead the commercial strategy for a flagship international exhibition in London. You will drive exhibitor and sponsorship sales while building strategic partnerships across the defence and security sectors. The ideal candidate has over 7 years of B2B sales experience, strong communication skills, and a proven record of exceeding targets. This role offers a base salary of £80,000 plus commission and excellent benefits, along with international travel opportunities.

Benefits

Commission

Excellent benefits

International travel opportunities

Qualifications

• 7-10+ years of B2B sales experience, ideally within large-scale international exhibitions.
• Proven track record of exceeding commercial targets and growing revenues.
• Experience managing and motivating sales teams.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to achieve revenue targets.
• Drive exhibitor and sponsorship acquisition across defence, aerospace, security, and related sectors.
• Build and manage strong relationships with defense contractors and government officials.

Skills

B2B sales experience

Relationship management

CRM skills

Strong communication

Education

Degree educated

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

Job Description

Overview

Sales Director - Flagship International Exhibition, London | £80,000 + Commission + Excellent Benefits

I am recruiting on behalf of my client for an experienced Sales Director to lead the commercial strategy for a flagship Pan-African defence and security exhibition and conference. This high-profile role is responsible for driving exhibitor and sponsorship sales, building strategic partnerships, and ensuring revenue growth across African and international markets. The successful candidate will play a critical role in delivering a world-class event that attracts government, military and industry stakeholders from across the globe.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to achieve revenue targets
• Drive exhibitor and sponsorship acquisition across defence, aerospace, security, and related sectors
• Build and manage strong relationships with defence contractors, government officials, international delegations, and trade associations
• Lead and mentor a small but high-performing sales team, monitoring performance and KPIs
• Collaborate with marketing, content, and operations teams to ensure consistent messaging and delivery
• Oversee international agents and country pavilions to maximise participation
• Monitor global defence market trends, identifying new opportunities for growth

About You

• 7-10+ years of B2B sales experience, ideally within large-scale international exhibitions (experience in defence, aerospace or security strongly advantageous)
• Proven track record of exceeding commercial targets and growing revenues
• Strong network within the African and global defence/security industries (experience with events such as IDEX, AAD, DSEI is an advantage)
• Degree educated with excellent commercial and strategic leadership skills
• Confident communicator and negotiator with senior-level stakeholders
• Experience managing and motivating sales teams
• Comfortable working across diverse geographies and cultures
• Willingness to travel extensively across Africa and internationally
• Strong CRM skills (Salesforce desirable)

Package

• £80,000 base salary + commission
• Excellent benefits
• International travel opportunities

This is an exciting opportunity for a commercially astute sales leader who thrives on building global partnerships and delivering growth on a high-profile international stage.

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