Client Accounts Receivable Coordinator

Sotheby's; Greater London; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Sotheby’s, a premier art and luxury goods house, seeks a Client Accounts Receivable Coordinator to manage client accounts from sale through payment, ensuring compliance with internal and external rules. The role collaborates with payments, legal, and compliance teams to resolve escalated issues and maintain exceptional client service.

The ideal candidate has 1+ years in finance or client accounts, strong communication, and a meticulous approach.

Qualifications

• Degree holder in business administration or equivalent field.
• 1+ years’ related work experience in finance or client accounts.
• Experience in debt collection in luxury/financial services is a plus.
• Excellent client service skills with active listening and empathy.
• Strong written and verbal communication with high attention to detail.
• Flexible, pragmatic thinker who takes ownership to resolve issues.
• Understanding of escalation paths to management for smooth client experience.
• Highest standard of confidentiality and strong work ethic.
• Organized, methodical and a strong team player.
• Able to work in a fast-paced environment and remain calm under pressure.
• Independent worker with ability to collaborate with colleagues.
• Prior experience with SAP is advantageous.
• Strong MS Office knowledge: Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Able to work in the office on live sale days to support bidder vetting.
• Available to work evenings and weekends as required.

Responsibilities

• Overseeing the billing and issuing all client-related financial outputs (invoices, statements, terms letters).
• Reconcile information to invoice sales and avoid after-sale reinvoicing requests.
• Collecting and managing outstanding client debt and coordinating with service teams to facilitate collection or shipments after payment.
• Manage payment activity reconciliations including wire and card payments.
• Escalate extended payment term requests in line with governance thresholds.
• Ensure AML and compliance requirements are met during debt collection and client screening.
• Collaborate with payments team, legal, compliance, tax, and finance on escalated issues.
• Provide ad hoc support to Client Accounts Receivable Managers.
• Maintain SLAs for client communication and act as escalation point from 3rd parties.
• Contribute to regional and global client account activities and document processes.
• Support management reporting on debtors and provisions.
• Assist in bidder vetting and client experience improvement initiatives.

Skills

Client service

Attention to detail

Communication

Teamwork

Confidentiality

Problem solving

SAP

MS Office

Evenings/weekends availability

Independent work

Education

Business administration degree

Tools

Freshdesk

Adyen

Stripe

Excel

Outlook

Word

Job description

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

TheClient Accounts Receivable Coordinator is responsible for providing exceptional client service and supporting departmental administrative tasks. This position oversees all client accounts activities from the sale through to payment and release on behalf of all internal and external clients whilst ensuring that all transactions comply with both internal and external financial rules and regulations. The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to the following:

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Overseeing the billing and issuing of all client related financial outputs e.g. invoices, statements, terms letters etc, working closely with the relevant Client Experience coordinator and/or shipping lead (navigating Freshdesk tickets collaboratively to provide a streamlined client experience)
• Managing “no bid” clients and escape requests as appropriate to ensure swift decision making and communication to clients
• Working closely with the bids office to reconcile all necessary information to invoice the sale and avoid after sale reinvoicing requests
• Escalating all extended payment term requests in respect of the corporate governance thresholds and ensure all required documentation is obtained before a sale in coordination with the business manager/director
• Proactively “close” a sale financially: collecting and managing all outstanding client debt and collaborating with client service operations to facilitate collection or shipments once payment has been completed
• Working with expert departments and relationship managers in respect of property release, anti-money laundering (AML) regulations and debt collection
• Managing chargebacks as part of the auto charge process as well as monitoring Adyen and Stripe
• Responsible for all payment activity reconciliations (including wire and credit card payment reports)
• Support compliance based activities, for example the collection of client due diligence forms (if required)

Client Accounts Management

• Responsible for contributing to the end to end delivery of the positive client-first experience
• Supporting in the compilation and maintenance of current process documentation
• Maintain SLAs for client communication (phone; email; Freshdesk) and act as point of escalation from 3rd Parties (such as call centre)
• Be prepared to support applicable client account activity at both a regional and global level
• Staying current with AML and other company policies & procedures
• Contributing to management reporting in respect of debtors and provisions
• Collaborating with technical experts, e.g. payments team, legal, compliance, tax, wider finance team etc and take ownership of all escalated issues that relate to buyer payments
• Collaborating with all areas of client service operations to ensure high standards of service delivery to clients, practice continuous improvement and be accountable for buyer NPS feedback
• Providing ad hoc support to Client Accounts Receivable Managers

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Degree holder in business administration or equivalent field preferred
• At least 1+ years’ related work experience
• Previous financial experience in a professional/financial services field or experience of debt collection in an international luxury business preferred
• Excellent client service skills with demonstrated capability in active listening, empathy, service orientation and patience
• Exemplary written and verbal communication skills and a high level of attention to detail
• A flexible and pragmatic thinker who will take ownership of situations and processes and manage them to conclusion
• Understanding of how to escape to management appropriately to ensure a smooth client experience
• Highest standard of confidentiality, discretion and work ethic
• Organized, methodical and possesses a strong team spirit
• Comfortable working in a fast paced and reactive environment with the ability to remain calm under pressure
• Ability to work both independently and to partner with colleagues
• Prior experience with SAP is an advantage
• Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office particularly Word, Excel, Outlook.
• Able to work in the office especially on live sale days to support bidder vetting
• Able to work evenings and weekends as and when required

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.