Somerset House
Head of Commercial Sales
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Application Deadline: 31 August 2026 Department: Venue Hire Location: London Compensation: £57,000 - £60,000 / year
Description
We are looking for people to join our fantastic team at Somerset House Trust. As the home of cultural innovators, the Trust connects creativity and the arts with the broader society. Somerset House pursues a ‘Step Inside, Think Outside’ spirit and is born from the creative community we nurture - the experience and perspectives we host across background, age, race, and stage, and the intersections and crossovers we encourage.
The Head of Commercial Sales is responsible for leading the Venue Hire Sales Team and driving revenue growth through effective sales strategies and relationship-building. They will lead and inspire the sales team, optimise revenue generation and deliver an excellent service to clients. They will be proactive, commercially astute, and strategic in developing revenue opportunities, whilst balancing these with our charitable aims.
The role involves managing key client relationships, developing sales strategies and working closely with the Head of Commercial Operations to ensure a seamless customer journey for all clients.
The Head of Commercial Sales will work closely with the Commercial Director to implement new opportunities and with the Audience and Development team to ensure the marketing and promotion of Somerset House as one of London’s most impressive and versatile venues. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in sales within the events industry, strong leadership skills, and a process driven approach.
What we are looking for:
Leadership and Performance Management
- Lead, mentor, and motivate the Commercial Sales team, providing direction, training, and support to achieve high performance across events, filming and activations.
- Conduct regular team meetings and 1-1 meetings to review performance, provide feedback, and set individual goals.
- Foster a positive, collaborative, and goal-oriented team culture, encouraging continuous improvement and professional growth.
- Line management of the Commercial Sales team: Senior Sales Manager, 2x Event Sales Managers and Event Sales Coordinator.
Business Development
- Accountable for the commercial success of the sales team. Monitor sales performance, ensure a flexible and creative approach to securing new business, meet and exceed monthly sales targets and grow the venue hire business.
- Responsible for leading complex, high revenue event enquiries, and cross-departmental events, ensuring buy in from key stakeholders across the Trust when required.
- Develop a key account management framework and cultivation strategy, which retains and develops new relationships with direct clients, suppliers, agencies and key stakeholders.
- Develop new Venue Hire opportunities – identify and implement opportunities for growth across new and enhanced offers, new sectors and underutilised spaces.
- Work closely with the Head of Commercial Operations and wider team, to ensure a consistently strong focus on customer service, ensuring a seamless client journey, from initial enquiry through to post event debrief.
- Develop a close and effective working relationship with the Development team to optimise corporate members and brand partnership opportunities.
- Grow repeat business in line with departmental objectives.
- Working closely with the Head of Commercial Operations, deliver the supplier tender process.
- Maintain and build relationships with accredited suppliers.
- Work closely and creatively with all departments across the Trust to maximise opportunities where possible.
- Act as an effective ambassador for Somerset House.
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Finance and Governance
- Work with the Commercial Director and Head of Commercial Operations to set annual sales and marketing budgets.
- Responsible for delivering the annual sales and marketing budget.
- Work closely with the Finance team to ensure accurate monthly reporting of actual versus forecast income across sales, commission and expenditure.
- Ensure the Sales team follow correct financial processes, tracking and invoicing all income, and minimising debtors.
- Work closely with the Head of Legal to develop new legal documentation and review and maintain hire agreements.
- Support the sales team with contract negotiations, identifying when legal support is required.
- Responsible for communicating and presenting sales updates to Directors and Trustees.
Marketing
- Responsible for delivering a creative marketing and sales strategy. Develop new and existing marketing and sales tools – including brochures, social media, website, PR, awards and subscriptions – to maximise return on investment.
- Create an effective cultivation event strategy.
- Undertake regular competitor and market analysis, keeping up to date with industry trends.
- Liaise with Press and Marketing teams to ensure aligned commercial messaging.
- Attend networking events, exhibitions and other promotional events to actively promote the venue.
- Responsible for managing the external PR team account for Venue Hire.
Insights, Analysis and Process
- Responsible for the overall management of sales and marketing spreadsheets and analytical tools.
- Accountable for creating effective processes to support the team in a fast-paced environment.
- Accountable for ensuring high enquiry conversion rates and thorough post event follow up with clients to secure repeat business.
- Ensure DIESE (or equivalent software) is used effectively to allow detailed and accurate reporting. Diary management to maximise sales and profit.
- Proactively contribute to Somerset House’s Sustainability and DEI goals, ensuring annual progress.
- Carry out any other reasonable duties in line with the post as may be required from time to time.
Skills, knowledge & expertise required for the role:
Experience
- 7+ years of experience in event sales, with a proven track record of achieving sales targets and managing high-profile client accounts.
- Strong leadership and team management skills, with experience in mentoring and developing sales teams.
- Experienced in managing and negotiating complex venue hire contracts.
- Experienced in implementing processes to drive effective and efficient working.
- Demonstrable experience in the events and hospitality industry, including knowledge of current trends, competitor landscape, and market opportunities.
- Experienced in building excellent rapport with clients, managing expectations to the highest level, with a strong customer focus.
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Skills:
- Strong leadership and management skills.
- Strong commercial acumen, with the ability to balance the cultural and artistic needs of an organisation.
- Strategic thinker with strong analytical skills and a results-oriented, growth mindset.
- Excellent negotiation and relationship-building abilities, with a client-focused approach.
- Ability to work successfully across teams, building relationships at all levels.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills - verbal, written and numerical, with superb attention to detail. Ability to communicate effectively with a variety of stakeholders.
- Process driven.
- Flexibility and adaptable to change - ability to juggle multiple projects with excellent prioritisation skills.
- Strong numeracy and IT skills. Proficiency in CRM software, event management systems, and Microsoft Office Suite.
- Demonstrate a personal commitment to sustainability and diversity and inclusion.
Benefits to working at Somerset House
Mental Health & Wellbeing
- Access to our external Employee Assistance Programme (CiC) for free 24/7 confidential advice and support, including up to 6 free counselling sessions per year where needed.
- Mental health support and guidance from our in-house trained Mental Health First Aiders.
- Hybrid working based on having 3 days in the office per week (pro rata if part-time)*.
- Contribution towards eye tests and glasses.
- Trust life insurance scheme.
- We offer winter flu vaccination vouchers.
*dependent on the needs of the role.
Holiday
- Enhanced annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays (pro rata).
- Birthday leave - additional day leave.
- Celebration day - to celebrate anything of your choice.
Other Leave
- Sick leave – 20 days full pay, followed by 20 days half pay (pro rata & following 3 months service).
- Emergency dependent care – option to use 25% of paid sick leave for emergency care of a dependent (pro rata & following 3 months of service).
- Enhanced maternity pay.
Benefits
- 8% employer pension contributions, no employee contribution required*.
- Option for salary sacrifice.
- Season ticket loan.
- Cycle to Work scheme.
Discounts, offers and free stuff
- The list is endless and includes tickets to Somerset House events and entrance to other London Heritage sites.
- Discounts in Somerset House cafes and restaurants.
- Discounts with various high street retailers and restaurants.
- Discounts to local leisure centres.
*following 3 months of employment.
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