Sales Manager

Full-time, hybrid (3 days office-based, 2 days wfh)

Twickenham TW1 3QS

The Opportunity

We are looking for an ambitious, resilient and highly commercially driven Sales Manager to play a key role in launching all about automation Detroit – the first US edition of the established European trade show series for industrial automation, robotics and digitalisation.

Taking place on 20–21 October 2027 at Vibe Credit Union Showplace in Novi, Michigan, this is a rare opportunity to join a show at the beginning of its US journey and help build a new event and customer community from the ground up.

all about automation has established a successful format across Europe by bringing technology providers together with automation, engineering and manufacturing professionals in a compact, highly focused trade show environment. Detroit represents the next major step in the brand's international expansion and its first launch into the US market.

This is a new-business-led sales role for someone who thrives on the challenge and opportunity of a launch. You will be responsible for identifying and engaging prospective exhibitors, building a strong pipeline and converting new customers into the founding exhibitor community for Detroit.

You will need a genuine hunter mentality: someone comfortable creating their own opportunities rather than relying on inbound leads, who can research a market, identify decision-makers, pick up the phone, tell a compelling story and confidently close business.

Launching a new event also requires resilience, curiosity and initiative. You will be selling a proposition without the benefit of a previous US edition, so you'll need to be able to articulate why Detroit, why all about automation and why now – using the success and credibility of the established European series while adapting the proposition to the needs of the US automation and manufacturing market.

This is a US-market-facing role, and flexibility around working hours is an essential requirement. The successful candidate must be willing and able to regularly work hours that align with customers and prospects in the United States. This will include working approximately 11am–7pm or 12pm–8pm on two to three days per week, with additional flexibility where required to maximise customer contact across US time zones.

The successful candidate must also be willing and able to travel to the United States as required by the business. This will include travel for the Detroit event itself and may include customer meetings, industry events, competitor shows, networking opportunities and other activity that supports the successful launch and growth of the event.

For someone excited by building something new, this is an opportunity to have a visible impact on the creation of a new international event and establish yourself within one of the world's most important manufacturing and automation markets.

Key Responsibilities

New Business Development & Prospecting

• Take ownership of building and converting a substantial new-business pipeline for the launch of all about automation Detroit.
• Identify, research and engage prospective exhibitors across the industrial automation, robotics, engineering, digitalisation and advanced manufacturing markets.
• Proactively generate your own leads through outbound calling, email, LinkedIn, market research, referrals, competitive events and industry networking.
• Map the US automation ecosystem and identify manufacturers, technology providers, systems integrators, distributors, software businesses and service providers that should be represented at the event.
• Identify relevant decision-makers and develop relationships across multiple stakeholders within target organisations.
• Maintain a consistently high level of outbound sales activity and prospect engagement.
• Manage prospects through the complete sales cycle, from initial contact and qualification through proposal, negotiation and close.
• Build urgency around participation in the inaugural Detroit edition and convert prospects into founding exhibitors.
• Consistently work towards and exceed individual revenue, exhibitor and activity targets.

Launch Sales & Market Development

• Become an expert in the all about automation proposition and confidently communicate the rationale behind bringing the established European format to the US.
• Develop a compelling sales story around the Detroit launch, clearly articulating the commercial opportunity for exhibitors and the value of joining the event from its first edition.
• Use the track record, exhibitor community and success of the European all about automation portfolio to build credibility with US prospects.
• Understand the characteristics of the Detroit and wider Midwest manufacturing market and translate these into persuasive commercial conversations.
• Develop knowledge of the automotive, machinery, plastics, electronics, robotics and advanced manufacturing sectors that make Michigan and the Midwest an important market for industrial automation.
• Gather market intelligence from customers and prospects and feed this back into the wider event strategy.
• Identify potential barriers to participation and work creatively with the wider team to overcome them.
• Help establish all about automation as a credible new meeting place for the US automation and manufacturing community.

