Partnerships & Commercial Sales Manager
About a21 UK
a21 UK incorporates the IWSC (International Wine & Spirit Competition), drinks title Club Oenologique and a growing culinary event portfolio.
Since 1969, the IWSC has set the global benchmark for quality wine, spirits and other drinks categories. The competition evaluates more than 11,000 entries annually from more than 90 countries and stands out for its expert judging and international recognition, as well as its prestigious awards events. Club Oenologique is the digital content arm of the IWSC, providing expert-led recommendations and insights into drinks, food and travel through the lens of wine and spirits. a21 is also set to launch the London edition of the established US-based Heritage Fire culinary event series in 2026.
a21 UK is part of US-based experiential marketing agency a21, which specialises in event operations, production, corporate sales and brand activations for live experiences. It plans to expand further in the UK, Europe and beyond. Find out more about a21 here.
The role
We are looking for a commercially driven, ambitious Partnerships & Commercial Sales Manager to help grow revenues across the a21 UK business. This is a hands-on role focused on sponsorship sales, IWSC competition entries, event partnerships and digital advertising opportunities across our events and media portfolio.
Core criteria
- Minimum five years’ experience in client-facing sales roles, ideally within the food/drinks/FMCG sectors
- Proven expertise in developing commercial partnerships and driving successful sponsorship sales
- Event or media sales experience preferred
- Experience managing or mentoring small teams
- Existing network within drinks, hospitality, luxury or FMCG sectors highly desirable
- Passion for the food and drinks sector
- Strong written and interpersonal communication skills
- A hungry work ethic and thirst for growth
- Secondary language(s) desirable
Key responsibilities
- Lead on sponsorship sales for IWSC Awards event and IWSC National Drinks Retail Awards
- Lead on partnership development for a21 UK’s growing culinary event portfolio (to be announced)
- Drive wine and spirits entries into the IWSC competition; owning a defined portfolio of clients and prospects, with accountability for revenue growth and relationship development
- Oversee and motivate a small but passionate sales team (x 3), helping devise and implement sales strategy
- Manage two direct reports in sales team nurturing their professional development
- Track and report on pipeline activity using CRM tools, helping drive strategic commercial decisions
- Collaborate with marketing and events teams to ensure clients get maximum value and exposure
- Increase IWSC’s brand awareness amongst the international drinks community and maximise commercial benefits
- Identify market trends and shifts and adapt a21 commercial offering accordingly while being fully aware of competitors
What we offer
- Wine & spirits education: We provide full support to complete WSET qualifications and offer access to in-house tastings and category-specific drinks education. Whether you’re a beginner or looking to deepen your expertise, we’ll help you grow.
- Competitive base salary, plus uncapped commission across sponsorships, partnerships, competition entries and media sales
- Performance-based bonus incentives
- 25 days’ holiday + Bank Holidays
- Private health insurance
Location: Office-based in the City of London, with some opportunities to travel internationally
To apply: Please send your CV and a covering email, including your salary expectations, to [email protected]
The closing date for this vacancy is Friday 5th June 2026.