International Specialist, Private Sales, Old Master Paintings

Christie's•New York, NY

13d•$120,000 - $140,000

About The Position

This position leads Christie’s Old Master Paintings private sales channel from a specialist’s perspective. Working with the Private Sales Business Director, the role formulates and sustains a long-term global private sales strategy and ensures it is delivered across regions. It works with the global Old Masters department to generate business, sell works, and make effective use of art expertise and client relationships. The specialist supports works entering private sales, including sourcing, growing, closing, and maintaining profitability, and collaborates with researchers, Client Strategy, and Object Intelligence teams to match works with clients and complete transactions. The role drives individual and organization-wide sales, develops the private sales pipeline, manages inventory and opportunities, and oversees pricing, profitability, research, cataloguing, due diligence, client strategies, exhibitions, and key projects. It partners with colleagues across EMEA, the Americas, and APAC, as well as other departments and teams, to identify opportunities, win business, improve processes, and support auctions. The position reports to the Global Business Director for Private Sales and the regional Head of Department.

Requirements

At least 10 years of art market experience.
Educational background in Art History and professional experience in Old Masters.
Financial acumen and sales experience.
Strong negotiation skills.
Strong client service skills.
Ability to present information effectively and respond to questions from colleagues and clients.
Ability to solve practical problems and handle varied situations with limited standardization.
Effective people-management skills.
Excellent interpersonal, influencing, and communication skills.
Marketing savvy.

Nice To Haves

Art market experience in the secondary market, with significant client management and sales experience.
Auction and Private Sales experience.

Responsibilities

Drive sales individually and facilitate opportunities across Christie’s teams to increase transactions.
Develop a robust private sales pipeline, manage inventory and opportunities, and organize international private sale hilling sessions and pricing meetings.
Maintain margins and ensure private sale deals meet profitability targets and budget expectations.
Work with the GMD, Global Head, and Business Director to set and implement global Private Sales strategy.
Partner with EMEA, Americas, and APAC colleagues to develop a global Old Masters Private Sales approach and leverage regional opportunities.
Increase collaboration across departments, the chairman’s office, and regions to optimize consignments and sales, including reviewing key clients and regions for opportunities.
Oversee cataloguing, research, and note-writing for private sale works and ensure due diligence on attribution, provenance, exhibition history, and literature; contact experts and write on works as needed.
Liaise with the Restitution team to verify wartime provenance.
Review condition reports prepared by external restorers for private sale works.
Review top clients with colleagues and ensure appropriate private sales strategies, particularly during post-auction reviews.
Participate in forums such as masterpiece reviews and regional client reviews to drive private sales.
Assist with and advise on business-getting proposals and participate in client discussions and presentations to win business.
Oversee strategy, sourcing, and selling for private sales exhibitions.
Project-manage key private sales projects and initiatives.
Work with the Business Director and Private Sales team to identify and address process improvements, resource needs, and business efficiencies.
Collaborate with Marketing, PR, and private sales teams on related PR and marketing initiatives.
With the Business Director, oversee monitoring and measurement of sales and profitability targets.
Support departmental auctions in collaboration with Heads of Departments and the Head of Sales.
Perform other duties as assigned by the manager.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans for employees and dependents; Christie’s pays an average of 80% of total premiums.
401(k) Savings Plan with matching contribution up to 5%, subject to IRS limits.
Life insurance equal to three times base salary up to $400,000, fully paid by Christie’s.
Disability insurance, fully paid by Christie’s.
Generous time-off and leave policies, including 100% paid family leave for up to 16 weeks.
Fitness reimbursement of eligible fees and memberships up to $600 per year.
Annual discretionary performance bonus plan.
Commuter benefits with pre-tax funds and a Christie’s contribution of $21 per month.
Up to 10 days of back-up child or elder care through Bright Horizons.
One paid Corporate Social Responsibility day per year for charity work.
Perks and discounts through Zo and Plum Benefits.