Senior Registrar, Client Services, UK (Mat Cover)

About the role:

Our client is recruiting for a Senior Registrar, Client Services who reports directly to the U.K. based Director of Global Registration and is a senior representative of the Gallery’s Registrar team.

The role is responsible for overseeing the safe and professional handling, shipment and delivery of art works to clients worldwide in conjunction with the wider Client Services team.

Acting as the initial point of contact for all queries relating to global customs, sales tax and VAT for client shipments, this role has direct line management responsibilities for all UK, and some US, Client Services Registrars.

This is a maternity cover role on a 12 month contract.

Key responsibilities of the role include:

Post Sales:

• Monitor sold works in storage and identify outstanding sales. Ensure CS team expedites shipments to clients and flags any long standing sold works in storage to Head of Department.
• Demonstrate best practice within the Client Services team to ensure sold works are shipped to clients in a safe and timely manner and the Gallery’s Client Services ‘business rules’ are adhered to. Also ensuring that shipments comply with local customs regulations.
• Act as source of technical knowledge for Sales team alongside Director of Global Registration for all queries relating to global customs, sales tax and VAT for client shipments. Ensure always up to date with Temporary Admission, bonded warehouse and other relevant HMRC regulations. Provide training to rest of team as needed.
• Ensure consistency of approach for Client Services across all gallery locations – London, US and Asia. Engage with key stakeholders to build experience, knowledge and standards gallery wide.
• Representing the Client Services team, work with Sales team leads to create and monitor best practice processes, including delivery of ‘post sales workshop’ to the global Sales team.
• Lead the conversation as to how to improve the Client’s experience in the post-sale service provided by the Gallery.
• Monitor client ‘giveaways’ – find cost saving strategies for these shipments and create objectives for the rest of the team to follow. Use Salesforce to generate reports and dashboards to help illustrate this.
• Deliver training to Client Services registrars where needed, as well as the wider team, on what is required as part of the post-sales process.

Pre Sales:

• Work with the broader Ops team to streamline the logistical processes of artist fabrication, ensuring timely delivery, efficient resource use, and smooth operational execution.
• Oversee the collation and processing of Artist Certificates of Authenticity by the team in London and the US. Develop and maintain Gallery policies for handling these documents, ensuring accurate and complete records are preserved for posterity.
• Ensure all global ‘On Approvals’ adhere to Gallery standards and protocols at all times. Develop guidelines for colleagues to follow. Provide training where required.
• Work with Art Fairs team to ensure accurate information and processes are disseminated to Sales colleagues ahead of each fair.
• Work with Finance to devise and implement an effective strategy for monitoring Gallery service invoices, specifically those relating to client recharges.
• Liaise with Finance to ensure invoices are processed in correct / timely manner, with correct VAT and Sales Tax codes. Ensure incomplete AML records are flagged with AML stakeholders.

Leadership/Line Management:

• Lead weekly 1-2-1 meetings with CS Registrars and feedback to Head of Dept on their performance
• Identify knowledge gaps and arrange training for CS Registrars as required
• Conduct annual review for CS Registrars as well as coaching/mentoring these roles throughout the year
• Approve supplier invoices for the Client Services team, ensuring accuracy, compliance with VAT/Sales Tax codes, and timely processing.
• Deliver in-house training and drive improvements in gallery post sale processes.
• Mentor junior members of the Registrar team
• Obtain buy in from rest of Registrar/Ops/wider gallery team on projects
• Drive stakeholder engagement and project momentum.

Other duties include:

• Promoting to colleagues the importance of accurate customs updates, clear paper trails and communication.
• Liaising with Asia team to help coordinate sold work shipments between UK and mainland China.
• Attend weekly Registrar meetings, as well as Sales meetings when possible.

Key skills and attributes:

• Excellent knowledge of Global Customs and VAT procedures, particularly those of the UK, US and mainland China. Demonstrable expertise in global import and export processes.
• Proficiency in Salesforce, Smartsheets, Word, Excel and Adobe.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Excellent attention to detail and understanding of the importance of accuracy at all times.
• A positive approach to problem solving and project management.
• Ability to manage a busy workload.
• Ability to stay calm when under pressure.
• Ability to set and accomplish goals and to meet deadlines by effectively prioritizing; ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team-oriented environment.
• Discrete and professional.
• 5+ years relevant experience in reputable gallery and/or institution.
• Knowledge of/Interest in Contemporary Art

Start date: April