Pipeline Management & Commercial Performance

• Take full ownership of your sales pipeline, ensuring sufficient volume and quality of opportunities to achieve revenue targets.
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date CRM records, including prospect activity, next actions, opportunity values and expected close dates.
• Forecast revenue accurately and proactively identify gaps against target.
• Prioritise opportunities effectively and maintain momentum across a high volume of prospects.
• Use data and conversion metrics to understand performance and continuously improve sales activity.
• Negotiate confidently and commercially while protecting the value of the event proposition.
• Work independently and use initiative to identify new routes to market and opportunities for growth.

US Market Engagement, Travel & Industry Networking

• Regularly work US-aligned hours to ensure effective contact with prospects, customers and partners across relevant US time zones.
• Be willing and able to travel to the United States as required, potentially several times during the sales cycle and particularly around key industry events and the show itself.
• Attend relevant US automation, robotics, engineering and manufacturing trade shows and industry events to identify prospects and build relationships.
• Proactively approach and pitch prospective exhibitors face-to-face at competitive and complementary events.
• Travel for customer meetings, networking opportunities and other commercial activity where face-to-face engagement will help accelerate sales.
• Represent all about automation professionally and confidently as an ambassador for the brand in the US market.
• Build a strong personal network within the US industrial automation and manufacturing community.
• Attend and play an active commercial role onsite at the launch of all about automation Detroit.
• Where appropriate, visit established all about automation events in Europe to deepen product knowledge, meet existing exhibitors and understand the event experience first-hand.

Collaboration & Launch Delivery

• Work closely with the wider all about automation and Easyfairs teams to deliver a successful US launch.
• Collaborate with marketing to identify target audiences, develop campaigns and generate high-quality sales opportunities.
• Share customer feedback and market intelligence to help shape messaging, positioning and future growth strategy.
• Work with operations and customer success teams to ensure a smooth exhibitor journey from sale through to event delivery.
• Build strong working relationships with colleagues across international Easyfairs teams, sharing best practice and learning from established all about automation markets.
• Take personal ownership for the success of the launch and contribute beyond the immediate sales remit when required.

What Success Looks Like

• Building a strong, sustainable new-business pipeline within the US industrial automation market.
• Consistently achieving or exceeding revenue and exhibitor acquisition targets.
• Securing a high-quality founding exhibitor base for the inaugural Detroit event.
• Converting cold prospects into engaged customers and advocates for all about automation.
• Developing strong relationships with key companies and decision-makers across the US automation ecosystem.
• Becoming highly knowledgeable about the Detroit/Midwest manufacturing market and the wider US industrial automation landscape.
• Maintaining disciplined pipeline management, accurate forecasting and strong sales activity levels.
• Becoming a recognised and trusted face for all about automation within the market.
• Contributing directly to a successful first edition and creating a strong commercial foundation for the event's future growth.

Essential Criteria

• 3–4+ years' experience in B2B sales, with a demonstrable track record of developing pipeline and securing new business.
• Proven experience of proactive outbound prospecting and generating your own sales opportunities rather than relying primarily on inbound leads.
• A strong "hunter" mentality and evidence of successfully opening doors with new customers.
• Demonstrable track record of achieving or exceeding individual revenue targets.
• Experience managing a complete sales cycle from initial prospecting and qualification through to negotiation and close.
• Strong pipeline management skills with the discipline to maintain accurate CRM records and forecasts.
• Highly self-motivated and able to work independently, use initiative and take ownership of commercial results.
• Resilient and comfortable working in an environment where persistence, experimentation and repeated prospecting are essential to success.
• Strong communication, presentation, influencing and negotiation skills.
• Confident speaking to senior decision-makers and able to adapt your approach to different customer types and levels of seniority.
• Able to understand a market quickly and translate customer needs into a persuasive commercial proposition.
• Comfortable pitching and prospecting face-to-face at trade shows, conferences and other industry events.
• Willing and able to regularly work US-aligned hours, including approximately 11am–7pm or 12pm–8pm on two to three days per week, with additional flexibility when required.
• Willing and able to travel to the United States as required for customer meetings, industry and competitor events, networking and the delivery of all about automation Detroit.
• Comfortable with international travel and spending periods away from home where required by the role.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced, KPI and target-driven commercial environment.

