Business Development Manager

We are looking for an experienced and engaging Venue Sales and Marketing professional with excellent relationship building skills, to join the brilliant events team at this world class, hugely impressive and well known prestigious Grade 1 listed venue - contains some of London’s most beautiful and historic event spaces, and used for high profile events and award ceremonies, dinners, receptions, charity & corporate events, concerts, and special events – for a diverse range of clients including international companies, major public bodies and charities. (12 month mat cover)

THE ROLE
The role is varied, overseeing both reactive and proactive sales, and leading a team of two, whose primary focus is reactive sales. The aim of the team is to maximise the commercial use of it’s varied spaces – overall the venue hosts c. 200 commercial events a year, ranging from high profile corporate special events, dinners, receptions and award ceremonies to large charity fundraisers and concerts. You’ll lead and mentor a sales team of 2 (Sales Manager and a Sales Executive) and will have oversight on both proactive and reactive sales. You’ll develop and maintain a strategy to increase commercial bookings of the venue by developing links with City businesses, stakeholders, suppliers, DMCs & venue agencies and other venues, and other partnerships with the London venue/events community ... and through your varied business development activities. You’ll drive forward and enthuse all business development activities both externally and internally, drawing on your natural warm and inclusive, flexible style and enjoy building relationships and seeing and maximising marketing and profile raising activities for the venue. THE ROLE IS OFFERED ON A 12 MONTH MAT COVER.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Maximise the commercial use of the venue consistent with it’s heritage background and stakeholder considerations
• Develop and implement venue marketing strategy plans and activities
• Promote as an event venue through industry memberships, trade shows, partnerships and showcases, social media and promotional material
• Proactively initiate and develop relationships with new and existing clients, and suppliers, and strengthen relationships with industry partners, and venue/destination management agencies
• Line manage and develop the sales team of 2 (whose focus is reactive sales)
• Experience of diary management, managing competing priorities clients and internal stakeholders
• Oversee commercial event hire reporting and ongoing forecasts and strategies for sales – overseeing diary for maximising usage
• Work closely with varied stakeholders within the organisation, and with the event delivery team

THE CANDIDATE
You’ll be a highly organised, engaging and articulate Venue Business Development Manager or Venue Sales Manager. Ideally you’ll have experience working in heritage venues, and ideally experience of working within the London venue and events market, and alongside varied industry contacts and bodies. This is a glorious multi-space venue, so understanding how to maximise the commercial usage and diary is key. This is a very prestigious venue with some very high profile formal events taking place alongside it’s commercial activities so you’ll need to have the ability to work flexibly and with insight into the wider organisation’s needs. You’ll have excellent communication skills, and be a great relationship builder. You’ll have excellent administration skills, and ideally experience of juggling competing priorities, aware of the wider commercial picture. Great with clients and with liaising with varied suppliers and internal departments and stakeholders to maximise opportunities and results. Key too for this role is excellent line management and team development skills, so you can bring on the experience and skills of your team. A flair for spearheading the business development side of a Venue, particularly a unique one is key!

 Key requirements include:

•  Experience working within a sales & marketing role promoting an events venue /company, developing marketing strategies and intiatives to increase business
• Previous line management experience, strong on development of team
• Experience of proactively developing and managing relationships with clients and other industry stakeholders
• Ability to identify new markets and trends within the venue/events sector – enthusiasm, drive and interest
• Ability to adapt approach and style depending on audience
• Excellent oral communication skills in order to liaise effectively with and provide advice to clients and external bodies
• Experience of analysing financial and sales data to help build new business and improve service
• Proficient across social media platforms
• Natural flair for networking, self-driven and enthusiastic about success in role
• Committed to the attainment of highest possible levels of client service and event delivery

This is an excellent opportunity to work at this absolutely stunning and historic venue – with an amazing team and top level varied clients ....it will surely mark a special chapter in your business development career!  If your experience matches the key requirements and responsibilities as listed above, please reflect these in your CV and click the “Apply now” button below.