Gallery & Exhibition Planning Manager

Theartgorgeous; New York (NY); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Discretionary bonus

Competitive benefits package

Job summary

Sotheby's in New York is seeking an AVP to act as the strategic hub for the sales calendar, guiding exhibition and auction programming across Breuer and other NYC venues. This role coordinates with Specialists, Events, Partnerships, Facilities, and Exhibition Design to ensure clear space allocation and conflict-free activity.

The position emphasizes project-management, calendar ownership, and proactive planning with global teams, while managing tight turnarounds and stakeholder expectations,

Qualifications

• 5-7 years of experience in gallery operations, exhibition planning or comparable environment.
• Strong project management and planning skills.
• Ability to own and maintain schedules across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven cross-functional partnership experience.
• Confident communicator and effective problem-solver.
• Financial and resource awareness, including understanding labor and cost impacts.
• People management experience, including oversight of direct reports.
• Detail-oriented with high standards for visual presentation and client experience.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of the NY sale and exhibition calendar in partnership with Specialist departments, Sales Directors, General Managers, Bids, Private Sales, and regional colleagues.
• Manage turnaround timelines and ensure schedule cohesion across Breuer galleries and NY activities.
• Communicate sale dates to global colleagues and competitors where appropriate.
• Lead the annual planning process for worldwide gallery scheduling, ensuring alignment across regions.
• Notify global counterparts of changes promptly and maintain strong channels of communication to avoid conflicts.
• Serve as a liaison with scheduling counterparts at other major houses to monitor and mitigate sale calendar clashes.
• Partner with Facilities and Exhibitions teams to improve the space’s flow, functionality, and visitor experience.

Skills

Project management

Planning

Cross-functional partnership

Communication

Problem-solving

Financial awareness

People management

Attention to detail

Flexibility

Job description

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Established in 1744, Sotheby's is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby's promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which 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. Sotheby's believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.

The Role

This AVP serves as the strategic hub for the New York sales calendar, including exhibition and auction programming, as well as building activations such as events, rentals, and space allocation across the Breuer and other New York locations. The role includes oversight of all space scheduling within the building-salons, galleries, blacklight rooms, freight landings, and other shared areas and requires close coordination with the Dock Master to anticipate and manage operational impacts. In a project-management and communications-heavy capacity, this leader ensures that all stakeholders—from Specialist departments to Events, Partnerships, Facilities, and Exhibition Design—have clarity on what spaces are available, what is booked, and how activities impact one another. The role proactively anticipates pressure points, aligns timelines, and provides clear guidance on potential conflicts or constraints.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead development of the NY sale and exhibition calendar in partnership with Specialist departments, Sales Directors, General Managers, Bids, Private Sales, and regional colleagues.
• Manage turnaround timelines and ensure schedule cohesion across Breuer galleries and NY activities.
• Communicate sale dates to global colleagues and competitors where appropriate.
• Lead the annual planning process for worldwide gallery scheduling, ensuring alignment across regions.
• Notify global counterparts of changes promptly and maintain strong channels of communication to avoid conflicts.
• Serve as a liaison with scheduling counterparts at other major houses to monitor and mitigate sale calendar clashes.

Space Planning

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all Breuer space allocation—including exhibitions, private sales, events, viewings, and construction impacts.
• Assess space requests, identify conflicts or downstream impacts, and recommend appropriate allocations or adjustments.
• Provide visibility to all teams on building constraints, closures, or schedule adjustments.
• Maintain a real-time understanding of building activity, upcoming sales, major art fairs, and global events that impact scheduling.
• Share updates and planning documents with key internal stakeholders to ensure alignment.
• Partner with Facilities and Exhibitions teams to improve the space’s flow, functionality, and visitor experience.

Stakeholder Management

• Partner with Events, Facilities, Exhibition Design, and Logistics to communicate how programming decisions impact timelines, labor planning, and readiness.
• Escalate scheduling conflicts early and propose solutions that meet business needs.
• Partner with Planning team on schedule optimization at auction house.
• Work in close partnership with the Gallery & Exhibition Operations Manager to ensure adequate turnaround time for deinstall, installation, and resets between exhibitions.
• Collaborate with the Property Logistics Manager to plan the transfer schedule for property moving in and out of the building and ensure that logistical constraints are incorporated into the programming calendar.
• Map projected costs associated with compressed turnovers, obtain necessary budget approvals, and communicate financial impacts to leadership.
• Manage Logistics Support Manager.

Skills & Qualifications

• 5-7 years of relevant experience in gallery operations, exhibition planning, auction house operations, museum operations, or a comparable environment.
• Strong project management and planning skills.
• Demonstrated ability to own and maintain schedules, anticipate constraints, and manage tight turnarounds across multiple stakeholders.
• Proven cross-functional partnership experience.
• Confident communicator and effective problem-solver, able to resolve conflicts professionally and elevate issues appropriately.
• Financial and resource awareness, including understanding labor and cost impacts associated with compressed schedules.
• People management experience, including oversight of direct reports and coordination of team workflows.
• Detail-oriented with high standards, maintaining excellence in visual presentation and client experience.
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required by business needs.

The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $85,000-$110,000. In addition to base salary successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus, as well as a competitive benefits package. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.

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