Ashvitas - Projects & Operations Manager

The Art X Company; Chennai District; On-site; INR 1,200,000 - 1,800,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashvitas Fine Art & Collectibles, based in Chennai, seeks an experienced Projects & Operations Manager to oversee exhibitions, projects and gallery operations. The role acts as a bridge between the gallery team and the Director/CEO, ensuring priorities translate into actionable plans, delivery on time and within budget, with ownership of processes and teams.

The ideal candidate will have strong project management, team leadership, and operational skills, plus familiarity with the art business

Qualifications

• 8+ years of professional experience in operations, project management or gallery/event environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication in English.

Responsibilities

• Oversee day-to-day execution of gallery projects, exhibitions, and operations.
• Coordinate between gallery team and Director/CEO to translate priorities into action.
• Manage budgets, timelines and vendor relationships to ensure on-time delivery.

Skills

Project management

Team management

Operations

Stakeholder management

Time management

Education

Masters degree in Arts/Management/Related field

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Word

Job description

Festivals From India is hiring for their client, Ashvitas, who is seeking an experienced and highly organised Projects & Operations Manager to oversee the day-to-day execution of the gallerys projects, exhibitions and operations.

The Manager will serve as a key link between the gallery team and the Director/CEO, ensuring that priorities are clearly translated into action and that projects move from planning to completion smoothly, on time and within budget.

This role is for someone comfortable taking ownership, managing people and processes, solving problems proactively and holding teams accountable for delivery.

The ideal candidate will bring strong project management, team management and operational skills, along with an understanding of the pace, detail and complexity involved in running an art business and delivering exhibitions.

About Ashvitas Fine Art & Collectibles

Established in 2002 by Ashvin E. Rajagopalan, Ashvitas is a diversified art business specialising in Indian Art and collectables. Headquartered in Chennai, Ashvitas conducts museum-quality exhibitions and operates ashvitas.com, a premier online auction house. Ashvitas provides a vast range of art services that include private acquisitions and sales, wealth management, valuation, conservation, archival services, display and art logistics. Ashvitas works with select individual collectors, corporate collections, and institutions. Ashvitas has developed cultural programming and events with critics, art historians, and artists, including public talks, film screenings, performances, studio visits and workshops. Our education department is focused on audience engagement across schools and colleges, as well as on publishing in-depth books on Indian Art.

Over the last 20 years, Ashvitas has increased its footprint to provide its services nationally with offices in Chennai, Mumbai, and New Delhi. Ashvitas works with a global network of art professionals to be able to provide one-stop solutions for art collectors.

Important Information

• The vetting process for this role comprises 2-3 rounds of interviews and may be followed by a brief assignment.
• This is an on-site, full-time position in Chennai.
• Salary band for this role is available upon request.

Essential Qualifications

• Masters degree in any relevant discipline such as Arts, Fine Arts, Art History, Cultural Management, Business/Management, Hospitality, Events, Communications or a related field.
• Candidates with strong relevant professional experience in gallery, museum, cultural, events or project-based environments may also be considered.
• Professional-level written and verbal communication skills, with expertise in English.
• Knowledge of at least one vernacular Indian language is ideal; Tamil preferred.

Essential Experience

• 8+ years of professional experience, ideally in operations, project management, gallery management, cultural organisations, events, hospitality or another fast-paced, project-driven environment.
• Experience managing or coordinating teams and working across multiple functions.
• Competency using IT systems, particularly Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Proficiency with project management and productivity tools such as spreadsheets, task-management platforms and shared documentation systems.

Key Personal Attributes & Skills

• Ability to create project management structures, systems, and processes and follow through both personally and with team members.
• Good time-management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and work under pressure.
• A proactive approach to problem-solving with strong decision-making skills.
• Strong attention to detail and good observation skills.
• Strong judgement and ability to identify what can be resolved independently and what needs to be escalated.
• Good writing skills and an understanding of how to approach diverse stakeholders.
• Ability to navigate uncertainty and remain agile in a dynamic environment where priorities may evolve.
• Ability to manage teams and oversee human resource requirements.
• Ability to work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to produce clear, coherent creative briefs and project reports.
• Ability to organise a daily workload by priorities.