Marketing And Business Development Manager at inABLE

About the Role 

inABLE seeks a commercially minded, results-driven Marketing & Business Development Manager to lead the growth of the Inclusive Africa Conference (IAC). Reporting to the Programs Director, you will own IAC’s market presence, audiences, revenue and strategic partnerships across Africa and beyond. 

You will identify and convert commercial opportunities, secure sponsors and exhibitors, open new markets and partnerships, and build sustainable revenue streams, while driving registrations and strengthening the IAC brand year after year. 

What You Will Do 

Conference marketing and continental growth 

• Lead IAC’s annual marketing and audience-growth strategy for delegates, speakers, exhibitors, sponsors, media and partners.
• Build, lead and mentor the IAC marketing and business development team, and manage agencies, consultants and suppliers.
• Manage brand positioning, messaging and campaigns across web, email, social, paid media, PR and partner channels.
• Drive registrations and expand IAC’s reach through targeted campaigns and networks across Africa.
• Oversee the production of accessible campaign, delegate, media, sponsorship and exhibitor materials.
• Coordinate pre-event, on-site and post-event marketing, media relations and partner visibility.
• Use CRM and campaign analytics to track performance, manage audience data and improve return on investment. 

Strategic partnerships and business development 

• Develop and execute IAC’s business development strategy, revenue plan and annual sales targets.
• Identify new markets, customer segments and commercial opportunities for delegates, sponsors, exhibitors and partners.
• Build and convert a qualified pipeline across corporate, government, development and philanthropic sectors.
• Secure sponsorship, exhibitor, delegate, co-funding and in-kind revenue against agreed targets.
• Develop commercial packages, proposals, pitch decks and activation plans; lead negotiations and close deals.
• Manage accounts from prospecting and contracting through delivery, reporting, renewal and upselling.
• Maintain CRM records, sales forecasts, conversion data and revenue reports to inform management and board decisions.
• Represent IAC and inABLE at regional and global forums, building relationships with governments, multilaterals, corporates and funders. 

What We Are Looking For 

• 8–10 years’ experience in marketing, sponsorship sales, partnerships or event commercialisation, including at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Proven success building pipelines, meeting revenue targets and closing high-value sponsorship or partnership deals.
• Experience developing new markets, commercial offers and long-term corporate or institutional accounts.
• Strong commercial judgement and excellent prospecting, proposal writing, presentation, negotiation and closing skills.
• Proven ability to lead teams and manage concurrent sales, campaigns, partnerships, budgets, deadlines and suppliers.
• Master’s degree in business, marketing, communications or a related field; a strong bachelor’s degree with substantial experience may be considered.
• A genuine commitment to disability inclusion and accessible communication. 

A strong plus 

• Experience marketing major conferences, summits or expos.
• Experience expanding a brand or event into African markets.
• Familiarity with CRM and analytics platforms. 

Education 

• A master's degree in marketing, business administration or a related field is preferred. Candidates with a strong bachelor's degree in marketing and substantial relevant experience will also be considered.
• Professional certification in marketing, sales or event management is an advantage
• Training or certification in CRM or digital marketing platforms, such as Salesforce, HubSpot or Google Analytics, is an added advantage. 

What Success Looks Like 

• Annual sponsorship, exhibitor, delegate and partnership revenue targets are met or exceeded.
• A strong, diversified pipeline delivers consistent conversion and forecast accuracy.
• New markets and strategic accounts increase IAC’s African reach and commercial sustainability.
• Sponsors and partners receive the agreed value and renew and expand their support.
• Registration, visibility, engagement and accessibility targets are met.
• IAC grows year on year in reach, reputation and financial sustainability.