Business Development Director, North America

GainingEdge is looking for an experienced, well-connected business development professional to represent a European destination across the United States and Canada.

In this role, you will build relationships with meeting and event decision-makers in North America and win business for the destination, from international association conferences to corporate meetings and events. You will work closely with the destination’s stakeholders. Much of your focus will be the North American outbound market: the people who organise or influence meetings held outside North America, particularly in Europe.

This is a remote, contract-based role, open to candidates based in the United States or Canada, with regular travel.

What you’ll do

Business development and sales

• Identify and pursue opportunities for international association conferences, corporate meetings and events
• Build and maintain relationships with association executives, corporate meeting planners, PCOs, AMCs, event management companies and agencies
• Run targeted sales calls, client meetings and destination presentations, virtually and in person
• Build and manage a pipeline of qualified opportunities, with consistent follow-up

Lead generation and market intelligence

• Identify North America-based associations and corporations that organise internationally rotating events
• Research, qualify and cultivate leads using industry databases, professional networks and direct outreach

Industry engagement

• Represent the destination at selected trade shows, conferences, client-supplier workshops and networking events
• Support sales missions, roadshows, client events and familiarisation trips

Reporting

• Keep CRM records of client interactions, leads and opportunities up to date
• Report regularly on activity, pipeline and progress against agreed objectives

What you’ll bring

• A track record in sales and business development in the meetings and events industry, ideally with a convention bureau, destination marketing organisation or convention and exhibition centre
• A strong network among North American association executives, corporate meeting planners, event management companies and agencies, especially those organising international meetings
• A solid understanding of the North American outbound meetings market and how international destinations are selected
• Hands-on experience researching, qualifying and cultivating leads
• Experience representing a destination or venue at trade shows, client-supplier workshops and networking events

About GainingEdge

GainingEdge is a consulting and representation firm that works only in the business events sector. Since 2004, we have advised destinations, convention bureaus, destination marketing organisations, convention and exhibition centres and associations in more than 40 countries.

We are headquartered in Melbourne, with permanent representation in Belgrade, Copenhagen, Dubai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, London, Miami and Paris. Our network of more than 30 senior industry experts has held leadership roles at destinations, venues and associations around the world.