Director, Retention Sales - Black Hat

Company Description

Informa Festivals marks an exciting new chapter in B2B events, bringing some of the world's most influential creative, technology and business festivals together. We’re combining prestigious events like Cannes Lions, Black Hat, Money20/20, GDC, and London Tech Week with cutting-edge marketing intelligence platforms and advisory services to deliver unmissable experiences and insights.

Our festival-led approach reimagines traditional B2B events, creating powerful, immersive experiences that drive innovation and industry advancement. Building on decades of expertise and powered by Informa's international reach, we're shaping the next generation of business festivals.

Job Description

This role is based in our 605 Third Avenue, NY office.

Maximize customer lifetime value and drive sustainable growth through exceptional team leadership and strategic retention excellence.

Are you a proven sales leader who excels at building high-performing teams while driving customer retention and expansion revenue? Informa Festivals is seeking a strategic Director of Retention Sales to lead our customer success initiatives across our industry-leading Cybersecurity portfolio, featuring premier brands such as Black Hat and SecTor.

In this critical leadership role, you'll focus exclusively on team development and retention strategy without managing individual accounts. You'll lead a team of accomplished Sales Managers while developing comprehensive retention frameworks that maximize customer lifetime value. The ideal candidate combines exceptional people leadership with deep expertise in customer success, renewal optimization, and revenue expansion strategies.

Responsibilities:

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and mentor a team of experienced Sales Managers specializing in customer retention, renewals, and expansion
• Create a customer-centric culture that prioritizes long-term relationships and sustainable growth
• Coach team members on advanced retention techniques, upselling strategies, and customer success methodologies
• Collaborate with Sales Managers to create compelling renewal and expansion proposals
• Develop upselling and cross-selling strategies that drive organic revenue growth from existing customers

Retention Strategy & Revenue Optimization

• Drive team performance to consistently exceed retention rates, and revenue goals
• Develop comprehensive strategies that maximize customer lifetime value and reduce churn
• Analyze customer data and metrics to identify at-risk accounts and expansion opportunities
• Create data-driven retention playbooks that guide team approach to different customer segments and scenarios

Strategic Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Maintain deep understanding of cybersecurity industry trends and evolving customer needs
• Deliver accurate forecasting for renewal revenue, retention rates, and expansion opportunities
• Partner cross-functionally with marketing, product, and customer success teams to enhance retention outcomes
• Represent customer voice in strategic planning and product development discussions

Qualifications

Essential Experience

• 7+ years of B2B sales leadership with direct team management responsibility
• Proven track record of building and leading high-performing sales teams
• Deep expertise in customer lifecycle management, churn prevention, and expansion strategies
• Experience in B2B sales with complex, multi-year customer relationships ($50K+ annual contracts)
• Background in events, media, technology, or professional services industries preferred

Leadership & Strategic Capabilities

• Exceptional people management skills with ability to develop and retain top talent
• Strategic thinking focused on long-term customer value and sustainable growth
• Data-driven approach to retention analysis, forecasting, and performance optimization
• Cross-functional collaboration expertise to work effectively across organizations
• Customer-centric mindset with deep understanding of customer success principles

Personal Attributes

• Relationship-focused approach with genuine passion for customer success
• Analytical mindset with ability to identify patterns and optimize retention strategies
• Collaborative leadership style that builds trust and drives team performance
• Integrity and professionalism that builds long-term customer and team loyalty

Additional Information

We believe that great things happen when people connect face-to-face. That's