Preferred Criteria

• Previous experience working on the launch of a trade show, conference, exhibition or other B2B commercial product.
• Experience selling exhibition space, sponsorship, conferences, media, advertising or other B2B solutions.
• Experience selling into the US market or managing North American customers and prospects.
• Existing knowledge of industrial automation, robotics, manufacturing, engineering, industrial technology or related markets.
• Experience selling to manufacturers, technology providers, systems integrators, distributors or engineering businesses.
• An established network within the automation, robotics or advanced manufacturing sectors would be advantageous.
• Experience attending competitor events specifically to prospect, network and develop new business.
• Strong storytelling skills and the ability to sell the rationale and vision behind a launch rather than relying solely on an established product history.
• A mature, consultative sales style combined with the tenacity and pace required for high-volume new-business development.
• Experience working with international teams or across multiple markets.
• Strong CRM and sales reporting experience.

Candidates without direct events-industry experience should still be considered where they can demonstrate exceptional new-business development skills, strong outbound prospecting experience and the ability to sell complex B2B solutions into technical or professional markets. Relevant backgrounds could include industrial technology, SaaS, recruitment, media, business intelligence or other consultative B2B sales environments.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary plus an industry-leading commission structure.
• The opportunity to play a central role in launching an established European event brand into the US market.
• International exposure and travel, including regular opportunities to engage with customers and the market in the United States.
• The chance to build a new customer community and market from the ground up.
• Strong onboarding, sales training and access to Easyfairs' learning and development programmes.
• Significant ownership and visibility within an entrepreneurial, fast-moving event business.
• Clear opportunities for progression as all about automation and the wider Easyfairs portfolio continue to grow internationally.
• A collaborative, ambitious team environment where initiative and new ideas are encouraged.

About All About Automation

all about automation is an established exhibition series dedicated to industrial automation, robotics and digitalisation.

The events bring together technology providers with automation users, engineers, manufacturers and decision-makers to discuss practical applications and real industrial projects.

The format is designed to make exhibiting straightforward and effective, with standardised booth packages, a clear exhibition layout and an emphasis on high-quality, direct conversations between exhibitors and industrial users.

Established across multiple European locations, all about automation is now entering its next stage of international development, with its first US edition taking place in Detroit in October 2027.

Detroit sits at the heart of one of America's most important manufacturing regions, with Michigan and the wider Midwest home to major automotive, machinery, plastics, electronics and advanced manufacturing industries. The launch provides an opportunity to bring the proven all about automation concept to a substantial new community of technology providers and industrial users.

About Us

Easyfairs is a global event company based in Europe and the USA. We organise and host more than 200 events across the world (Austria, Algeria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK and USA) and we manage eight venues in Belgium, the Netherlands and Sweden.

Our passion is to bring business communities and communities of interest together. We strive to "easify" the life of our customers and increase the return on their investment of time and money through all-in formulas, advanced technology and a customer-centric approach.

The Easyfairs Group employs over 1000 highly committed talents. Our commitment to excellence has been recognised several times. We were named Belgium's "Entrepreneur of the Year®" in 2018 and Deloitte has named us a "Best Managed Company" seven years running (2019–25). The company is ranked 14th in the Stax list of the world's leading exhibition companies. We are also proud of being on the "Sunday Times Best Place to Work" list in 2025 & 2026!

Benefits

• 🎂 Birthday Day off
• 🏡 Flexible working as well as hybrid working
• 👶 Enhanced family pay (maternity & paternity)
• 🚲 Cycle to work scheme
• 🚂 Interest free travel loans
• 📚 Free online academy to focus on professional development and upskilling
• 🧠 Specialist external performance coach services available to all employees
• 🤝 Employee assistance programme
• 👩‍⚕️ 24/7 access to our virtual GP service
• 🏆 Long service awards
• 💰 Pension as well as offering salary sacrifice
• 👪 Life cover
• 🔒 Group income protection
• 🍾 Fully stocked beer & wine fridge in the office
• 🎉 Regular company socials organised throughout the year

We understand that applicants can be put off applying for a job if they feel they don't fit all of the requirements. If you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills and experience we're looking for, please go ahead and apply!

Here at Easyfairs, we are passionate about the power of fostering a diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for our team to thrive in. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.