THE ROLE
The Bids & Client Services Department is the first and most highly visible contributor to the client experience at Sotheby's worldwide headquarters. As a member of the Bids & Client Services Department, it is the responsibility of the Bid Coordinator to provide key operational support to the bidder experience and the auction process. The primary goal of the Bid Coordinator is to ensure the flawless execution of all auctions in New York in compliance with company policies and best practices while ensuring an exceptional and seamless client experience. The candidate will be responsible for registering and executing bids for all New York sales in addition to facilitating the operation of all auctions in New York. The candidate must be process driven, a creative problem solver, a team player, and must excel under pressure with a calm demeanor to support an elevated client experience.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Coordinate, vet and execute bid registrations over email, on the phone, and in person for auctions
- Serve as Brand Ambassador for the Company, portraying a warm, hospitable feeling for both current and prospective clients
- Uphold and abide by Sotheby’s KYC & AML procedure; ensure all required legal and compliance documentation pertaining to client account creation and auction registration is gathered, reviewed, and stored appropriately.
- Accountable to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Company’s domestic and international auction process to effectively communicate with existing and potential clients
- Manage telephone bid allocation for live sales
- Assist with live auction clerking duties by operating Sotheby’s online bidding platform and overseeing an accurate sale record
- Centralize interest requests from specialist departments inclusive of pulling pre and post-sale reports, providing analytics and product interaction data.
- Gather and assess auction metrics, bidding data, and key performance indicators to inform relevant teams and support the enhancement of processes, overall sale performance, and client experience.
- Implement training & onboarding initiatives for temporary Bids & Client Services staff as directed by the Bids & Client Services Managers
- Proactively address client concerns and issues as appropriate and take ownership of solving the client’s issue or escalation
- Collaborate with Product & Technology to improve auction platform functionality and enhance bidding workflows
- Provide exceptional client service in all interactions both internally and externally to clients, auctioneers, relationship managers and specialist departments
- Support clients with general inquiries through the possession of thorough and current knowledge of the Company’s international sale and exhibition calendars, special events, departments, personnel and their building locations; names and titles of Sotheby’s senior management and executive officers
- Participate in ad hoc projects as needed
- Must adhere to required front of house attire on live sale days
IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES
- 2+ years relevant professional experience
- Must be available to work evenings, early mornings, and weekends as needed
- Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills with a pleasant, client service oriented attitude
- Operationally minded with an eye for process optimization
- Process driven, logical, and solution oriented thinker; able to multitask and prioritize time-sensitive deadlines with poise under pressure
- Self-motivated, enthusiastic team player with strong work ethic and superb organizational and time management skills
- Meticulous attention to detail
- Proven experience employing problem solving skills when dealing with internal and external clients
- Forward thinking and tech savvy
- Strong comfort with Microsoft Office & Google Suite - prior experience with SAP, Salesforce, Freshdesk, Client Databases, or other Sotheby’s systems is preferable
- Foreign language(s) a plus
The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $45,000-$50,000. 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.
