Our client is a global auction house that is poised for transformative change. They have global operations and sell in over 60 categories, including motor cars, paintings, jewellery, and entertainment memorabilia. The Chinese Art Department is renowned for offering some of the finest works of art representing the richness and breadth of China’s artistic heritage, particularly Imperial porcelain, jades, Ming and Qing furniture, cloisonne enamels, lacquerwares, textiles and metalworks. They have delivered time and time again world-record prices through their professionalism, high-level research, presentation and targeted sale strategy, and not least, simply their love of the objects. They offer the very best expertise and professional commitment, ensuring the strongest results.

About you

We are looking for someone with Mandarin Chinese mother-tongue level written and spoken skills, a competent cataloguer, valuer, and a pro-active business getter. You will have exceptional organisation and analytical skills, be outspoken with an approachable demeanour to ensure service excellence. You will assist your senior colleagues and administrator within the department, our global team of specialists and our Marketing and Photography teams primarily. You will continually work to develop your specialist knowledge and skills and be passionate about the specialist field.

Skills:

  • Knowledge and genuine interest for Chinese Art
  • Fluency in Mandarin and English is a must
  • Good market and trend awareness
  • Degree holder or equivalent
  • A good level of specialist expertise achieved through a previous role
  • Proven business acumen and valuation skills
  • A network of contacts (or) willingness to build up such a portfolio
  • Functional working knowledge of the whole auction process and related
  • procedures (e.g. shipping regulations, VAT)
  • Flexible and receptive to change
  • Excellent time management and organisation skills
  • Excellent interpersonal and communication skills both written and oral
  • Able to work as part of team, and independently
  • Able to work to tight deadlines and under pressure
  • Excellent attention to detail

Responsibilities:

  • Business support-nationally and internationally for the department to fulfil
  • the budgets set for the department sales
  • Encourage new business opportunities for the department
  • Maintain and support the ongoing development of a database of
  • customers – both buyers and sellers – for the department
  • Maintain contact with established collectors to encourage further business
  • with the company, either as buyers or sellers
  • Maintain contact with established trade contacts to encourage further
  • business with the company
  • Act as auctioneer as and when required across all categories
  • Assist the senior specialist on the production of an advertising and
  • marketing campaign, within the budgets set, to promote the business getting and sales activities of the department
  • To complete, as and when required, the valuation of customer’s property both in the office and at other venues.
  • Prepare condition reports for works coming for sale.
  • Sourcing, researching and cataloguing artworks for auction and private sale
  • Prepare proposal documents on pitches for business.
  • Assisting with shipping enquiries and contracts on stand-by basis
  • General   administrative   tasks   to   ensure   the   smooth   running   of   the department
  • Support the cataloguers of the team to encourage their development and knowledge of the market
  • Researching artworks, collections and preparing academic level essays to be published in the sale catalogues.
  • Support the team to produce the catalogues to ensure timely delivery to printers
  • Assist on exhibition events worldwide as and when required
  • Maintain an awareness of our competitors’ strategies to maintain the competitive position of this department in the market
  • Mentoring the junior members of the team, in accordance with the Head of Department guidelines
  • In addition to the tasks and responsibilities listed, you may be required to perform other duties as assigned by your Manager.

Start date: ASAP
Location: London
Hours: Full-time
Salary:£40k – £55K DOE

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