Business Director, Pop Culture

Christie's; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

401(k) matching

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

Paid time off

Fitness reimbursement

Bonus program

Commuter benefits

CSR day

Perks discounts

Job summary

Christie’s in New York seeks a Business Director for Pop Culture to partner with the Global Head of Pop Culture and senior leadership. You will shape and deliver global strategy, manage the auction pipeline, private sales, and major proposals while leading cross-functional initiatives.

You’ll influence resources, governance, and performance reporting, ensuring disciplined execution and growth across regions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in a senior business management, strategy, operations or commercial leadership role.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead cross-functional initiatives.
• Strong financial judgment with experience in budgeting and performance analysis.
• Excellent communication and executive reporting skills.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver the global Pop Culture strategy and commercial agenda.
• Oversee the department's auction pipeline, private sales, and major proposals.
• Lead governance across functions to ensure timely, high-standard delivery.
• Provide senior-level escalation points, identify risks, and maintain momentum.
• Drive organizational effectiveness and alignment of resources with priorities.

Skills

Senior leadership

Strategic thinking

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional collaboration

Financial acumen

Executive communication

Project governance

Job description

Business Director, Pop Culture

The Company

Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, is an incredibly exciting & enriching place to start or continue your career. Whether you work within one of our Specialist Art Departments or in our more Operational focused teams we are all working together with one common goal in mind: to continue the success of this over 250 year old company, steeped in history, bringing constant innovation whilst not forgetting our age old values; Respect, Passionate Expertise, Exceptional Client Service, Teamwork, Integrity, Business Judgement & Innovation. Colleagues across all departments are truly passionate about what they do and it is constantly inspiring to work with industry leaders across all segments of the business.

The Role

The Business Director will be a senior strategic partner to the Global Head of Pop Culture, Heads of Department and Department Managing Directors, helping to shape and deliver the global Pop Culture strategy, commercial agenda and long-term growth plan. Operating at the intersection of strategy, commercial execution and organizational leadership, the role will provide senior-level oversight across the department’s auction pipeline, priority consignments, private sale opportunities, major proposals and cross-functional initiatives.

This individual will act as a trusted advisor, senior influencer and strategic connector across the business, ensuring that priorities are clearly defined, resources are aligned, risks are anticipated, and opportunities are converted into strong commercial outcomes. The role requires a highly commercial, structured and confident operator who can translate strategic ambition into disciplined execution while supporting the continued growth, professionalization and global positioning of the Pop Culture department.

How You’ll Make an Impact

Strategic Execution & Project Management

• Partner with the Global Head of Pop Culture and senior leadership to shape, prioritise and deliver the department’s global commercial strategy, including the short-, long-term and masterpiece business pipeline.
• Provide senior oversight of various owner auctions, private sales, high-value proposals and strategic initiatives, ensuring clear ownership, disciplined execution and measurable commercial impact.
• Lead cross-functional governance across specialists, operations, legal, marketing, finance and regional leadership to ensure complex projects are delivered effectively, efficiently and to the highest standard.
• Act as the senior point of escalation for global Pop Culture various owner auctions and priority projects, identifying risks early, unlocking decisions and maintaining momentum across teams and regions.
• Drive organisational effectiveness by strengthening departmental operating models, decision-making processes, communication rhythms and accountability frameworks.
• Influence senior stakeholders across reporting lines, building alignment around priorities, commercial ambition, resource needs and shared outcomes.
• Provide clear, strategic reporting to senior leadership on pipeline, performance, risks, opportunities and resource requirements.

Business Operations & Financial Coordination

• Serve as a senior commercial partner to business leadership, providing strategic input on significant deal structures, guarantees, advances, third-party backing and other commercial terms.
• Partner with Commercial Finance, Legal and departmental leadership to review, structure and secure approval for complex, high-value or strategically important opportunities.
• Lead the preparation of executive-level business cases, investment recommendations and decision papers for priority property, major consignments and strategic growth initiatives.
• Bring commercial discipline to deal evaluation, ensuring opportunities are assessed against profitability, risk, client value, competitive positioning and long-term strategic importance.
• In partnership with the business management team, help oversee forecasting, budgeting, reporting and performance analysis in partnership with Finance, ensuring leadership has a clear view of progress against plan.
• Use data, KPIs and market insight to identify opportunities for growth, margin improvement, operational efficiency and stronger commercial decision-making.

Stakeholder Management & Team Leadership

• Provide senior leadership to the Pop Culture sale coordination team and support the effective management, prioritisation and professional development of the wider global auctions team.
• Build trusted relationships with senior stakeholders across departments and regions, fostering collaboration, alignment and accountability around the department’s strategic priorities.
• Partner with Department Heads to lead organisational change, embed improved ways of working and ensure teams are equipped to deliver against evolving business priorities.
• Advise leadership on resourcing, succession planning, capability gaps and long-term team structure to support the department’s global growth ambitions.

What You’ll Bring to the Team

• Significant experience in a senior business management, strategy, operations or commercial leadership role, ideally within a high-value, client-focused or creative commercial environment 6 years of relevant experience.
• Strong commercial judgement, with the ability to assess opportunities through the lens of growth, profitability, risk, client impact and competitive positioning.
• Proven ability to operate as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing clear counsel, structured thinking and confident challenge where appropriate.
• Demonstrated success leading complex, cross-functional programmes or strategic initiatives with multiple stakeholders, competing priorities and high commercial expectations.
• Excellent stakeholder management and influencing skills, with the credibility to build alignment and drive outcomes across senior teams and regions.
• High level of strategic and analytical capability, with confidence interpreting financial information, business cases, KPIs and market data.
• Strong governance, planning and execution skills, with the ability to bring structure, pace and accountability to complex workstreams.
• Confident communicator, able to produce clear executive-level materials and present recommendations persuasively to senior stakeholders.

What’s great about working for us

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental and Vision care plans for employees and dependents (On average, Christie’s pays 80% of total premiums)
• 401(k) Savings Plan – Christie’s provides a matching contribution up to 5% (subject to IRS limits)
• Life Insurance - 3x base salary up to $400k (100% paid by Christie’s)
• Disability Insurance (100% paid by Christie’s)
• Generous time-off and leave policies; including 100% Paid Family Leave up to 16 weeks.
• Fitness Reimbursement Program: reimbursement of eligible fitness fees and memberships up to $600 per year
• Annual Discretionary Performance Bonus Plan
• Commuter Benefits - Pre-tax money towards your daily commute with a Christie’s contribution of $21 per month
• Back Up Child & Elder Care – up to 10 days of back-up Child or Elder Care through Bright Horizons
• CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) Day- Each employee receives one paid day per year to dedicate their time to a charity of their choice.
• Perks and Discounts through Zo and Plum Benefits

*Christie’s reserves the right to change company benefits at any time

Christie’s, Inc. is committed to principles of equal employment opportunity, affirmative action, and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws concerning employment discrimination, including the Americans with Disabilities Act. To this end, Christie’s Inc. ensures equal opportunity to all employees and applicants, regardless of race, color, age, sex, sexual orientation, religion, marital status, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, lawful alien status, physical, mental, and medical disability, veteran status or liability status for service in the United States Armed Forces.

Closing Date: October 6th, 2026

*Posted salary range does not include discretionary bonus compensation and/or overtime pay.

Compensation Range

Salary: $110,000.00 - $150,000.00