Head of Sales - Greenfield Growth for Events

Company Overview

Peppermint is a multi-award-winning events business, founded in 2003 by Alex Brooke and Adam Hempenstall - passionate in providing first-class bars and drinks-led solutions to the UK's greatest events & venues. Today, Peppermint services over 50 events and venues every year and has developed long-standing relationships with the likes of AEG, IMG, Brand Events and Live Nation. Events include BST Hyde Park, Hyde Park Winter Wonderland, All Points East, Lytham, Rewind festivals and many more. Peppermint has recently partnered with Levy UK and supports venues with premium F&B experiences - including The O2, Dreamland (Margate), The Piece Hall (Halifax) and the Johan Cruff Arena in Amsterdam. Peppermint's success has been driven by its relentless passion for its people, innovation and sustainable practices - with 20 years' operational experience - it's a powerful combination.

Role Overview

The Head of Sales is responsible for leading Peppermint's sales function and driving new business growth across key sectors, with a primary focus on Greenfield events. Working closely with the founder (Alex Brookes) and Commercial Sales Director, you will lead the development of new opportunities, manage the sales pipeline and ensure Peppermint maintains strong visibility across the market. You will be the person leading conversations with partners, identifying opportunities, building relationships and progressing discussions through to commercial agreement. You will lead the sales team, managing the Sales Manager and ensuring a proactive, structured approach to business development. This includes overseeing pipeline activity, tenders and bids, ensuring opportunities are identified early and progressed efficiently. A key responsibility of the role is owning Peppermint's Greenfield pipeline while also contributing to wider growth across events, venues sectors. You will personally lead major pitches and strategic opportunities, while overseeing smaller opportunities delivered by the Sales Manager. This role requires a highly proactive, market-facing approach. You will be visible in the industry, building relationships, identifying opportunities and ensuring Peppermint is consistently in the right conversations. You will take ownership of opportunities from initial outreach through to contract signature, leading commercial structuring, budgets and negotiations in collaboration with the Commercial Finance Analysis function. Peppermint already works with some of the most recognised venues, festivals and promoters in the industry, and the product offering is strong. This role provides the platform to build on that momentum and take the business further. For the right person, there is real scope to shape the commercial direction of the business and make the role your own.

Core Accountabilities

• Team Management
  • Lead the Proactive and Growth Sales function for Greenfield.
  • Manage and develop the Sales Manager, ensuring strong accountability for proactive business development and opportunity progression.
  • Ensure the sales team has the tools, templates and processes required to operate efficiently and deliver high-quality sales submissions.
  • Prioritise workflow and oversee pipeline activity to ensure opportunities are progressed effectively and deadlines are met.
  • Foster a proactive sales culture, ensuring consistent market engagement and active generation of new opportunities.
• Pipeline Management & Sales Process
  • Proactively generate new business opportunities through industry engagement, networking and relationship development.
  • Develop and own Peppermint's Greenfield pipeline, ensuring strong forward visibility of opportunities across events and venues also.
  • Lead major pitches and strategic opportunities, overseeing smaller opportunities delivered by the Sales Manager.
  • Work collaboratively with the Levy bid team.
  • Lead and proactively own the end-to-end sales process from initial opportunity through to contract signature.
  • Develop commercial proposals, budgets and deal structures in collaboration with the Commercial Finance Analysis.
  • Lead negotiations with prospective clients to secure commercially strong agreements.
  • Provide regular pipeline reporting and sales updates to the Commercial Sales Director and Founders (weekly and monthly).
• Account Management
  • Ensure a clear and efficient handover of successfully won business to the client account management team following contract agreement.
  • Maintain strong client relationships throughout the sales process to support a smooth transition into delivery.
  • Work collaboratively with the Head of Client Relationships and account managers to ensure commercial agreements are clearly documented and understood prior to project delivery.

Performance Indicators

Success in this role will be measured through:

• Winning new clients and securing new business with a focus on Greenfield events.
• Building and maintaining a strong, realistic and regularly updated pipeline - both Peppermint pipeline and on Levy CRM.
• Converting opportunities from first conversation through to signed contracts.
• Securing profitable events aligned with Peppermint's growth strategy.
• Proactive generation of opportunities through networking and being active in the market.
• Delivering bids that reflect Peppermint's personality, clearly communicate our message and avoid unnecessary complexity.
• Supporting founders on bids, ensuring proactive, timely and high-quality responses.
• Strong collaboration across teams to support successful delivery of opportunities.

Contacts / Key Relationships

Internal

• Sales and Commercial Director
• Founder, Day to Day (Alex Brookes)
• Sales Manager
• Commercial Finance Analysis
• Operations / Project Director
• Finance Director
• Founder (Adam Hempenstall)
• Levy Growth Team
• Strategic Bid Director (Levy) & Bid Writing Team

External

• Event, festival, venue and commercial rights holders
• Music promoters
• Commercial partners and stakeholders across the events sectors

Knowledge/Experience/Skills

Essential

• Experience managing a pro-active sales team 3 years + experiences.
• Proactive sales and pipeline development.
• Excellent relationship building.
• The ability to cope with pressures and conflicting work priorities.
• Influential presentation and communication skills.
• Ability to articulate risks and get internal sign off.
• Expert negotiating skills.
• Proactive, self-starting approach to business development with the ability to identify and pursue opportunities independently.