About
Our client, an internationally established Art Fair that has hosted in 10 cities worldwide, are now bringing the Art Fair to Vienna in 2025 and are seeking an experienced and entrepreneurial Fair Director to join the organisation.
The role
The Fair Director is a dynamic, all-encompassing role responsible for the satisfaction of its customers, both exhibitor and visitor focused, as well as the commercial success and effective delivery of a fair. Responsibilities will include building relationships with exhibitors and key suppliers including venue owners and stand builders; negotiating costs, managing budgets and delivering financial targets; planning the content of the event and visitor experience; selling stands and stand extras to galleries whilst ensuring their ongoing satisfaction with the fair; securing and managing sponsors for the event; and in conjunction with the Global Marketing department, driving the brand messages and vision of the fair to press, exhibitors, sponsors and visitors. The Fair Director will actively seek out new ways to improve the fairs, to add value to the event whilst increasing revenue. It is, however, also very much a hands-on, role, requiring the Director to get stuck in at all levels, leading and motivating the team in the run-up, during, and post-fair.
The new Fair Director will be responsible for building on the solid foundations already in place in other cities and develop the Vienna edition alongside. The role is based in Vienna (can be “Working From Home”) and reports to the EU Regional Managing Director.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Gallery Sales and Relationship Management
- Develop strong and effective relationships with existing and new galleries always re-enforcing the mission of the fair.
- Responsible for fair’s vision and key messaging, manifested through selection of galleries and artists.
- Support galleries to maximize their art sales potential, happiness factor and likelihood to return.
- Design the floorplan together with the fair’s external production company, and curate the layout of the fair based on galleries and artists accepted to manifest each fair’s vision and message.
Partnerships
- Identify and convert sponsors to enhance the fair experience and target new visitors.
- Identify partner organizations to collaborate on inspiring programming around the fairs to
enhance the visitor experience and extend the fair’s network. - Leads any partnership activations onsite to be seen and reinforced as ambassador and face of fair.
Fair content and visitor experience
- Consistently seek to improve the experience for fair visitors with fresh and dynamic content and an excellent overall visitor experience.
- Create a buzz and ensure the fairs are talked about on and offline.
Marketing and PR
- Create the marketing, communications, and PR strategy in agreement with the Global Marketing team.
- Provide with high quality content, activations, and ideas to support the marketing strategy in delivering quality fair visitor numbers and revenue, maximise PR potential and brand awareness.
- Manage the Marketing Manager (planned to start in September 2024) who will be in charge in executing the marketing campaign (newsletters, social media, website updates, etc.)
Operational
- 360° vision of the project.
- Negotiation and management of key external suppliers.
- Responsible for all fair contracts that need to be reviewed and verified from suppliers or permits and licenses.
- Ensure all legislation adhered to and appropriate risk management on site at all times.
Finance, Budgeting and Reporting
- Meet and manage annual fair budgets to ensure financial targets are delivered.
- Regular analysis and reporting to develop improvement plans and adjust annual plans to ensure GP is delivered.
Development
- Support research on development: growing the Vienna fair but also research new appropriate cities in or outside of Austria.
Team leadership
- Manage recruitment and all relevant HR processes (e.g. holidays, appraisals, objectives).
- Inspire and motivate the team with clear and effective training, support and delegation.
Essential Skills and Experience
- 3 years + of experience in a director or manager’s role and at least 5 years of experience working in events.
- Previous art fair or art world experience preferred: knowledge of the art market in Austria.
- Confident, developed sales and negotiation skills, a relationship builder with high EQ.
- Analytical with commercial business acumen.
- A creative, ideas person with drive and initiative to make new initiatives a reality.
- Developed leadership skills with excellent delegating, prioritising, and multitasking abilities.
- Strong project management skills with acute attention to detail and organisational skills.
- Proactive work ethic, capable when under pressure with a ‘can-do’ attitude.
- In tune with the aims and ethos of the business – accessible, art-for-all mentality, fun, relaxed.
- Art market experience, specifically in contemporary art, a definite advantage.
Start Date: ASAP
Location: Vienna and working from home possible. Expect business trips to visit other art fairs in other countries.
Hours: Full time.
Salary: Will be commensurate with experience within the range of €60/70k per year gross. Bonus potential.