Commercial Sales Director

Hubbul; London; On-site; GBP 200,000 +; Full time

Job summary

A leading international events company in London is seeking an experienced Sales Director to drive commercial strategy for a flagship exhibition. The role requires a proven sales leader with a background in defence or security, strong negotiation skills, and the ability to manage a sales team. The position offers an £80,000 base salary, commission, and excellent benefits, along with international travel opportunities.

Benefits

Commission-based salary

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.
• Strong network within the African and global defence/security industries.
• Comfortable working across diverse geographies and cultures.
• Willingness to travel extensively across Africa and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy to achieve revenue targets.
• Drive exhibitor and sponsorship acquisition.
• Build and manage strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Lead and mentor a high-performing sales team.
• Collaborate with marketing and operations teams.

Skills

B2B Sales Experience

Strong Network in Defence/Security

Leadership and Management

Negotiation Skills

CRM Skills

Education

Degree Educated

Tools

Salesforce

Job description

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

I am recruiting on behalf of my client for an and 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.

Key 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 preferred)
  
• 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.

We Are Aspire Ltd are a Disability Confident Commited employer