THE ROLE

The Client Liaison and Department Assistant focuses on client liaison, supporting pre- and post-sale activities and assisting Fine Art Specialists. The position also includes administrative and operational support as needed, helping to maintain consistent standards across Sotheby’s European offices.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Organize pipeline management meetings with the GFA team to review sourcing initiatives and ongoing activity.
• Support client requests related to property management, including consignments, pre- and post-sale administration, bid registration and execution, loan requests, transactional history, accounts, and valuations.
• Coordinate and execute the pre-sale targeting strategy for global auctions.
• Track and maintain pre-sale target lists, current and potential consignment lists, buyer and under-bidder results, and artist sourcing projects in collaboration with relevant specialists.
• For the Fine Art Department in Switzerland, monitor the consignment process before and after sales to ensure a seamless selling experience and high sell-through rates.
• Maintain communication with departments such as Shipping, Client Accounts, Events, Sotheby’s Preferred, other specialist departments, and European and global salerooms to guarantee a smooth process and consistently high client service.
• Demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Company’s domestic and international auction processes, as well as Private Sales, to communicate effectively with existing and potential clients.
• Assist Specialists during client visits, valuations, and proposals.
• Maintain and update accurate client lists for mailings, invitations, and general engagement.
• Support the Swiss GFA Team with client and business development initiatives (e.g. updating the client system, sending large volumes of emails such as pre-sale targeting and event invitations).
• Act as an effective liaison with other departments and international colleagues to ensure a seamless service to mutual clients.
• Deal effectively with general queries, problem-solve, and follow tasks through to completion.
• Support the Geneva offices with day-to-day administrative tasks, such as answering office phones, welcoming clients, and receipting consignments.
• Support corporate events.
• Post and park invoices using Concur.
• Provide support to the Head of Fine Art with general office management tasks, including supplies, internal coordination, and ad hoc administrative requests.
• Support occasional projects or initiatives as requested by the Head of Offices.
• Assist with shipping and logistics as needed.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Knowledge, passion, and commitment to the art field, both locally and internationally.
• Degree holder or equivalent (art-related master’s or bachelor’s degree preferred).
• Fluent in English (mandatory); French is a plus; any additional languages are an asset.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with a strong commitment to delivering exemplary client service.
• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a team, within a cross-departmental organisation.
• Ability to work in a demanding, matrix environment, with a flexible approach to a wide range of tasks and a proven ability to meet deadlines.

