VP Business Development
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 13, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 21, 2026.
About Us
Sparks is a leading global brand experience agency, specializing in the design and execution of award-winning experiences that forge deep connections between brands and audiences. Recognized by Adweek as Experiential Agency of the Year, we bring a unique blend of strategic insight and execution excellence to every brand activation, corporate event, trade show exhibit, and immersive experience. Our commitment to creativity, innovation, and flawless execution drives us to craft impactful experiential marketing solutions that deepen relationships, inspire action, and build trust-all around the world.
Summary
Sparks is hiring a VP, Business Development - Exhibits to lead a team of Account Directors and Business Developers selling and managing experiential exhibit programs for major brands. This leader sets team goals, manages performance, and drives sales, retention, and profit targets across an assigned client portfolio - while also acting as a lead on strategic accounts and overseeing team budgets, pipeline, and proposal standards.
This position will support our Account Direction team. It is eligible to work a hybrid schedule, generally requiring work in-office and/or show-site 2-3 days per week. The ideal candidate will be located in Dallas, TX; however, we are open to considering qualified candidates located outside of this market.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Leadership
- Lead the team's pursuit and management of profitable exhibit revenue opportunities
- Set and execute short- and long-term sales strategy for the exhibits portfolio
- Serve as lead on major/strategic accounts, partnering directly with clients
- Run regular sales and pipeline-review meetings
- Collaborate consistently with creative, fabrication, and operations leadership
Business Development
- Grow pipeline through net-new logos and expansion within the exhibit portfolio
- Identify cross-sell opportunities across Sparks' broader portfolio (events, activations, retail)
- Build account/territory growth strategies with Account Directors and Business Developers
- Review proposals to confirm pricing aligns with scope and margin targets
- Secure multi-year exhibit programs
- Track competitive landscape and market trends in experiential/trade show exhibits
Client & Account Management
- Maintain strong senior-level client relationships supporting growth and renewal
- Align client solutions to objectives, budget, and brand with Creative, Strategy, and Fabrication
- Ensure smooth sale-to-delivery transitions and client satisfaction
- Support major proposals, pricing strategy, and client presentations
Budget
- Set and meet sales/profit goals for the exhibit portfolio
- Maintain accurate account-level budgets
- Manage team operating budget
Talent Management
- Manage, coach, and develop Account Directors and Business Developers
- Set and track individual revenue, retention, and profit goals
- Deliver training on portfolio knowledge, sales technique, and account management
- Oversee account assignment, workload balance, and succession planning
Analytics
- Maintain Salesforce data integrity across the team
- Report monthly on pipeline, new business, renewals, and at-risk accounts
- Report on program execution and financials (budgets, job costs, margin)
Other
- Represent Sparks at industry events (national/local); participate in industry orgs
- Other duties as assigned
Education & Experience
- Bachelor's degree (B.A.) from a four-year college or university.
- 10+ years related sales/account management experience, incl. 5+ years in sales leadership
- Track record leading a team to $15M+ in profitable revenue
- Experience selling/managing experiential exhibit, trade show, or large-market event programs
- Salesforce proficiency required
- Strong Microsoft Office skills
- Strong customer service, coaching, and organizational skills
- Willingness to travel
Travel Requirements
Travel up to 25%
What We Offer
The Freeman Company provides benefits that aim to empower our people and their families to thrive mentally, physically, and financially. These are a handful of the types of programs and benefits our full-time people may be eligible for. There may be some variances in specific benefits across regions.
- Medical, Dental, Vision Insurance
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Paid Parental Leave
- Life, Accident and Disability
- Retirement with Company Match
- Paid Time Off
Diversity Commitment
At The Freeman Company, our commitment to diversity and inclusion is helping us to create not only a great place to work, but also an environment where our employees, our customers and our communities around the world can reach their goals and connect with each other. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status and other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.