Director - Sales & Artist Liaison with a Major Contemporary Art Gallery in London (Title subject to negotiation)

Title subject to Negotiation.

Our client is a major contemporary art gallery in London seeking a charismatic Director and natural leader to join its senior team. 

Reporting directly to the Founder, the successful candidate will take a leading role across the gallery’s sales strategy, artist relationships and exhibition programme, while managing the Artist Liaison team as well as members of the broader team.

The role will have a strong commercial focus, with an anticipated split of approximately 70% sales and 30% artist liaison, although this may vary depending on the successful candidate’s experience and strengths.

This is a pivotal appointment for the gallery, with elements of the wider team structure and future development shaped around the individual they hire.

Responsibilities

Sales

• Working with the sales team to deliver a coordinated sales strategy across primary and secondary markets.
• Focus on developing relationships with private collectors for the placement of works in Europe and the USA.
• Focus on developing relationships with museums, promoting gallery artists in Europe and the USA:
  • Generate placements of works by the gallery’s artists in both private collections and institutions.
  • Generate exhibition opportunities for gallery artists in museums and institutions.
• Connect private collectors and institutions to create funding for museum placements.
• Participate in sales meetings to review sales performance, assess available inventory, and develop strategic plans to achieve targets.
• Attend art fairs and collaborate with the Art Fair Manager to secure inventory.
• Make international trips to attend relevant exhibitions and connect with collectors, museum curators and major museum donors.

Artist Relationship & Exhibition Management

• You will be assigned to look after 8-12 artists, with the support of an Artist Liaison for each artist. Together with the artist, you will work on the gallery’s programme, the commercial aspects of museum shows, pricing, placements and marketing strategy.
• Support artists in projects and public exhibitions with creative funding models and loans of artworks.
• Advise artists on career positioning, institutional opportunities and art market development.
• Manage the flow of new inventory from each artist for important events, exhibitions and art fairs.
• In respect of the artists for whom you are responsible:
  • Oversee the maintenance and upkeep of artists’ internal archives, records, databases and catalogues raisonnés.
  • Monitor auction house activity relating to gallery artists and take appropriate action.
  • Work with the finance team to deliver accurate statements to artists.
  • Ensure the costs of the exhibitions for which you are responsible meet the agreed budget.
• Research and secure new artists to expand the gallery’s programme.
• Work with the Founder on the gallery’s programme planning.
• Navigate the administrations of different institutions across multiple geographical regions to create opportunities for raising funds for museum placements.
• Carry out monthly reviews and reports on available inventory and devise suitable plans with the sales team to drive sales.
• Participate in Directors’ meetings to review institutional developments, inventory and strategic priorities.

General

• Line manage the Communications team.
• Share responsibility for the recruitment of staff for the Sales and Artist Liaison teams.
• Take on additional tasks as needed to support the gallery.

Salary: £100,000+ plus bonus and commission structure

Working pattern: Full-time, on-site, Monday-Friday, 9:30am-6:00pm, with Saturday cover on a rota basis.