Strategic Business Manager — Luxury Auctions

Cultural Signal; Paris; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sotheby’s Business Management in Paris seeks a seasoned professional to drive profitability and growth across Global Fine Arts and Luxury. You will partner with specialists on P&L, manage deal negotiations, and deliver rigorous financial reporting.

The role requires analysis, multi-stakeholder collaboration, and the ability to translate results into actionable business recommendations. Excellent English/French, and advanced Excel skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 4+ years of professional experience in a business management, banking, financial or consulting role.
• Written and spoken French and English.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills; ability to succinctly present to stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds.
• Prior deal or contract negotiation experience preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, multi-tasker.
• Creative problem solver, energetic and persistent.
• Confident team player, capable of working well independently in ambiguous situations.
• Prior art experience is not required, but an interest or curiosity in art or other luxury objects is encouraged.

Responsibilities

• Support the pipeline of all deals to drive sales and accountability, in active collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Support, manage, and track all auction consignments, including corresponding legal agreements with Legal team; with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Support annual budget planning and regular forecasting in partnership with Paris Business Management.
• Develop financial models (revenue and expense) to support consignments for all revenue streams; approve/escalate where appropriate.
• Prepare client facing deal communication and take a client facing role for commercial terms, when required.
• Serve as the first business point of contact for negotiations for consignments, vendors, consultants, or other third parties, including corresponding legal agreements with Legal team; with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Translate financial results and KPIs into operational recommendations to optimize the business.
• Manage all sale and department expenses; with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Regularly review and develop plans for Sotheby’s inventory, in partnership with Operations and Finance teams.
• Act in a client-facing capacity and as an internal conduit to troubleshoot pre- and post- sale issues.
• Act as a strategic partner for senior management by reviewing competitive analysis, maintaining market share reporting, and analyzing trends in deal making.
• Research potential additional revenue streams and partner with key internal stakeholders to develop business plans.
• Work collaboratively to propose, manage, and implement efficiencies, integration, and adoption for new IT and digital improvements aligned to overall responsibilities.

Skills

Advanced Excel

Bilingual English-French

Deal Negotiation

Stakeholder communication

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Excel

Job description

ABOUT SOTHEBY'S

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Our deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits and Design, as well as collectible cars and real estate through RM Sotheby’s and Concierge. Sotheby’s Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby’s new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue in New York City.

THE ROLE

You will be a core member of Sotheby’sBusiness Management team, based in Paris and support Sotheby’s Paris and Middle East sale locations across bothGlobal Fine Arts and Luxury Division, driving financial results, growth, and profitability for this key business area. You will act as a business partner to the department specialists focused on P&L management and reporting (live and online auction and private sales), pipeline management, deal making, and sale execution. You can think analytically, synthesize quantitative and qualitative information, and are excited by proactive problem solving.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Supportthe pipeline of all deals to drive sales and accountability, in active collaboration with internal stakeholders.
• Support,manage, and track all auction consignments, including corresponding legal agreements with Legal team;with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Support annual budget planning and regular forecasting in partnership withParisBusiness Management.
• Develop financial models (revenue and expense) to support consignments for all revenue streams; approve/escalate where appropriate.
• Prepare client facing deal communication and take a client facing role for commercial terms, when required.
• Serve as the first business point of contact for negotiations for consignments, vendors, consultants, or other third parties, including corresponding legal agreements with Legal team; with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Translate financial results and KPIs into operational recommendations to optimize the business.
• Manage allsaleand departmentexpenses; with oversight from senior Business Management where appropriate.
• Regularly review and develop plans for Sotheby’s inventory, in partnership with Operations and Finance teams.
• Act in a client-facing capacity and as an internal conduit to troubleshoot pre- and post- sale issues.
• Act as a strategic partner for senior management by reviewing competitive analysis, maintaining market share reporting, and analyzing trends in deal making.
• Research potential additional revenue streams and partner with key internal stakeholders to develop business plans.
• Work collaboratively to propose, manage, and implement efficiencies, integration, and adoption for new IT and digital improvements aligned to overall responsibilities.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 4+ years of professional experience ina businessmanagement, banking, financial or consulting role.
• Written and spoken French and English.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills; ability to succinctly present to stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds.
• Prior deal or contract negotiation experience preferred.
• Advanced Excel skills.
• Highly organized, detail oriented, multi-tasker.
• Creative problem solver, energetic and persistent.
• Confident team player, capable of working well independently in ambiguous situations.
• Prior art experience is not required, but an interest or curiosity in art or other luxury objects is encouraged.

To view our Candidate Privacy Notice for the US, please click here.

To view our Candidate Privacy Notice for the UK, Hong Kong, France and Switzerland, please click here.

The Company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race (including, without limitation, traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, and protective and treated or untreated hairstyles), color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership/union status, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, genetic information, reproductive health decision, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, alienage or citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province or local law. The Company complies with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates.