Special Event Sales Manager Jobs in Decatur, GA (NOW HIRING)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Sales Manager serves as one of the VP of Member Communications, Sales, & Strategy's primary operational partners — owning the day-to-day leadership, development, and performance accountability of a 10–12 person sales team within the MC Division. This is a hands-on leadership role requiring a credible, experienced manager who can earn the trust of a tenured team, lead the team through change, and close the division's most critical performance gaps: programmatic revenue growth, digital revenue expansion beyond programmatic, managed events revenue, pipeline discipline, and CRM hygiene.

The Sales Manager works closely with Portfolio Performance Managers (PPMs) to align strategy with execution, and serves as the connective tissue between field activity and revenue results. Two Sales Manager positions report to the VP, each owning a distinct team segment within the broader MC sales organization.

PRIORITY FOCUS AREAS

The following represent the division's most critical near-term challenges. The Sales Manager is expected to drive measurable improvement in each within the first 90–180 days.

1. Programmatic Revenue Growth

• Develop and execute a focused strategy to increase programmatic sales across the team's territory base.
• Identify skill gaps and create targeted training and enablement plans to build rep confidence and competency in programmatic selling.
• Partner with PPMs to identify inventory and territory opportunities and ensure reps are actively prospecting in this channel.
• Track programmatic pipeline and closed revenue separately; report progress to VP weekly.

2. Digital Revenue Growth Beyond Programmatic

• Grow the full digital portfolio beyond programmatic — display and eNewsletter advertising, sponsored content, video, retargeting, and emerging digital products — as a distinct, measured revenue priority.
• Build rep fluency in positioning integrated, cross-channel digital packages rather than single-product placements; coach consultative digital selling at the account level.
• Partner with PPMs to identify digital whitespace by portfolio and set territory-level digital revenue targets by product line.
• Track non-programmatic digital revenue and product mix separately; report performance and trends to VP monthly.

3. Managed Events Revenue

• Own the team’s managed events revenue number — sponsorships, exhibits, and advertising tied to Naylor-managed events.
• Build event sales into each rep’s territory plan with clear pre-event pipeline targets and post-event renewal strategies aligned to event calendars.
• Coach reps on selling multi-year sponsorship packages and cross-selling event inventory alongside print and digital.
• Coordinate with PPMs, ASMs, and event teams to align sellable event inventory, pricing, and timelines; report event revenue pacing to VP.

4. Pipeline Management & Forecasting Discipline

• Establish consistent pipeline review cadence and standards across the full team.
• Hold reps accountable to pipeline hygiene standards including stage accuracy, activity logging, and close date integrity.
• Lead weekly pipeline reviews and deliver reliable revenue forecasts to VP for monthly and quarterly business reviews.
• Identify at-risk deals early and intervene with coaching or co-selling support.

5. Salesforce Adoption & CRM Hygiene

• Drive full Salesforce adoption across the team — this is a non-negotiable performance standard, not optional.
• Audit current CRM usage; identify gaps and implement corrective plans by rep.
• Work with operations to establish and enforce clear data entry standards and activity logging expectations.
• Use Salesforce, BIDB, DOMO, and ZoomInfo data to inform coaching decisions and territory strategy.

TEAM LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT

• Lead and manage 10–12 sales professionals across print, digital, programmatic, and event channels — earning trust through consistency, credibility, and results.
• Navigate a tenured team culture with empathy and firmness; understand that change management is as important as sales management in this environment.
• Provide individualized coaching, performance development plans, and regular 1:1s with each rep.
• Set clear annual and quarterly goals; monitor performance and adjust expectations in collaboration with VP.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop new sales talent as the team grows.
• Collaborate directly on large opportunities, complex RFPs, and high-value accounts alongside senior reps.

SALES STRATEGY & EXECUTION

• Partner with VP to build and execute divisional sales strategy aligned with portfolio revenue goals.
• Maximize sellable inventory and territory coverage; identify gaps and whitespace opportunities.
• Support new product rollouts, pricing adjustments, and go-to-market initiatives.
• Represent the sales team in market group meetings, pump-up sessions, and cross-functional leadership forums.
• Travel to other locations for on-site coaching and team engagement as needed.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL COLLABORATION

• Work closely with Portfolio Performance Managers (PPMs) and Association Success Managers (ASMs) to align revenue performance and close execution gaps.
• Partner with Media Coordinator and Ad Ops teams to ensure order accuracy, on-time delivery, and advertiser satisfaction.
• Participate in strategy meetings to address underperformance, territory reassignments, or workflow issues.
• Support PPMs and ASMs in improving SOPs that affect sales productivity and client outcomes.

LEADERSHIP & CULTURE

• Lead with transparency and consistency — this team responds to leaders who follow through and are present.
• Build trust with tenured reps by demonstrating competence, respecting their experience, and being direct about expectations.
• Promote a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaborative problem-solving.
• Serve as a role model for Naylor Core Operating Values and professional integrity.

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• Minimum 7 years of sales management experience, with a demonstrated track record of achieving and exceeding revenue goals.
• Proven experience managing tenured or change-resistant sales teams — ability to lead through influence, not just authority.
• Demonstrated change management experience — proven ability to lead a team through organizational transition, process change, or restructuring.
• Hands-on sales experience across programmatic, print, and the broader digital portfolio (display, eNewsletters, sponsored content, video); ability to coach reps directly in each channel.
• Demonstrated success growing event revenue — sponsorships, exhibits, and event-related advertising — ideally for owned or managed events.
• Strong Salesforce proficiency — experience driving CRM adoption and accountability across a sales team.
• Excellent pipeline management and forecasting skills; data-driven decision maker.
• Strong coaching instincts; able to diagnose individual performance issues and create actionable development plans.
• Excellent verbal, written, and presentation communication skills.

Preferred

• Experience in media, publishing, digital advertising, or association markets.
• Familiarity with DOMO, ZoomInfo, and MediaRadar platforms.
• Experience partnering with operations or enablement functions to drive process improvement.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field (or equivalent experience).

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE — FIRST 90 DAYS

• Has built genuine credibility with the majority of the 10–12-person team.
• Has audited Salesforce usage and presented a 30-60-90 CRM adoption plan.
• Has established a consistent pipeline review cadence and begun enforcing standards.
• Has identified the top 3–5 programmatic opportunities in the territory and begun coaching reps toward them.
• Has assessed digital product mix by territory and set rep-level targets for non-programmatic digital revenue.
• Has mapped the managed events calendar and built a sponsorship and exhibits pipeline plan for the next two quarters.
• Has built a working relationship with each PPM and understands each portfolio's revenue dynamics.

Naylor Association Solutions is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to hiring a diverse workforce.