Head of Sale, American Furniture & Decorative Arts

Head of Sale, American Furniture & Decorative Arts (Temporary)

The Company

Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, is an incredibly exciting & enriching place to start or continue your career. Whether you work within one of our Specialist Art Departments or in our more Operational focused teams we are all working together with one common goal in mind: to continue the success of this over 250 year old company, steeped in history, bringing constant innovation whilst not forgetting our age old values; Respect, Passionate Expertise, Exceptional Client Service, Teamwork, Integrity, Business Judgement & Innovation. Colleagues across all departments are truly passionate about what they do, and it is constantly inspiring to work with industry leaders across all segments of the business.

Why This Role Matters
The Head of Sale role is a fixed-term parental cover opportunity that is responsible for managing sale process for our online Americana sale, and supporting the Classic Art Cluster with other tasks or sales as needed. Working closely with the Coordinator / Cataloguer, in this position, the Head of Sale manages and oversees the photography, research and cataloguing of property, exhibition, sale production, and provides guidance and mentorship to the sale’s support team. This role requires knowledge of client relationship management and working knowledge across the category, the relevant markets for the category, as well as the process related to project management and producing a sale.

How You’ll Make an Impact

• Work with the Coordinator/Cataloguer to orchestrate sale.

• Business-get and proactively drive the sale pipeline.

• Follow existing processes and deal approval matrix for structuring and negotiating consignment deals.

• Review incoming photo inquiries to determine sale potential, partnering with other specialists and consultants on expertise, pricing, cataloguing, research, client relationships and standards of client service.

• Provide pricing and sale venue recommendations.

• Identify proactive sourcing initiatives and drive proposals for property for upcoming sale.

• Participate in departmental hilling sessions to determine value, condition, and marketability of property.

• Manage the preparation of all lot descriptions and essays for the sale.

• Oversee pre-sale exhibition set-up effectively leading department members and Operations teams.

• Participate in targeted marketing efforts and work with buyers prior to and during sale week to pre-sell the sale.

• Liaise with the Trusts Estates & Appraisals department, working on appraisals as a means of generating business opportunities and reconnecting with clients.

• Support adjacent teams as needed.

• Other duties as determined by Management team.

What You’ll Bring to the Team

• Demonstrated ability in appraising property, sale composition, and business-getting.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, including superior written and spoken communication.

• Superior client service skills.

• Effective process management and team leadership.

• The candidate will need to thrive in a collaborative and matrixed organization and have proven experience working inter-departmentally.

• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines and thrive in a fast-paced environment.

Christie’s, Inc. is committed to principles of equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, Christie’s Inc. ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status or liability status for service in the United States Armed Forces.