THE ROLE

The Specialist, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, plays an integral role in sourcing, cataloguing, and selling works across Sotheby’s London and New York Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sales, inclusive of live auctions, online auctions, and private sales. The role combines deep subject-matter expertise, rigorous scholarship, and strong client-facing skills with proactive business development and operational excellence. The Specialist will work closely with colleagues across EMEA, US and globally to cultivate consignments, steward clients, and contribute to the strategic growth and visibility of the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art category, becoming an active member of Sotheby’s global specialist community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Proactively identify, source, and secure works forModern and Contemporary South Asian Art sales, developing coherent and dynamic business-getting strategies in partnership with colleagues across London, EMEA, and global teams.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with collectors, advisors, institutions, fiduciaries, and key market stakeholders, ensuring exceptional client service and loyalty.
• Participate in valuation projects and proposal development, evaluating property at Sotheby’s and at client locations, including international travel as appropriate.
• Help drive private-sale opportunities alongside auction consignments, identifying key selling points and supporting targeted, proactive outreach.
• Meet individual consignment and revenue goals, contributing meaningfully to annual sales, private-sale targets, and departmental strategic objectives.
• Provide high-level expertise in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, ensuring the highest scholarly standards in cataloguing, research, and contextualization of works.
• Oversee or contribute to the cataloguing process, including research, catalogue entries, essays, provenance work, condition reporting, and catalog production and layout.
• Partner with internal and external scholars to strengthen expertise and accuracy; uphold rigorous research and editorial standards that align with Sotheby’s global criteria.
• Support full sale execution, including exhibition oversight, pre-sale client walkthroughs, client communication, and competitive bidding support during live auctions.
• Help track client interest, communicate activity to the wider specialist team, and actively “sell the sale” during exhibition and preview periods.
• Ensure proactive and accurate management of consignment-related costs, including terms, deal margins, marketing, logistics, loans, and other financial elements.
• Liaise with Photography, Marketing, Press, Proposals, Registrations, and Operations to ensure seamless sale preparation from intake through settlement.
• Maintain departmental archives, research materials, and library resources, ensuring their continued accuracy, accessibility, and strategic use.
• Support the Heads of Department with coordination of departmental priorities, internal communication, and implementation of new initiatives.
• Coordinate information flow between the department, internal partners, and the Head of Department, ensuring clarity and smooth execution of daily operations.
• Prepare estimate requests, NSVs, and client correspondence at a professional standard
• Liaise with Marketing and Press teams to support social media, digital visibility, and audience engagement for the category.
• Assist with highlight exhibition organization, promotional activity, and the movement and tracking of property in collaboration with the Department Coordinator and Administrator.
• Serve as a collaborative partner to colleagues in adjacent departments, contributing to the broader regional and global ecosystem of specialists.
• Serve as a role model of scholarship, client service, and professional conduct within the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art department.
• Support the development and mentorship of cataloguers, coordinators, and junior colleagues, offering guidance in research practices, cataloguing methods, and sale process management.
• Uphold the highest standards of Sotheby’s corporate governance, compliance, ethics, and client confidentiality in every interaction.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• 8+ years of experience in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art through an auction house, gallery, museum, or private dealership.
• Scholarly training in Art History or a related field, with demonstrated expertise and a sustained engagement in Modern and Contemporary Indian & South Asian Art.
• Proven ability to evaluate works, produce polished research, and manage cataloguing assignments with precision and authority.
• Strong working knowledge of the full auction cycle, including valuations, consignments, catalogue production, sale execution, and private sales.
• Demonstrated success in building and servicing high-level client relationships.
• Strong business acumen with a track record in business-getting or a demonstrable aptitude for developing new business.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey scholarly insight clearly and persuasively to clients and colleagues.
• Highly organized, deadline-driven, and composed under pressure, with the ability to prioritize effectively across multiple workstreams.
• Collaborative, flexible, and team-oriented, with a willingness to “pitch in” as needed.
• Fluent English required; additional European languages are beneficial.
• Unquestionable integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to high professional standards.

 THE ROLE

Source and sell works for the Contemporary Art Sales, demonstrating extensive knowledge, passion and commitment to the field.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Cataloguing and researching items for Contemporary Art Sales.
• Providing expertise, researching and cataloguing objects to the highest standard according to scheduled deadlines.
• Writing scholarly catalogue entries and condition reports.
• Assisting and co-ordinating research, both internally and with external experts.
• Assisting with paste-ups and layouts.
• Liaising with the necessary support departments.
• Sourcing works for sale, including overseas travel as appropriate.
• Aid in meeting sales and net profit targets for particular sales.
• Contributing to strategic long-term business development.
• Maintaining an exceptionally high level of client service, both internally and externally.
• Preparing proposals, valuations, estimates.
• Maintaining high levels of expertise and professionalism in all activities.
• Contributing towards authentication and all aspects of pre- and post-sale processes.
• Operating at all times in accordance with the company’s rules on compliance and corporate governance.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• In-depth art market knowledge and awareness, with a focus on Contemporary Art.
• Degree holder or equivalent (Art-related masters preferable).
• Proven business acumen and developed valuation skills, with a functional working knowledge of the whole auction process, procedures & systems
• Ability to work effectively both individually and in a team and to 'pitch in' when required.
• Ability to work well under pressure and have a flexible approach to a wide range of tasks.
• Commitment to an exemplary level of client service, strong client relationship management skills and a sensitive approach to problem solving
• Possess high levels of integrity and be able to operate within corporate governance and legal framework.
• Good organisational skills with proven ability to work to deadlines.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Fluent in spoken and written English, ideally with an additional European language.

