Gallery & Exhibition Planning Manager, New York

ABOUT SOTHEBY'S

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.

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

Sales Calendar Ownership

• 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 escalate 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.

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The Company is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applicants for employment without regard to race (including, without limitation, traits historically associated with race, such as natural hair, hair texture, and protective and treated or untreated hairstyles), color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, marital or civil partnership/union status, national origin, age, disability, pregnancy, genetic predisposition, genetic information, reproductive health decision, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, alienage or citizenship status, domestic violence victim status, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province or local law. The Company complies with applicable state and local laws prohibiting discrimination in employment in every jurisdiction in which it operates.