Wedding and Event Designer & Sales Manager

Christine Janda Design and Events; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Roth IRA

FSA

Paid time off

Professional development

Job summary

CJE Design in Chicago is seeking a relationship-driven Wedding & Event Designer & Sales Manager to help lead growth of our wedding and events business.

You will work closely with the Owner to sell, design, and manage weddings, social and corporate events from inquiry to final design, focusing on sales, client relationships and business development. This role offers opportunities for ownership and earning growth as the company expands.

Qualifications

• 4–7 years of experience in weddings, events, hospitality, event design or related creative industry.
• Proven client-facing sales experience with confidence presenting ideas and discussing budgets.
• Sophisticated eye for event design and ability to envision the entire event environment.

Responsibilities

• Lead client consultations and guide conversations around vision, priorities and investment.
• Develop cohesive event design concepts incorporating floral direction, lighting, linens and decor.
• Create and present customized design proposals and close sales.
• Follow up with prospective clients and convert inquiries into booked events.
• Build relationships with clients, planners, venues and partners.
• Develop new business through networking and industry relationships.
• Collaborate with production teams to ensure design execution.

Skills

Sales experience

Client relationships

Event design

Business development

Leadership

Job description

Wedding & Event Designer & Sales Manager

$65,000 - $90,000+

CJE Design | Chicago, IL

CJE Design is seeking a relationship-driven Event Designer & Sales Manager to help lead the next phase of growth for our Chicago wedding and event design business.

This role will work directly alongside CJE Design’s Owner and Creative Director, Christine Janda Edelcup, with the opportunity to collaborate closely and take increasing ownership of client relationships, design, sales and business development as the company grows.

CJE Design is part of a larger family of Chicago event businesses that also includes Christine Janda Design & Events, our established wedding and event planning company, and Bloom Events, our Chicago event venue. This unique ecosystem provides exposure to events from multiple perspectives, along with built-in opportunities for collaboration, industry relationships and continued growth.

This role is ideal for someone who has a strong eye for design, loves working with clients, is energized by sales and relationship-building, and is ready for a bigger seat within a growing company.

You may currently be working underneath a senior designer, selling and designing events for a floral or décor company, planning weddings but craving a more creative and sales-focused role, or working within the Chicago events industry and ready for your next step.

We are looking for someone who wants to build something with us.

The Role

You will work closely with Christine to sell, design and manage weddings, social events and corporate events from initial inquiry through final design.

Your focus will be on sales, client relationships, event design and business development. Floral production and event installations are supported by our talented team of contractors and production professionals.

What You’ll Do

• Lead prospective client consultations and confidently guide conversations around vision, priorities and investment
• Develop cohesive event design concepts incorporating floral direction, lighting, linens, rentals, furniture, tabletop, candles and other visual elements
• Create, present and sell customized design proposals
• Follow up with prospective clients and convert qualified inquiries into booked events
• Build strong relationships with clients, planners, venues and creative partners
• Develop new business through networking, referrals and industry relationships
• Conduct venue walkthroughs and design meetings
• Source rentals, décor and creative partners to bring each design vision to life
• Manage design revisions while balancing creativity, client investment and profitability
• Collaborate with production teams and creative partners to ensure the approved design is executed successfully
• Represent CJE Design at industry events, venue showcases and networking opportunities
• Identify opportunities to grow CJE Design’s presence within the Chicago wedding and events market

Who We’re Looking For

• Approximately 4–7 years of experience in weddings, events, hospitality, event design or a related creative industry
• Proven client-facing sales experience with confidence presenting ideas and discussing budgets
• A sophisticated eye for event design and the ability to envision the entire event environment
• Existing relationships within the Chicago wedding and events community, with excitement about continuing to grow that network
• Strong communication, presentation and relationship-building skills
• Highly organized and comfortable managing multiple clients, proposals and deadlines
• A business mindset and understanding that beautiful design must also be profitable
• Self-motivated, resourceful and excited by the opportunity to help grow a business
• Collaborative, kind and comfortable working within a small, entrepreneurial team

Hands-on floral design experience is not required. An understanding of floral design, seasonality and event production is valuable, but this is primarily a sales and event design position.

Why CJE Design

This is an opportunity to do more than simply manage a book of existing business.

The right person will have the opportunity to help shape the next phase of CJE Design, develop their own industry relationships, take increasing ownership of clients and sales, and grow their role, leadership and earning potential as the business grows.

Working directly alongside Christine also provides the opportunity to learn from more than 15 years of experience in the Chicago wedding and events industry while bringing your own perspective, relationships and ideas to the table.

The Person Who Will Thrive Here

You are creative, but you also love the business side of events.

You enjoy sitting across from a client, understanding what they are drawn to, developing a beautiful vision and selling them on that vision. You naturally build relationships and enjoy being part of the Chicago events community.

Most importantly, you’re ambitious. You’re ready for more ownership, more opportunity and the chance to have a meaningful impact on the growth of a design business.

Compensation & Benefits

$65,000–$90,000+ estimated total compensation, commensurate with experience and performance

• Performance-based incentive compensation tied to individual sales and business growth
• Employer-sponsored health insurance
• Employer-matched Roth IRA retirement plan
• Flexible Spending Account (FSA) options
• Paid time off
• Professional development, industry events and networking opportunities
• Significant opportunity for increased responsibility, leadership and earning potential as CJE Design grows