Sales Manager - Food and Beverage - London

Olympia Events is more than an exhibition venue, conference centre and live-event space - it is an inspiration. Against a backdrop of grand Victorian architecture, the seven connected spaces inspire engagement and enjoyment. Olympia Events is recognised in the industry for exceptional levels of customer service and support, and our numerous awards are testament to our clients' satisfaction. Beyond the walls of our venue, Olympia is on the ground, working to invest in people, strengthen our communities, and protect the environment. Olympia Events is undergoing a period of change. In 2017, the venue was bought by a consortium led by Yoo Capital and Deutsche Finance international. Work is currently underway to transform the wider estate into a cultural hub of which Olympia Events will be the central part. Once complete, the estate will include a new theatre, music venue, two hotels, over 30 eateries, world-class office space and over two acres of public realm.

About the role

The Sales Manager - F&B is the commercial lead responsible for delivering Olympia's C&E food and beverage revenue strategy, driving growth from £1.1m to £7m over the next three years. This role leads the end-to-end food and beverage commercial lifecycle - from market positioning and proposition design through to pipeline generation, contracting, forecasting, and key account management. The postholder will design and embed a high-performance sales culture, establish efficient processes and systems, and create a scalable sales engine that aligns with Olympia's redevelopment programme and F&B in-house mobilisation. Operating at strategic and operational levels, the Sales Manager - F&B will collaborate closely with Commercial, F&B Operations, Culinary, Marketing, Finance, Venue Sales, and senior leadership to ensure Olympia's food and beverage products are competitive, profitable, and flawlessly delivered. This role will act as Olympia's ambassador to corporate clients, agencies, booking partners, promoters, and industry networks - positioning the venue as a premier destination for conferences, exhibitions, and premium hospitality.

Key responsibilities

• Expert in pricing, margin structures, and revenue protection; translates market trends into actionable strategies aligned with organizational goals.
• Builds high-performance sales environments; skilled in negotiation, pipeline discipline, and closing high-value, long-term partnerships.
• Develops senior-level internal and external relationships; confidently engages corporates, agencies, suppliers, and promoters.
• Uses CRM and analytics to drive priorities; leads with evidence, KPIs, and strong written and presentation skills for board-level stakeholders.
• Thrives under aggressive targets and transformational change while maintaining quality and focus.

Person specification

• Proven track record of delivering multi-million-pound C&E revenue growth in venues, stadia, exhibitions, live events, or hospitality sectors.
• Experience leading high-performing sales teams and embedding a structured, proactive sales culture.
• Demonstrable success in building and converting complex pipelines, targeting multiple market segments.
• Strong background in food and beverage-led sales, including DDR packages, bespoke hospitality, and premium catering.
• Skilled in implementing CRM/event management systems, sales processes, contracting workflows, and forecasting tools.
• Experience collaborating with commercial, operational, culinary, finance, and marketing teams to create profitable propositions.
• Comfort leading in a mobilisation or transformation environment, ideally involving insourcing or systems rollout.
• Established network with agencies, corporates, event planners, and promoters (desirable but not essential).

Skills & Capabilities

• Exceptional commercial acumen with the ability to analyse data, drive insight-led decisions, and maximise yield.
• Strong leadership and coaching capabilities with a natural ability to build high-performing teams.
• Advanced negotiation and influencing skills; able to close high-value deals and build long-term partnerships.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with confidence presenting to C-suite and board-level audiences.
• Highly organised, disciplined, and able to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Strong understanding of brand positioning, customer experience, and product storytelling.
• Competent in budgeting, forecasting, P&L understanding, and sales performance reporting.
• Comfortable operating autonomously and making commercially sound recommendations.

Attributes

• Ambitious, resilient, and target-driven with a growth mindset.
• Customer-obsessed, service-oriented, and passionate about creating memorable experiences.
• Calm under pressure and able to work confidently through ambiguity.
• Collaborative, diplomatic, and comfortable influencing across multiple stakeholders.
• High integrity with a professional, credible presence.

Sustainability Responsibilities:

• Continuously improve your knowledge of Olympia Events' sustainability programme - the 'Grand Plan'.
• Complete all training provided and promote sustainability practices to meet our Grand Plan objectives.
• Follow and promote all sustainable workplace policies and procedures and seek ways to make your department more sustainable by taking an active role to initiate change.

Olympia Events is fully committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all children, young people and adults at risk (vulnerable groups) that attend our premises. As a consequence, Olympia Events may require any successful applicant to complete a DBS Check prior to working in our business. Olympia Events is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and expects all its people to have a positive commitment to EDI by treating others fairly and not committing any form of discrimination, victimisation or harassment and to promote positive working relationships amongst employees and stakeholders.