Specialist, Design

Wright Auction House; New York (NY); On-site; USD 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health coverage

Annual performance bonus

Safe Harbor 401(k) with 3% company},

Life insurance

Paid time off (18 days) and holidays

Holiday break between Christmas and NY

Employee Assistance Program

Commuter Benefits Program

Job summary

Rago/Wright currently seeks a full-time Specialist, Design for our New York City team. The role focuses on design and decorative arts, client-facing expertise, and cross-location collaboration to deliver exceptional auctions and exhibitions in a fast-paced environment.

The successful candidate will manage consignments, build relationships, and coordinate with design specialists to price and present core collecting areas, while supporting a dynamic client service culture.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; prior auction house or related experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of design and decorative arts, with a passion for the market.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, organizational, and client service skills, with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment.
• Proficiency with workplace tools (Slack and email) and willingness to travel between company locations as needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop new client relationships and outreach for both buying and selling sides.
• Collaborate with the Design team to build and cover core collecting areas.
• Manage consignments and the consignor relationship throughout the process.
• Work with specialists to field, price and negotiate consignment inquiries.
• Answer auction-related inquiries; create and distribute auction materials, including condition reports.
• Address and answer select inquiries as directed from the consignment team or inbox.
• Enter all inventory into the inventory database and assist sellers with descriptions and provenance details.
• Support the Consignment Team on larger consignments and proposals as needed.
• Assist with local area consignment visits and auction day tasks as needed.

Skills

Design expertise

Client-facing

Negotiation

Organizational skills

Communication

Attention to detail

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Slack

Email

Job description

Rago/Wright is a leading network of auction houses specializing in fine art, design, decorative arts, jewelry and watches, and pop culture. With galleries in New York City, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Lambertville, our teams collaborate across locations to deliver exceptional auctions and exhibitions in a fast-paced, creative environment.

We are seeking a full-time Specialist, Design to join our New York City team. The ideal candidate has auction experience, expertise in design and decorative arts, strong client-facing skills, and a passion for the market. This role requires excellent organization, collaboration, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while contributing to an industry-leading team.

Best-in-Class Benefits and Culture:

We value our employees’ time and efforts. Our commitment to your success is enhanced by a competitive compensation of $75,000 - $100,000 annually, depending on experience, and an extensive benefits package including:

• Comprehensive health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision insurance provided
• Eligible for annual performance bonus
• Safe Harbor 401(k) with 3% company contribution
• Basic life insurance (covered by us)
• 18 days of paid personal time off and about 10 company holidays per year, including a holiday
• break between Christmas and New Year’s Day
• Employee Assistance Program
• Commuter Benefits Program

Plus, we work to maintain the best environment for our employees, where people can learn and grow with the company. We strive to provide a collaborative, creative environment where everyone feels encouraged to contribute to our processes, decisions, planning, and culture.

To thrive/succeed as the Specialist, Design, you should have:

• Bachelor’s degree required; prior auction house or related industry experience preferred
• Strong knowledge of design and decorative arts, with a passion for the market
• Excellent communication, negotiation, organizational, and client service skills, with strong attention to detail
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
• Proficiency with workplace communication tools (e.g., Slack and email) and willingness to travel between company locations as needed

Your responsibilities as the Specialist, Design will include:

Consignment Team Responsibilities:

• Develop new client relationships and execute client outreach, for both the buying and selling side of the business
• Work specifically with the Design team to build and cover our core collecting areas
• Manage consignments and the consignor relationship throughout the consignment process
• Work with a team of specialists to field, price and negotiate consignment inquiries
• Answer auction related inquiries; create and distribute auction related materials, including condition reports, and targeted selling outreach
• Address and answer select inquiries as directed from the consignment team or received in the consignment inbox
• Enter all inventory taken in, to inventory database program, and work with sellers to complete descriptions and provenance details as well as potential additional content on any given item or groups of items consigned
• Support the Consignment Team on larger consignments and proposals as needed
• Assist with local area consignment visits and auction day tasks as needed

Client Service Responsibilities:

• Customer service in a wide range of areas, including general and auction related inquiries via phone, web chat and client visits
• Assist with local area consignment visits
• Assist with auction day tasks as needed
• Assist with pre-auction exhibition staffing, as necessary, and speak with clients about property either in person, or remotely
• Review cataloguing and condition reports prior to publication
• Assist the teams in the warehouse with physical cataloguing and conditioning when needed
• Work with other internal teams, including research, cataloguing, and marketing, to produce content, scholarship and expand marketing possibilities

We are an equal opportunity employer that welcomes and encourages diversity in the workplace.

We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, marital status, age, national origin, ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy, genetic information, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or any other status protected under federal, state, or local law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories for employment.