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

Provide integrated expertise and exceptional service for both clients and members of staff for all logistics-related activities to ensure the timely and cost-effective delivery of property in compliance with all associated laws and regulations.  Liaise with vendors to procure and coordinate logistics services to enable the movement of fine art and rarities to and from Sotheby’s, both domestically and internationally.

The role will cover Switzerland and Germany.

 RESPONSIBILITIES

• Arrange shipping and associated logistics requirements for all property.
• Work closely with the Pre Sale and Post Sale colleagues to deliver an integrated, consistent and exceptional client experience.
• Monitor and execute quote requests in a timely manner in line with established service levels.
• Respond to and resolve to successful conclusion shipping and logistics enquiries and issues.
• Obtain quotes from shippers and other related service providers for shipments and select the most suitable option for our internal and external clients.
• Assess and verify the requirements of a proposed shipment, including method of transport, packing, etc., and enter or validate this information in the system.
• Apply for CITES license applications or other license applicable, as appropriate.
• For all accepted client offers, where the shipment is arranged by Sotheby’s, and approved transfers contact vendors and issue instructions for packing, local transportation, shipping and security.
• Allocate tariffs to property imported or exported internationally.
• Monitor the progress of shipments, conferring with vendors to troubleshoot and rectify problems in a timely manner and ensuring that interested parties are apprised of the status of the shipment.
• Liaise with Manager to provide input on shippers’ performance and maintenance of service level requirements and KPIs.
• Ship in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.
• Determine where consolidation of property can occur and arrange consolidated shipments to maximize efficiency and minimize cost.
• Maintain and scan all required documentation associated with shipments in accordance with department procedures.
• Prepare customs documents and submit to the appropriate regulatory bodies or shippers, ensuring the accuracy of the information and its timely submission.
• Coordinate and execute interoffice transfers to international offices and generate pre-alerts to Shipping Coordinators in those offices to ensure an efficient delivery of property.

 IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Bachelor’s degree with 2-3 years in Shipping roles
• Fluency in English, French and German is mandatory, Italian would be a strong advantage
• Strong knowledge of logistics, including current packing methods, transportation methods and regulatory compliance
• Action oriented with skills and aptitude to excel in a fast paced client-focused and deadline-driven environment
• Proactive communicator and solution oriented
• Comfortable speaking with clients and client facing teams
• Excellent client service skills; ability to remain calm in pressure situations
• Ability to learn quickly and apply knowledge
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to communicate with all organizational levels
• Ability to work both independently and as a team member to complete the task at hand
• Strong organizational skills to set priorities, multi task and meet deadlines
• Prior experience with fine art shipping is desirable as is foreign language(s)
• Prior experience with SAP is an advantage
• Flexibility to work overtime and weekend hours when necessary is required