Sales Team Lead – Exhibitions

Role Overview

You will lead the commercial front for a portfolio of regional trade exhibitions and industry summits, focusing on selling floor space and sponsorship opportunities to corporate clients across East and Central Africa. Based in Nairobi and reporting to the Head of Exhibitions, your days will combine direct enterprise sales hunting with coaching a small team of sales executives to hit ambitious revenue targets. Your work directly determines the financial success of each event, from securing anchor exhibitors to ensuring every contracted booth and sponsorship deliverable is fulfilled.

Key Responsibilities

• Own the complete B2B sales cycle for exhibition space and sponsorship inventory, from cold outreach and lead qualification through proposal presentation, negotiation, and contract closing.
• Build a robust pipeline of new corporate clients in manufacturing, fashion, textile, and related industrial sectors, using phone outreach, digital campaigns, and in-person executive meetings.
• Develop tailored sales pitches and sponsorship decks that align each client's brand objectives with the audience and visibility opportunities offered by specific trade events.
• Lead, motivate, and develop a team of junior sales executives, setting clear performance targets, conducting regular pipeline reviews, and providing hands-on coaching to improve conversion rates.
• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records of all prospects, deals, and account interactions in the company CRM, ensuring reliable forecasting and seamless hand-offs to operations staff.
• Manage key accounts strategically to secure multi-event commitments and long-term exhibitor retention, proactively addressing concerns before they affect renewals.
• Represent the organisation at industry expos, trade forums, and networking functions to expand market presence and generate qualified leads.
• Work closely with marketing and event operations teams to ensure sponsor commitments, branding placements, and site requirements are delivered exactly as promised.

Requirements & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, International Business, or a related commercial discipline.
• At least 3 years of proven sales experience in exhibitions, commercial events, trade fairs, media sales, or a B2B/B2G environment, with a verifiable track record of meeting or exceeding revenue targets.
• Demonstrated experience supervising, coaching, or leading a sales team, including setting targets and reviewing individual performance.
• Strong working knowledge of CRM systems such as Salesforce or HubSpot, plus proficiency in MS Office tools (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).
• Excellent commercial negotiation skills, with the ability to navigate complex buyer journeys and close enterprise-level sponsorship deals.
• Willingness to travel domestically and regionally based on event schedules, with a flexible approach to working hours during peak event periods.
• Application must include a professional resume with a clear headshot photo, as requested by the employer.

What We Offer / Why Join

• A competitive monthly gross salary of Ksh 80,000 – 120,000, complemented by performance-based incentives and commission structures linked to event targets.
• Direct exposure to regional industry leaders, government trade bodies, and international commercial delegations through high-profile trade events and summits.
• The opportunity to shape and grow a sales team while building a strong personal network across East and Central Africa's business community.