The Kia Oval - Surrey County Cricket Club
Head of Conference and Events Sales (Maternity Cover)
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Head of Conference & Events Sales
We are seeking an experienced, commercially driven, marketing savvy and customer-focused leader to take on the role of Head of Conference & Events Sales during a 12-month maternity cover period. This position is responsible for leading the Conference & Events Sales function, driving revenue and profit growth, maximising venue utilisation, and enhancing market presence through both proactive sales and strategic marketing & communication initiatives.
The successful candidate will provide strong leadership to the Sales team whilst working closely with Marketing, Finance, Operations, Co-ordination team, and key internal / external partners to develop and implement sales and marketing strategies that increase brand awareness, generate qualified leads, strengthen customer relationships, and deliver ambitious commercial targets. Success will only be possible when facilitated by a smoothly functioning team and operational processes which are constantly evolving as technology changes.
Requirements
Sales Leadership, Revenue & Profit Growth
- Lead, motivate, and develop the Conference & Events Sales team to achieve and exceed revenue, profit, conversion, and activity targets.
- Finalise development and execute the annual sales strategy, refining plans for core existing business, identifying new business opportunities, emerging market segments, and new revenue streams.
- Drive proactive business development activities, including corporate engagement, networking, exhibitions, account management, and partnership development across cricket and non cricket days.
- Maximise revenue opportunities across conferences, meetings, exhibitions, dinners, hospitality, and premium event spaces by leveraging the USP’s of the venue.
Marketing & Demand Generation
- Work collaboratively with the Marketing team to create and execute targeted campaigns that generate awareness, enquiries, and bookings across all event sectors.
- Work alongside Communications team to amplify messaging across Club channels where appropriate.
- Develop and refine venue positioning strategies to ensure the business remains competitive within the marketplace and celebrate its USP’s to differentiate vs major London conference and event spaces.
- Identify opportunities to increase market share through digital marketing, social media activity, content creation, email campaigns, and industry partnerships.
- Utilise customer insights, CRM data, market intelligence, and booking trends to shape marketing initiatives and sales strategies. This can be done in partnership with internal data team, through partner Levy / Lime Venue and wider industry insights.
- Support the promotion of key venue developments, new products, and seasonal sales campaigns to drive incremental revenue e.g. planned refurbishment plans around the ground over winter ‘26.
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Business Development
- Analyse market trends, competitor activity, and industry developments to identify growth opportunities and emerging customer needs.
- Build and maintain relationships with key corporate clients, agencies, event organisers, and industry partners.
- Lead strategic negotiations and manage high-value accounts to maximise profitability and long-term retention. Ensure a strong focus on retaining core high value accounts.
- Champion a culture of commercial awareness across the sales team, ensuring a balance between revenue growth and operational delivery.
Leadership & Stakeholder Management
- Act as a member of the senior commercial leadership team, contributing to wider business objectives and strategic planning.
- Foster strong working relationships with Levy, OEL team, Operations, Hospitality, Data Finance, Marketing, Communications and external partners to ensure an exceptional customer service and delivery through the sales to delivery journey.
- Lead regular sales meetings, performance reviews, and development sessions to drive engagement and continuous improvement across the C&E sales team.
- Provide clear reporting and recommendations to senior leadership on performance, opportunities, risks, and market trends.
Key Success Measures
- Delivery of Conference & Events revenue and profit targets.
- Growth in enquiry generation, conversion rates, and booked business.
- Increased market visibility and brand awareness within key target sectors.
- Retention and growth of strategic accounts and agency partnerships.
- Development and engagement of a high-performing sales team.
- Successful execution of targeted marketing campaigns that contribute measurable commercial outcomes.
Candidate Profile
- Proven experience in conference, events, hospitality, venue, or hotel sales leadership.
- Strong commercial acumen with the ability to identify and capitalise on revenue opportunities.
- Experience developing sales and marketing strategies that generate measurable business growth.
- Exceptional leadership, coaching, and stakeholder management skills.
- Strong understanding of CRM systems, sales analytics, digital marketing, and market segmentation.
- Results-driven, highly organised, and confident working in a fast-paced commercial environment.
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This role presents an exciting opportunity to lead a dynamic sales function whilst shaping commercial growth, enhancing brand presence, and driving market-leading conference and event performance during a key period for the business.
To Apply
Please apply via Workable with a CV and cover letter outlining why you are suitable for this role.
Closing date for applications is 29th September 2026
We want to make all opportunities at Surrey County Cricket Club accessible to anyone who wants to apply. If submitting a written application is not the best way to tell us about your skills and experience, please let us know and we will discuss it with you.
At Surrey County Cricket Club, we really understand the importance of different voices, experiences, perspectives and backgrounds within all workforces. Our workforce is no different and we strongly encourage applications from members of minority groups and all sections of the community.
If you think you might have these skills but are not 100% sure, please do still apply and let us decide. We know that people often rule themselves out of interesting opportunities assuming that others will be more successful but please don’t be that person. We want to hear from the widest cross-section of the community.
Surrey County Cricket Club is committed to safeguarding and protecting the children, young people and adults at risk that we work with. As such, all posts are subject to a process of vetting, including the disclosure of criminal records if required and the seeking of references. We ensure that we have a range of policies and procedures in place which promote safeguarding and safer working practice across our organisation.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 5% Club Bonus Scheme
- 23 days holiday increasing to 28 days based on length of service
- Non-Contributory Pension scheme / Private Health Care
- Membership for domestic games, Tickets for International Games and loads more
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