Head of Sales & Business Development - Sports & Entertainment

ASSA ABLOY•Woodbridge Township, NJ

11d

About The Position

The Enterprise Sales Manager – Sports & Entertainment is responsible for driving revenue growth and rebuilding SKIDATA’s market position in the US Sports & Entertainment segment. The role focuses on acquiring new customers, re-engaging existing and former customers, and expanding the installed base through upselling and modernization initiatives. The position requires hands-on enterprise selling, ownership of complex sales opportunities, and the ability to navigate multi-stakeholder buying centers in stadiums, arenas, and large venues. This is a quota-carrying sales role with end-to-end responsibility from opportunity identification through contract closure.

Requirements

Proven record of closing complex B2B deals with long sales cycles.
Strong understanding of venue operations and event environments.
Experience working with multiple stakeholders and decision markers.
Strong commercial, negotiation, and closing skills.
Results-driven and execution-focused.
Strong customer orientation and communication skills.
Structured, analytical, and reliable working style.
High level of ownership and accountability.
Ability to work in a matrix and international organization.
Comfortable operating in a rebuilding and changing environment.
Organizational skills.
Target and performance orientation.
Confident and proactive, excellent liaison skills.
Team oriented combined with distinct assertiveness.
Social networking and lobbying.
Interpersonal skills.
Ability to interface with clients at all levels of seniority.
Ability to work within a multicultural environment.
High flexibility.
Ability to work under pressure and in fast-paced environment.
Economic and technical background.
Minimum 8 years of enterprise sales experience in Sports, Entertainment, Venues, or related technology markets.
Valid Driver's License, in state of residence.
Fluent in English, additional languages (e.g., Spanish/German) are a plus.
Domestic travel to sites required (approximately 50-70% of the time).

Responsibilities

Acquiring new customers in the US Sports & Entertainment market.
Own and manage enterprise sales opportunities from first contact to contract signature.
Carry and deliver against a defined revenue quota.
Re-engage existing customers and execute round-trip and win-back strategies.
Identify and realize upselling and cross-selling opportunities within the installed base.
Position SKIDATA solutions across Access Control Parking, Accreditation, Physical Credentials, and related services.
Understand customer needs based on venue operations, event processes, and access ecosystems.
Navigate complex buying centers (Operations, IT, Finance, Ownership) and manage stakeholder alignment.
Support strategic or high-priority projects requiring coordinated HQ involvement.
Prepare customer presentations, proposals, and commercial offers in alignment with internal stakeholders.
Contribute to solution definition and positioning together with HQ and product teams.
Represent SKIDATA at relevant industry events, conferences, and customer meetings.
Support select marketing and positioning activities where direct sales involvement is required.
Maintain accurate opportunity and account information in CRM.
Follow SKIDATA reporting, forecasting, and budgeting processes.
Provide market, customer, and competitor feedback to management and HQ