Sales Manager

About Koelncongress GmbH

Koelncongress GmbH, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Koelnmesse GmbH, is a full-service provider overseeing four key business areas: guest trade fairs, conferences and congresses, corporate events, and social gatherings. Each year, up to 30 guest trade fairs take place on the Koelnmesse exhibition grounds, alongside approximately 2,000 additional events attracting over 1 million visitors to prestigious venues like the Gürzenich, Tanzbrunnen Köln, Rheinterrassen, and Flora Köln.

We are seeking a dedicated Sales Manager to join our Koelncongress Sales Team. This full-time position, available as soon as possible and limited until May 31, 2028, is based at our Cologne location, offering up to 50% mobile work.

Your Role as Sales Manager

You will be responsible for project-related tasks within the Koelncongress Sales Unit, focusing on the marketing and sales of the exhibition grounds, including the "Confex" building, and all Koelncongress event locations such as the Tanzbrunnen or Flora.

• Identify, qualify, and target potential new clients in the national and international congress and conference segment, with a special focus on associations and their events.
• Conduct market and trend analyses, alongside competitive observation.
• Generate leads using both analog and digital communication channels.
• Create compelling sales presentations and prepare bid books.
• Further develop existing service and offering portfolios.
• Act as the first point of contact for customer inquiries and process them efficiently.
• Draft contracts, monitor budgets, and maintain sales-relevant information within the CRM system.

What You Bring to the Team

• A successfully completed university degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communication, or a completed commercial apprenticeship, ideally within the event industry, coupled with relevant professional experience.
• Strong acquisition skills and several years of experience in sales for an event location, agency, or hotel.
• Excellent networking abilities and profound knowledge of the global MICE market (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, Events), particularly in the areas of conferences, congresses, and association events.
• Pronounced communication skills, enthusiasm for consulting, sales, and digital sales topics.
• Very strong analytical and conceptual abilities.
• Fluent in German and English, both spoken and written.
• Excellent MS Office skills (especially PowerPoint), including the willingness to undertake administrative tasks.

What We Offer

• 30 days of annual leave.
• Flexible mobile working arrangements (up to 50%).
• A collaborative company culture.
• Comprehensive social benefits (e.g., company pension scheme, capital-forming benefits).
• Support for work-life balance (e.g., attractive flextime model).
• Modern IT equipment (e.g., Surfaces).
• Company health management (e.g., sports courses).
• Free employee parking.
• Company restaurant with outdoor area.
• And much more.

If we've sparked your interest, we look forward to getting to know you!

Key skills/competency

• Sales
• Event Marketing
• MICE Market
• Lead Generation
• Client Acquisition
• Market Analysis
• CRM Systems
• Contract Management
• Business Development
• Presentation Skills