At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive new business by securing sponsorships and exhibitions from top tech brands.
- Company: Join Informa Festivals, a leader in innovative B2B events and part of the FTSE 100.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and opportunities for personal and professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with a focus on diversity, inclusion, and employee wellbeing.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of Africa's tech scene and make impactful connections.
- Qualifications: 3+ years in sales with a proven track record of closing high-value deals.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
Informa Festivals marks an exciting new chapter in B2B events, bringing some of the world's most influential creative, technology and business festivals together. We’re combining prestigious events like Cannes Lions, Black Hat, Money20/20, GDC, and London Tech Week with cutting-edge marketing intelligence platforms and advisory services to deliver unmissable experiences and insights.
Our festival-led approach reimagines traditional B2B events, creating powerful, immersive experiences that drive innovation and industry advancement. Building on decades of expertise and powered by Informa's international reach, we're shaping the next generation of business festivals.
Africa Tech Festival, part of Informa Festivals, is the continent’s leading technology event, bringing together 15,000+ attendees and 300+ partners each year. We are hiring a pure new business hunter to accelerate sponsorship and exhibition revenue from enterprise and blue-chip technology brands.
This role is about winning new logos. You will be highly proactive, commercially driven and comfortable building opportunities from scratch — owning the full sales cycle and closing meaningful, high-value deals.
What You’ll Do
- Identify, target and win new business sponsorship and exhibition partners
- Build and execute outbound strategies into enterprise technology accounts
- Own the full sales cycle: prospecting, discovery, solution design, negotiation and close
- Sell high-value, ROI-led partnerships across live events and digital products
- Close 5–6 figure deals with senior decision-makers at global and regional tech brands
- Build and maintain a strong, self-generated pipeline
- Forecast accurately and deliver consistently against revenue targets
- Operate at pace within a high-energy, high-performance sales team
- Use social selling and Salesforce to manage pipeline and activity
Qualifications
- 3+ years’ experience in new business sponsorship, exhibition or solution-based sales
- Proven track record as a hunter, winning new logos in a competitive B2B environment
- Demonstrable success closing 5–6 figure deals, ideally with blue-chip or enterprise brands
- High-agency, resilient and proactive — comfortable opening doors and creating momentum
- Strong commercial instincts with confident, value-led selling skills
- Experience using CRM systems for pipeline, forecasting and activity logging
Additional Information
We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's why we work in-person with each other, or with customers and partners, three days a week or more. When you’re not spending time together in one of our offices or other workplaces – like at an Informa event – you get the flexibility and support to work from home or remotely.
We work hard to make sure Life at Informa is rewarding, supportive and enjoyable for everyone. Here’s some of what you can expect when you join us.
- Great community: a welcoming culture with in-person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active diversity and inclusion networks
- Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too
- Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms and on-demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning.
- Time out: 25 days annual leave, rising to 27 days after two years, plus a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year
- A flexible range of personal benefits to choose from, plus company funded private medical cover
- A ShareMatch scheme that allows you to become an Informa shareholder with free matching shares
- Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, a healthy living subsidy, access to health apps and more
- Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programmes
- As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world
We’re not solely focused on a checklist of skills. We champion energy and ambition and look for colleagues who will roll their sleeves up, join in and help make things happen. If it sounds like a match and you have most – although not all – of the skills and experience listed, we welcome your application.
If you would like to request reasonable adjustments or accommodations to assist your participation in the hiring process and, or in the advertised position, please inform the appropriate Talent Acquisition Partner for the role once they have been in touch. Your request will be reviewed and considered in confidence.
At Informa, you'll find inclusive experiences and environments where all perspectives and backgrounds are welcomed. As part of this approach and our diversity and inclusion commitments, we are also formally an Equal Opportunities Employer. This means we base decisions on relevant qualifications and merit and do not discriminate on the basis of key characteristics and statuses, including all of those protected by law.
Business Development Manager, AfricaTech in London employer: Informa Festivals
Contact Detail:
Informa Festivals Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Business Development Manager, AfricaTech in London
✨Tip Number 1
Get networking! Attend industry events, meet-ups, and conferences related to tech and business development. It's all about making connections and getting your name out there. Plus, you never know who might be looking for someone just like you!
✨Tip Number 2
Leverage social media, especially LinkedIn. Share your insights on industry trends, engage with potential clients, and connect with decision-makers. A strong online presence can open doors and lead to opportunities that aren't advertised.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Whether it's a casual chat or a formal meeting, being able to clearly articulate what you bring to the table is crucial. Tailor your message to resonate with the specific needs of the companies you're targeting.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We love seeing passionate candidates who are eager to join our team. Make sure to highlight your experience in new business development and how you can contribute to our exciting projects.
We think you need these skills to ace Business Development Manager, AfricaTech in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Business Development Manager role. Highlight your experience in new business sponsorship and showcase how you've successfully closed high-value deals in the past.
Show Off Your Sales Skills: We want to see your sales prowess! Use specific examples to demonstrate your ability to identify and win new business. Talk about your strategies for prospecting and how you’ve built strong pipelines in previous roles.
Be Proactive and Energetic: This role is all about being a go-getter! Convey your proactive nature in your application. Share instances where you took the initiative to create opportunities or drive results in a high-energy environment.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity at Informa Festivals.
How to prepare for a job interview at Informa Festivals
✨Know Your Numbers
As a Business Development Manager, you'll need to demonstrate your ability to close high-value deals. Brush up on your past sales figures and be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've successfully won new business in competitive environments.
✨Research the Company and Its Events
Familiarise yourself with Informa Festivals and their key events like Africa Tech Festival. Understanding their audience and the value they bring will help you articulate how you can contribute to their goals during the interview.
✨Prepare Your Outbound Strategy
Since this role involves building outbound strategies, think about how you would approach potential enterprise technology accounts. Be prepared to share your ideas on targeting and winning new sponsorship and exhibition partners.
✨Showcase Your Resilience and Proactivity
In this high-energy role, it's crucial to convey your proactive nature. Share stories that highlight your resilience in overcoming challenges and your ability to create momentum in sales processes, especially when opening doors with senior decision-makers.