VP, Business Development Client Strategist

ABOUT SOTHEBY'S

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Synonymous with innovation, Sotheby’s promotes access, connoisseurship and preservation of fine art and rare objects through auctions, private sales and retail locations. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 50 categories, which include Contemporary Art, Modern and Impressionist Art, Old Masters, Chinese Works of Art, Jewelry, Watches, Wine and Spirits, and Interiors, among many others.

 

THE ROLE

Sotheby’s Client Strategy team develops and implements strategies around existing clients and gathers intelligence on key high net worth individuals in order to generate commercial opportunities.  Partnering with key areas of the business including Business Development, Specialist Departments, Regional Offices, Marketing, Business Intelligence, Product & Technology, Special Events, among others, this team is responsible for spearheading initiatives to maximize Sotheby’s reach within its existing and prospective client base.  

The Client Strategist will partner on client cultivation efforts for departments within the Business Development division in New York, including Global Chairmen, Global Fiduciary Client Group, Global Collection Sale Management, Collector Services and Global Valuations.  

Utilizing Sotheby’s and external data, this role will focus on client cultivation with the goal of developing and implementing strategies around Sotheby’s highest priority clients, improving existing client knowledge and working on future pipeline business. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

Partner with Business Development on the following initiatives:

Fiduciary Client Group – 

• Mapping key relationships between clients and top lawyers, bankers, fiduciaries, and executors; identifying key stakeholders for the FCG group to engage and cultivate throughout America 
• Leading the strategic oversight of Next Great Estates as the key liaison between FCG, Client Strategy, the Chairmen and Specialists. 
• Work closely with the Relationship Managers within the department to identify key client opportunities and promote client retention 

Next Great Estate (NGE) and Strategic Projects

• Maintenance of long-term project pipelines and large data sets, aligning and partnering with regional teams for systematic global tracking and reporting 
• Creation of team meeting briefs, family trees and high-level presentations in order to provide an overview of key families/clients
• Continued follow through on key action points from meetings 
• Work closely with marketing on long term cultivation initiatives 

Collector Services 

• Implement and lead strategic efforts to identify prospective buyers/sellers for auction and private sales 
• Identify cross-category opportunities within the company and with senior business-getters
• Partner with Marketing to identify new client initiatives and supplement existing client targeting
• Partner with Product & Technology and Data & Analytics to leverage digital resources to drive strategies for client prospecting and targeting
• Liaise with Client Strategists in Asia and Europe to align efforts and strategy globally

Collection Sale Management and Valuations

• Work with both the Consignment Management and Valuations teams to act as liaison with the Client Strategy team to increase communication and information sharing where these teams hold key relationships with priority clients 

Client prospecting and research

• Use available resources including media, Wealth-X, and Sotheby’s CRM to identify client opportunities
• Project manage and structure regular and systematic reviews of Collector/Rich lists, including Forbes, ArtNews Top 200, real estate listings, and other media to ensure the accuracy of Sotheby’s existing client data and identify potential new clients
• Provide key insights and information on clients attending Sotheby’s high-level events, including strategic opportunities and key collection data
• Ad hoc projects as directed by Head of Client Strategy
• Liaise with Client Strategists in Asia and Europe to align efforts and strategy globally

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• 8+ years of experience in a related role within the art market or luxury industry
• Excellent analytical, research, and interpersonal skills and the ability to identify and drive growth opportunities
• Experience with project management to develop and execute key strategies and process that impact several departments wi