THE ROLE

The Specialist, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, plays an integral role in sourcing, cataloguing, and selling works across Sotheby’s London and New York Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sales, inclusive of live auctions, online auctions, and private sales. The role combines deep subject-matter expertise, rigorous scholarship, and strong client-facing skills with proactive business development and operational excellence. The Specialist will work closely with colleagues across EMEA, US and globally to cultivate consignments, steward clients, and contribute to the strategic growth and visibility of the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art category, becoming an active member of Sotheby’s global specialist community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Proactively identify, source, and secure works forModern and Contemporary South Asian Art sales, developing coherent and dynamic business-getting strategies in partnership with colleagues across London, EMEA, and global teams.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with collectors, advisors, institutions, fiduciaries, and key market stakeholders, ensuring exceptional client service and loyalty.
• Participate in valuation projects and proposal development, evaluating property at Sotheby’s and at client locations, including international travel as appropriate.
• Help drive private-sale opportunities alongside auction consignments, identifying key selling points and supporting targeted, proactive outreach.
• Meet individual consignment and revenue goals, contributing meaningfully to annual sales, private-sale targets, and departmental strategic objectives.
• Provide high-level expertise in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, ensuring the highest scholarly standards in cataloguing, research, and contextualization of works.
• Oversee or contribute to the cataloguing process, including research, catalogue entries, essays, provenance work, condition reporting, and catalog production and layout.
• Partner with internal and external scholars to strengthen expertise and accuracy; uphold rigorous research and editorial standards that align with Sotheby’s global criteria.
• Support full sale execution, including exhibition oversight, pre-sale client walkthroughs, client communication, and competitive bidding support during live auctions.
• Help track client interest, communicate activity to the wider specialist team, and actively “sell the sale” during exhibition and preview periods.
• Ensure proactive and accurate management of consignment-related costs, including terms, deal margins, marketing, logistics, loans, and other financial elements.
• Liaise with Photography, Marketing, Press, Proposals, Registrations, and Operations to ensure seamless sale preparation from intake through settlement.
• Maintain departmental archives, research materials, and library resources, ensuring their continued accuracy, accessibility, and strategic use.
• Support the Heads of Department with coordination of departmental priorities, internal communication, and implementation of new initiatives.
• Coordinate information flow between the department, internal partners, and the Head of Department, ensuring clarity and smooth execution of daily operations.
• Prepare estimate requests, NSVs, and client correspondence at a professional standard
• Liaise with Marketing and Press teams to support social media, digital visibility, and audience engagement for the category.
• Assist with highlight exhibition organization, promotional activity, and the movement and tracking of property in collaboration with the Department Coordinator and Administrator.
• Serve as a collaborative partner to colleagues in adjacent departments, contributing to the broader regional and global ecosystem of specialists.
• Serve as a role model of scholarship, client service, and professional conduct within the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art department.
• Support the development and mentorship of cataloguers, coordinators, and junior colleagues, offering guidance in research practices, cataloguing methods, and sale process management.
• Uphold the highest standards of Sotheby’s corporate governance, compliance, ethics, and client confidentiality in every interaction.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• 8+ years of experience in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art through an auction house, gallery, museum, or private dealership.
• Scholarly training in Art History or a related field, with demonstrated expertise and a sustained engagement in Modern and Contemporary Indian & South Asian Art.
• Proven ability to evaluate works, produce polished research, and manage cataloguing assignments with precision and authority.
• Strong working knowledge of the full auction cycle, including valuations, consignments, catalogue production, sale execution, and private sales.
• Demonstrated success in building and servicing high-level client relationships.
• Strong business acumen with a track record in business-getting or a demonstrable aptitude for developing new business.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey scholarly insight clearly and persuasively to clients and colleagues.
• Highly organized, deadline-driven, and composed under pressure, with the ability to prioritize effectively across multiple workstreams.
• Collaborative, flexible, and team-oriented, with a willingness to “pitch in” as needed.
• Fluent English required; additional European languages are beneficial.
• Unquestionable integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to high professional standards.

The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $140,000-$170,000. 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.