Head of Events & Sales

Search; Guildford; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Search is seeking a Head of Sales & Events to drive growth in the luxury events sector across London and the Home Counties. The role combines sales and business development with meticulous event planning, ensuring high-value briefs are won and flawlessly delivered.

You will build client relationships, manage proposals, and lead cross-functional teams to execute unforgettable events while maintaining senior stakeholder relations.

Qualifications

• Senior-level experience in luxury events and catering, with a track record in sales and planning.
• Proven ability to win new business and manage high-value client briefs.
• Strong network with premium venues, agencies, and event planners.

Responsibilities

• Drive new business and develop relationships with luxury clients, agencies and venues.
• Lead negotiations and convert briefs into confirmed events.
• Own the pre-event planning, site visits, menus, staffing, and logistics.

Skills

Sales

Business development

Event planning

CRM management

Negotiation

Client relationships

Tools

CRM software

Job description

We are working with an exceptional high-end event catering business known for delivering creative, beautifully executed events across London and the Home Counties.

Working with premium brands, prestigious venues and high-value private and corporate clients, the business has built a strong reputation for exceptional food, outstanding service and genuinely memorable events.

They are now looking for an experienced Head of Sales & Events to play a key role in the next stage of their growth.

THE ROLE

This is a genuinely dual-focused senior position, split approximately 50/50 between sales & business development and event planning.

On the commercial side, you will be responsible for driving new business, developing existing relationships, building a strong pipeline and converting high-value briefs and tenders into confirmed events.

Alongside this, you will take ownership of the planning and pre-event delivery of events, ensuring every detail is captured, coordinated and ready for the operational team.

This is not an event-day management role. You will attend key events for set-up and final checks before handing over to the operational team, while remaining involved in the client relationship and post-event follow-up.

SALES & BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Drive new business across the luxury private, corporate, wedding, venue and premium events markets.
• Develop and leverage relationships with high-end clients, agencies, event planners, venues and industry partners.
• Respond to briefs, tenders and enquiries with creative, commercially strong proposals.
• Lead negotiations and manage opportunities through to confirmation.
• Identify opportunities for upselling and cross-selling.
• Build and maintain a healthy, accurate sales pipeline.
• Represent the business at relevant industry and networking events.
• Maintain strong CRM discipline and accurate sales activity.

EVENT PLANNING

• Own the event journey from initial enquiry and brief through to planning, delivery and post-event follow-up.
• Translate client briefs into creative, commercially viable and operationally deliverable events.
• Work closely with chefs, operations, logistics, staffing and event teams to ensure seamless delivery.
• Lead all pre-event planning, including site visits, event sheets, menus, staffing, logistics, timings, equipment and client requirements.
• Attend key events for set-up and final checks, ensuring everything is in place before handing over to the operational team.
• Maintain strong client relationships throughout the process and ensure expectations are consistently exceeded.

ABOUT YOU

We are looking for someone who understands the luxury events and catering world and is equally comfortable winning business and getting into the detail of delivering it.

You will ideally have experience at Senior Events Manager, Head of Events, Event Producer or similar level, with a proven track record across both commercial sales and event planning.

You will be:

• Commercially driven with a proven ability to win new business and grow accounts.
• Well-connected across luxury event catering, premium venues, agencies and event planners.
• Highly organised, structured and exceptionally detail-oriented.
• Confident managing multiple high-value opportunities and events simultaneously.
• Creative and commercially astute when developing proposals and responding to briefs.
• Client-focused, polished and confident when dealing with senior stakeholders.
• Someone who understands that great events require both creative thinking and rigorous operational planning.