Director, Event Sales

Business Insider; United States; On-site; USD 130,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible PTO

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance

Matched 401k plan

Gym membership discounts

Phone reimbursement

Job summary

A leading media company is seeking a Director of Event Sales to drive revenue growth for live events. This strategic role entails managing the event sponsorship pipeline from lead generation to closure while nurturing client relationships. Candidates should have over 7 years of experience in event sponsorship, with strong communication and negotiation skills essential for interacting with senior decision-makers. The ideal candidate will work closely with a dynamic team in New York City, with a focus on delivering high-quality event experiences.

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years of experience in event and/or experiential sponsorship.
• Track record of closing high-value, multi-channel sponsorships.
• Exceptional communication skills, especially with senior decision-makers.

Responsibilities

• Own the event sponsorship pipeline end-to-end from lead generation to close.
• Sell integrated sponsorships that pair event participation with broader media campaigns.
• Regularly exceed revenue targets by identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities.

Skills

Exceptional communicator

Negotiation skills

Project management

Client relationship management

Sales strategy

Job description

$130,000.00/yr - $150,000.00/yr

Additional compensation types

Commission

Business Insider is hiring a Director of Event Sales to drive revenue growth for our live events business. This role sits within the media team and is dedicated to selling sponsorships across Business Insider’s event portfolio, including tentpole summits, bespoke salons, and industry roundtables.

Business Insider is for people who are driven, optimistic and always looking forward. Our mission is to inspire action through thought-provoking stories. We tell our audience what they want and need to know to improve their lives and the world with storytelling that is accessible, smart, sometimes unexpected, and always helpful. Our team members embody and uphold Business Insider’s three core values: we are all one team, we are effective, and we strive to get better every day.

The Role & Team:

You will be a key connector between brand partners and Insider’s live journalism, helping clients unlock the power of in-person storytelling, thought leadership, and experiential activations. Working in close partnership with the Live Events team you will focus on closing deals, and contributing market-driven insights to go-to-market planning led by the Live Events team.

This is a strategic sales role focused on unlocking revenue from new and existing partners, while enabling the efficient and high-quality execution of events. The right candidate will be a client-focused closer who understands the boundaries and opportunities that can drive scale for our world-class events business. They understand the complexities of live events and protect margin and delivery standards that win. They will also contribute to the acceleration of BI Live’s revenue growth by translating market demand into actionable, scalable deals. In addition to direct revenue ownership, this role will also serve as a strategic resource to support the broader sales organization in identifying and closing event sponsorship opportunities across categories.

The Director of Event Sales reports directly to the Head of Global Sales and sits on the Advertising Sales team. This position is based in our New York City HQ with an in-office presence of at least 3 days per week.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the event sponsorship pipeline end-to-end—from lead generation to close—across Insider’s slate of tentpoles, salons, and custom experiences.
• Sell integrated sponsorships that pair event participation with broader media campaigns, delivering unique value across Insider’s platforms, when applicable.
• Support the media sales organization in converting event sponsorship sales.
• Regularly exceed revenue targets by identifying upsell and cross-sell opportunities tied to major tentpole moments.

Client Relationship Management & Brief Ownership

• Serve as the day-to-day liaison for prospective and contracted event sponsors.
• Lead the intake and translation of sponsor goals, KPIs, audience priorities, creative guidelines, and delivery expectations into actionable briefs.
• Act as the conduit between clients and the Live Events team, ensuring precise and complete communication of business objectives, success metrics, and executional parameters.
• Uphold a high standard of client service through consistent communication, proactive stewardship, and thoughtful post-event debriefs.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Governance

• Collaborate with the Live Events team to tailor messaging and leverage sales collateral, ensuring value is communicated effectively to clients.
• Partner closely with the Live team across pricing, programming, and execution, aligning on responsibilities and workflows to support seamless delivery and shared accountability.

Sales Enablement & Market Feedback

• Support category sellers across the organization by providing event-specific sales guidance and deal support on high-priority opportunities.
• Provide ongoing intelligence to the Live Events team and broader sales organization on client priorities, deal blockers, and emerging sponsorship themes.
• Contribute real-time insights from the field to help refine positioning and strengthen sales enablement tools.
• Maintain weekly reporting to leadership with accurate, up-to-date pipeline, forecast, and progress data via CRM systems to ensure transparency and accountability.

Category Awareness & Collaboration

• Stay informed on trends in experiential marketing, brand storytelling, and sponsor priorities across key verticals.
• Share relevant client feedback and category observations with the Live team to support continuous refinement of event offerings.

The Ideal Candidate Has

• 7–10+ years of experience in event and/or experiential sponsorship, preferably in a media or agency environment.
• Track record of closing high-value, multi-channel sponsorships and managing complex, consultative sales cycles.
• Exceptional communicator with strong presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills—especially with senior decision-makers.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and timelines with precision and follow-through.
• Collaborative by nature, with a clear understanding of boundaries between sales and product functions.
• Familiarity with Insider’s audience and editorial approach is a strong plus.

Team Culture & Impact

At Business Insider, our live events are designed to spark ideas, connect communities, and extend the power of our journalism. As Director of Event Sales, you will be a vital bridge between the marketplace and our editorial events strategy.

Your success will be defined not just by hitting revenue targets, but by operating with clarity, precision, and respect for the operational needs of the Live Events team. This role is pivotal to ensuring that BI Live can scale as a best-in-class, editorially grounded, and commercially thriving business.

Salary & Benefits:

• Base salary: $130,000 - $150,000 (dependent on skills, experience, and competencies)
• Additional bonus/commission
• Flexible PTO, 10 paid holidays, and 16 weeks of parental leave
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance plans
• Matched and vested 401k plan
• Access to resources for financial planning guidance, family planning services, mental health reach out and Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Additional benefits include commuter benefits, phone reimbursement, gym membership discounts, and more

Business Insider is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and, when making employment decisions, does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity or expression, sex, sexual orientation, age, nationality or national origin, religion, disability, familial status, and military or veteran status. We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented groups to apply.

Business Insider is a subsidiary of Axel Springer SE.

Are you passionate about this opportunity, but worried that you don’t have 100% of the experience we’re looking for? We still want to hear from you! Apply online and let us know why you would make a great addition to Business Insider.

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