We are looking for a specialist to set up and lead a new photographs department within a thriving and expanding Auction House. Our client is aiming to establish themselves in the middle market for the sale of photographs that span the history of the medium but which may initially focus on modern, post-war and contemporary photography.
The successful candidate will have an excellent understanding of photographs and the marketplace, and have the skills and aptitude to establish the department.
Areas of Responsibility
Responsibilities include but are not limited to the following:
Strategic and business development
- Develop business contacts and strategic opportunities, including developing auction and private sales strategies
- Identify and maintain relationships with all client categories (collectors, dealers, galleries etc), and particularly the ability to work with major clients in the consignments and sale of high value property
- Liaise on material in the field with other internal departments: pre-press, marketing, public relations etc.
- Proactively research and gather information into the marketplace/trends/buying & selling patterns
Valuations, cataloguing, pre and post-sale responsibilities
- Analyse and respond to incoming written, phone and photo enquiries to determine sale potential
- Work alone and with colleagues to determine provenance, authenticity, value, condition, and marketability of property
- Write and prepare catalogue essays, work on catalogue production and layout, as appropriate
- Coordinate pre-sale exhibition set-up
- Work with buyers during sales, including weekend exhibitions, to market and sell the sale
- Work with the Marketing team, to help develop a coordinated marketing plan to achieve budgeted sale totals
- Participate in telephone bidding with clients during the auction
- Participate in the full after-sales analysis, and implement any agreed changes
General
- Ensure compliance with all internal policies and procedures and any relevant external bodies or processes
- Participate in organization-wide meetings, activities and processes, and develop internal contacts, networks and interactions as appropriate
- Actively participate in events, valuation days, and other functions to represent the client
- Carry out other duties as required
Person Specification
Essential skills and experience
- Extensive experience in the field, either at auction, within the trade or at another relevant institution e.g. gallery or own business
- Proven ability to develop relationships with the major collectors, dealers and galleries
- Excellent writing skills in English, and ability to combine an understanding of the material with a commercial sense of marketing and promoting value
- Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills, including first class spoken English
- Ability to work to tight auction deadlines, balancing photography, cataloguing, sale organisation, marketing and promotional details
- Experience working with on projects of all sizes, long- and short-term; demonstrated ability to prioritise a variety of concurrent projects
- Excellent knowledge of the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook etc)
- Superior client service skills
- Strong follow-up skills with attention to detail
- Ability to thrive within a fast-paced team environment
Desirable qualifications
A qualification relevant to the field e.g. degree in photography, contemporary art, fine art
Deadline for applications 27 May 2018. See more here: https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/6716913/auction-house-specialist-photographs/
Comments