Creative Account Manager

CREATIVE8; Luton; On-site; GBP 35,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance (AXA)

Cycle to Work Scheme

Birthday Leave

Holiday Purchase Scheme

EAP

Flexible working hours

Job summary

CREATIVE8 is seeking a Creative Account Manager in the UK exhibition sector. You will drive revenue, win new business and manage end-to-end client relationships, coordinating with estimating, design and project teams to deliver creative and commercially viable solutions.

The role requires 4+ years in sales or account management, a strong pipeline, and excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills. Office-based with flexible start times and a comprehensive benefits package.

Qualifications

• Minimum 4 years’ experience in a sales or account management role.
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Experience using CRM systems (HubSpot preferred).
• Excellent pipeline and forecast management skills.
• Ability to self-generate leads and develop new business opportunities.
• Strong negotiation and deal-closing skills.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with high attention to detail.
• Ability to manage workload effectively, prioritising tasks and deadlines.
• Confident presenting to new and existing clients.
• Experience within the exhibition, events, or experiential marketing industry.
• Knowledge of exhibition design, manufacture, and creative production processes.
• Understanding of customer decision-making processes in a B2B environment.
• Experience selling to corporate brands, independent businesses, and B2B service providers.
• Ability to collaborate with designers and translate client requirements into creative briefs.

Responsibilities

• Generate new business using a range of sales techniques and platforms.
• Identify and target opportunities aligned with predicted gaps in the industry’s annual cycle.
• Self-generate high-value leads to achieve the desired customer and project mix.
• Build and maintain a strong and qualified sales pipeline.
• Meet and exceed monthly and annual sales targets.
• Attend trade exhibitions and networking events to generate and follow up on new leads.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients.
• Retain and grow existing accounts through proactive account management.
• Understand client needs and articulate a compelling value proposition.
• Negotiate pricing, quantities, and delivery schedules while managing client expectations.
• Manage client enquiries from initial contact through to project management handover.
• Interpret customer requirements and translate them into clear design briefs for in-house designers.
• Work closely with estimating, design, and project teams to deliver creative, commercially viable solutions.
• Ensure smooth communication between clients and internal departments.
• Ensure consistent and accurate use of the company CRM system (HubSpot).
• Maintain up-to-date client records, opportunities, and forecasts.
• Prepare weekly and monthly sales reports as required.
• Forecast sales activity to support workload planning and reduce seasonality risks.

Skills

Sales

Account management

HubSpot

Lead generation

Negotiation

Forecasting

Communication

Stakeholder management

Tools

HubSpot CRM

Job description

Status: Permanent, full time. (Important note: this is an office-based role).

Hours: Monday to Friday, 8.5-hour days with flexi start times between 08:00-10:00. Lunch is 30-minutes. Holiday: 28 days inc. bank holidays

Benefits: Medical insurance (AXA) Cycle to Work Scheme, Birthday Leave, Holiday Purchase Scheme, EAP, Flexible working hours (start between 08:00-10:00) all on completion of probation.

The Role:

The Creative Account Manager will play a key role in driving company revenue and expanding the client base by generating new business and developing long-term client relationships within the exhibition industry. This role is focused on identifying and capitalising on opportunities across the industry’s annual cycle, ensuring a consistent pipeline of work and helping to mitigate seasonal fluctuations in manufacturing demand.

The ideal candidate will be a confident sales professional with a passion for creative solutions, a proven track record of winning and managing new business, and the ability to manage client relationships from initial enquiry through to project handover.

Working closely with estimating, design, and project management teams, the Creative Account Manager will act as a central point of contact for clients, ensuring briefs are clearly communicated, expectations are managed, and commercial objectives are achieved. You will be part of a creative, dynamic, and forward-thinking team that prides itself on excellent service, innovative design, and high-quality workmanship.

Main Duties:

Business Development & Sales

• Generate new business using a range of sales techniques and platforms
• Identify and target opportunities aligned with predicted gaps in the industry’s annual cycle
• Self-generate high-value leads to achieve the desired customer and project mix
• Build and maintain a strong and qualified sales pipeline
• Meet and exceed monthly and annual sales targets
• Conduct market and competitor research to identify new markets, products, and opportunities
• Attend trade exhibitions and networking events to generate and follow up on new leads

Account Management

• Develop and maintain strong relationships with new and existing clients
• Retain and grow existing accounts through proactive account management
• Understand client needs and articulate a compelling value proposition
• Negotiate pricing, quantities, and delivery schedules while managing client expectations

Project & Internal Collaboration

• Manage client enquiries from initial contact through to project management handover
• Interpret customer requirements and translate them into clear design briefs for in-house designers
• Work closely with estimating, design, and project teams to deliver creative, commercially viable solutions
• Ensure smooth communication between clients and internal departments

Reporting & CRM

• Ensure consistent and accurate use of the company CRM system (HubSpot)
• Maintain up-to-date client records, opportunities, and forecasts
• Prepare weekly and monthly sales reports as required
• Forecast sales activity to support workload planning and reduce seasonality risks

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achievement of monthly and annual sales targets
• Value and quality of new business won
• Pipeline value, accuracy, and conversion rate
• Client retention and account growth
• Lead generation performance across multiple channels
• Accuracy and consistency of CRM data and reporting
• Contribution to mitigating seasonal gaps in workflow
• Client satisfaction and repeat business

Key Skills & Experience

• Minimum 4 years’ experience in a sales or account management role
• Proven track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets
• Strong experience using CRM systems (HubSpot preferred)
• Excellent pipeline and forecast management skills
• Ability to self-generate leads and develop new business opportunities
• Strong negotiation and deal-closing skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with high attention to detail
• Ability to manage workload effectively, prioritising tasks and deadlines
• Confident presenting to new and existing clients
• Experience within the exhibition, events, or experiential marketing industry
• Knowledge of exhibition design, manufacture, and creative production processes
• Understanding of customer decision-making processes in a B2B environment
• Experience selling to corporate brands, independent businesses, and B2B service providers
• Ability to collaborate with designers and translate client requirements into creative briefs