Head of Awards / Executive Director Awards (m/f/d)

Moving business by design – that is our mission. The German Design Council is the authoritative body for design in Germany. Since 1953, we have been bringing together business and design and making the transformative power of design visible for companies and society.

Our international awards are among the central activities of the German Design Council. With the German Design Award, the German Brand Award, the German Innovation Award, and the ICONIC AWARDS, we create platforms for outstanding design, brand management, innovation, and architecture.

For the next phase of development of our awards business, we are looking for a leader who will take entrepreneurial responsibility, develop the business, and win people over for common goals.

Responsibilities

– You will have overall responsibility for the Awards business unit – including revenue, profit, budget, and resources.

– Together with the CEO, you will further develop the strategic and economic direction of our awards portfolio and translate it into clear goals and priorities.

– You will be responsible for sales, business development, and sales management, further develop existing customer relationships, and tap into new market potentials. You will personally look after strategic key accounts and selected new business opportunities.

– You will further develop our awards portfolio, our business models, and our pricing, combining market and customer perspectives with the further development of our brands.

– Together with the responsible experts, you will ensure the quality, credibility, and international reputation of our awards.

– You will lead and develop a department of around 13 employees. Together with the responsible experts for our award formats, you will create clear responsibilities, decision-making paths, and results orientation.

– Together with the team, you will ensure the professional and economic overall implementation of our awards – from market development and submission to jury processes and award ceremonies.

– You will work closely with Communications & Marketing, Digital Strategy & Transformation, and other departments of the German Design Council. You will also coordinate market and sales development in our core Asian markets with our team in Shanghai and Singapore.

You will report directly to the CEO and be a member of the management team.

Qualifications

– You have already successfully developed and managed a business unit, an economically responsible portfolio, or a comparable entity.

– You have solid experience in sales and business development and can demonstrate how you have concretely influenced revenue, profit, and business development.

– You have experience in the demanding B2B business and in building and further developing strategic key accounts.

– You think in terms of products, portfolios, and business models, recognize market opportunities, and can develop concrete business opportunities from them.

– You lead clearly and decisively, develop people, and consciously delegate responsibility.

– You reliably use budgets, forecasts, and KPIs for economic management and combine strategic thinking with pragmatic implementation.

– You communicate and negotiate confidently in German and English and present yourself confidently to companies, partners, and international stakeholders.

– You are willing to travel nationally and internationally as needed. Experience in the field of design, architecture, brand, or innovation is welcome, but not a prerequisite.

Benefits

You will take on a key role in an organization that has been connecting design with business, culture, and society for over 70 years. You can expect internationally established award brands, a strong corporate and design network, and ample scope for shaping the strategic and economic development of the business. In addition, there are flexible working arrangements, company pension plan, and a central workplace in the Frankfurter Messeturm.

Would you like to entrepreneurially develop one of our key business areas? Then we look forward to receiving your application, including information about your availability.

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