Account Executive, KBIS

Emerald X; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Unlimited vacation

Flexible working locations

401(k) plan with company match

Medical/dental/vision coverage

Parental and caregiver leave

Dependent, commuter and FSA benefits

Toastmasters professional development

Job summary

Emerald X is seeking a motivated Account Executive for the KBIS team in New York, NY. You will own a territory of exhibitors, drive revenue through exhibit space, sponsorships, and integrated marketing initiatives, and manage the sales cycle from outreach to renewal.

The ideal candidate has 3+ years in B2B sales, excels at prospecting, and uses a consultative approach to close deals. Travel ~15–20% and collaboration with marketing and operations are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience.
• 3+ years in B2B sales or related commercial roles.
• Trade show, media, sponsorship, advertising, or marketing services sales experience preferred.
• Kitchen and bath and/or design industry experience is a plus.
• Strong prospecting and new business development skills.
• Proven ability to build relationships, negotiate effectively, and close business.
• Strong customer service orientation and consultative selling capabilities.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and communication skills.
• Experience with Salesforce, Gong, Microsoft Office, and other sales technologies preferred.
• Experience with a2z is a plus.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of customer responsiveness.
• Willingness to travel approximately 15-20%, including customer visits, industry events, and show-site responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Meet and exceed individual exhibit space, sponsorship, and revenue goals for KBIS
• Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities within key market segments
• Manage and grow an assigned territory through account retention, expansion, and new business acquisition
• Conduct discovery conversations to understand customer objectives, challenges, growth plans, and marketing priorities
• Present and sell integrated solutions that may include exhibit space, sponsorships, advertising, content programs, digital marketing, lead generation, and event participation
• Build strong relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, agencies, and industry stakeholders
• Oversee the sales process from initial outreach through contract execution, event participation, and renewal
• Conduct outbound sales campaigns and strategic account development initiatives
• Collaborate with marketing, operations, content, and media sales teams to maximize customer value and ROI
• Maintain the integrity of the online floorplan and adhere to established floorplan standards
• Utilize Salesforce, Gong, and other sales tools to manage pipeline activity, forecasting, customer interactions, and opportunity progression
• Maintain accurate account records, sales activity, forecasting, and customer communications
• Support collections efforts as needed
• Travel to industry events, customer meetings, and assigned Emerald events as required
• Perform other duties as assigned

Skills

Prospecting

New business development

Relationship building

Negotiation

Consultative selling

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Salesforce

Gong

Microsoft Office

a2z

Job description

Account Executive, KBIS

Location: New York, NY

Department: 10 - Sales

Forge (Emerald X) is a leader in building dynamic market platforms that connect buyers and sellers through live events, digital media, content, and commerce. Our portfolio includes some of the most recognized brands in their respective industries, including ASD Market Week, Surf Expo, Advertising Week, Pizza Expo, Overland Expo, KBIS, and many others. Across our portfolio, we help businesses grow through meaningful connections, industry insights, and innovative marketing solutions.

Forge is seeking a motivated and results-oriented Account Executive “hunter” to join the KBIS sales team.

This role is responsible for driving revenue growth through a combination of customer retention, account expansion, sponsorship sales, and new business development. The successful candidate will manage a territory of exhibitors and prospects while helping customers maximize their return on investment through exhibit space, sponsorships, digital marketing, advertising, content, and other integrated solutions.

The ideal candidate combines strong prospecting skills with a consultative sales approach, disciplined pipeline management, and a passion for helping customers achieve their business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

• Meet and exceed individual exhibit space, sponsorship, and revenue goals for KBIS
• Identify, prospect, and develop new business opportunities within key market segments
• Manage and grow an assigned territory through account retention, expansion, and new business acquisition
• Conduct discovery conversations to understand customer objectives, challenges, growth plans, and marketing priorities
• Present and sell integrated solutions that may include exhibit space, sponsorships, advertising, content programs, digital marketing, lead generation, and event participation
• Build strong relationships with exhibitors, sponsors, agencies, and industry stakeholders
• Oversee the sales process from initial outreach through contract execution, event participation, and renewal
• Conduct outbound sales campaigns and strategic account development initiatives
• Collaborate with marketing, operations, content, and media sales teams to maximize customer value and ROI
• Maintain the integrity of the online floorplan and adhere to established floorplan standards
• Utilize Salesforce, Gong, and other sales tools to manage pipeline activity, forecasting, customer interactions, and opportunity progression
• Maintain accurate account records, sales activity, forecasting, and customer communications
• Support collections efforts as needed
• Travel to industry events, customer meetings, and assigned Emerald events as required
• Perform other duties as assigned

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent professional experience
• 3+ years of demonstrated success in B2B sales, business development, account management, or related commercial roles
• Trade show, media, sponsorship, advertising, or marketing services sales experience preferred
• Kitchen and bath and/or design industry experience is a plus
• Strong prospecting and new business development skills
• Proven ability to build relationships, negotiate effectively, and close business
• Strong customer service orientation and consultative selling capabilities
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and communication skills
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in a fast-paced environment
• Experience with Salesforce, Gong, Microsoft Office, and other sales technologies preferred
• Experience with a2z is a plus
• Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining a high level of customer responsiveness
• Willingness to travel approximately 15-20%, including customer visits, industry events, and show-site responsibilities

What Success Looks Like

• Consistent achievement of exhibit, sponsorship, and revenue goals
• Strong pipeline generation and new business acquisition
• Strong customer retention and account growth
• Accurate forecasting and CRM management
• Effective cross-functional collaboration
• Disciplined execution of Emerald's sales processes and operating standards

About Emerald

At Emerald, we strive to foster a diverse and inclusive community. We actively recruit and champion candidates who bring new perspectives from varied professional backgrounds and experiences, and we are intentional about ensuring a positive hiring experience for everyone. Our job postings don’t contain experience inflation, and most don’t require college degrees. Instead, they’re crafted to focus on outcomes and transferable experiences that are assessed in a structured interview process carried out by trained hiring teams.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

Target Compensation: $75,000 - $85,000 base plus Sales Incentive Plan eligible

Please note that this range reflects a reasonable estimate of the target compensation for this position. This range may ultimately vary based on a candidate’s qualifications and may be higher where required by applicable law.

We offer a competitive benefits package designed to strengthen our employees’ physical and mental health, including unlimited vacation for exempt employees, flexible working locations, 401(k) plan with a company match, medical/dental/vision coverage with inclusive provisions including transgender services and fertility benefits, parental and caregiver leave, dependent, commuter and FSA benefits, professional development programs like Toastmasters, and mental wellness tools.

If you need accommodation in our application process or have questions about our posted salary range, please email our Talent Acquisition team at [e-mail].

About the Company

About Emerald

Emerald’s talented and experienced teams grow our customers’ businesses 365 days a year with products that create connections, deliver content, and drive commerce. We produce over 140 annual events, create and deliver content through print and digital channels, and power commerce through our seamlessly integrated in‑person and digital platforms and channels. For more information, please visit http://www.emeraldx.com.