ABOUT SOTHEBY'S
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City.
ROLE: Vice President, Procurement
REPORTS TO: Corporate Treasurer
THE ROLE
The VP, Procurement will serve as Sotheby's procurement subject matter expert, responsible for building and leading a scalable global procurement function. This role will establish procurement policies, governance, workflows, and best practices while driving commercial value through strategic sourcing, contract negotiations, and vendor management. Partnering closely with Finance, Legal, Information Security, Technology, Operations, and business leaders across the organization, the successful candidate will bring greater structure, efficiency, and compliance to procurement activities. This is an exceptional opportunity for a hands-on leader to elevate a global procurement function and create lasting value, drive strategic initiatives, and influence decision-making at the highest levels.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Develop and lead Sotheby's global procurement strategy, operating model, governance framework, and best practices.
- Build and implement scalable procurement policies, approval workflows, contract management processes, and supplier governance standards.
- Create and manage a centralized intake process for procurement requests and contract reviews.
- Lead strategic sourcing initiatives, supplier evaluations, RFPs, and bid processes across multiple spend categories.
- Negotiate complex commercial agreements and supplier contracts to maximize value and mitigate risk.
- Partner with Legal, Finance, Technology, Information Security, Operations, and business leaders to streamline procurement activities and drive compliance.
- Identify opportunities to automate workflows, improve efficiency, and enhance procurement visibility across the organization.
- Monitor supplier performance, contract obligations, spend data, and procurement metrics, providing insights to senior leadership.
- Stay informed on market trends, pricing conditions, and supplier developments to support sourcing decisions and cost optimization.
- Drive adoption of procurement best practices through stakeholder engagement, education, and change management.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Engineering, Business Management, or similar field. MBA preferred.
- 10+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, vendor management, or related commercial experience.
- Demonstrated success building, transforming, or enhancing procurement functions, processes, and governance frameworks.
- Deep expertise in contract negotiations, supplier management, and strategic sourcing methodologies.
- Proven ability to operate independently, establish priorities, and drive results with minimal oversight.
- Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence and build credibility across all levels of an organization.
- Experience partnering with Legal, Finance, Technology, Information Security, and Operations teams on procurement initiatives.
- Process-oriented mindset with a track record of creating scalable workflows and operational efficiencies.
- Strong commercial, financial, and analytical acumen, with the ability to assess business risk and identify value creation opportunities.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Experience in luxury, technology, financial services, professional services, or other complex global organizations is a plus.
The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $190,000 - $220,000. In addition to base salary successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus, as well as a competitive benefits package. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.
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The Company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race (including, without limitation, traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, and protective and treated or untreated hairstyles), color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership/union status, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, genetic information, reproductive health decision, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, alienage or citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province or local law. The Company complies with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates.
Skills Required
- Bachelor’s degree in Finance, Engineering, Business Management, or a similar field
- MBA
- 10+ years of procurement, strategic sourcing, vendor management, or related commercial experience
- Experience building, transforming, or enhancing procurement functions, processes, and governance frameworks
- Expertise in contract negotiations, supplier management, and strategic sourcing methodologies
- Ability to operate independently, establish priorities, and drive results with minimal oversight
- Strong stakeholder management skills and ability to influence across organizational levels
- Experience partnering with Legal, Finance, Technology, Information Security, and Operations teams
- Track record of creating scalable workflows and operational efficiencies
- Strong commercial, financial, and analytical acumen
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills
- Experience in luxury, technology, financial services, professional services, or other complex global organizations
Sotheby's Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Sotheby's and has not been reviewed or approved by Sotheby's.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare coverage is described as broad, spanning medical, dental, vision, prescription coverage, and company-paid life insurance. Mental health benefits and disability coverage are also included as part of the package.
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Retirement Support — Retirement support includes a 401(k) plan with company matching. Additional financial supports such as flexible spending accounts and an employee stock purchase plan are also referenced.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time-off policies are characterized as generous, including paid time off, paid holidays, and sick days. Paid parental leave and family-related supports are also included in the overall offering.
Sotheby's Insights
What We Do
Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.
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