Bids Manager, Europe

Fondée en 1744, Sotheby's est le leader mondial de la vente aux enchères dans les domaines de l'art et du luxe. Synonyme d'innovation, Sotheby's favorise l'accès, la connaissance et la préservation des œuvres d'art et des objets rares par le biais de ventes aux enchères, de ventes privées et de points de vente. Notre marché international s'appuie sur un réseau de spécialistes répartis dans 40 pays et couvrant 50 catégories telles que l'art contemporain, l'art moderne et impressionniste, les tableaux anciens, les arts d’Asie, les bijoux, les montres, les vins et spiritueux et le design, entre autres.

The Role

The Bids Manager is responsible for the core management, people, and transformation priorities of the bidder experience for all auctions in Europe as well as the flawless execution of all sales in the region. They will play a critical role in the integration of new innovations and processes to streamline live and online auction operations and will be responsible for identifying and implementing tools and processes designed to increase efficiency. The Bids Manager should prioritize delivering an exceptional experience for all prospective bidders whilst upholding and abiding by Sotheby’s conditions of business and regulatory requirements. The role requires a strong focus in client service, as well as an ability to provide guidance to team members and manage internal and external stakeholders across the sale journey. Must be comfortable coordinating and managing a team, delivering under pressure at a fast pace, and able to juggle multiple priorities at once. The candidate must be process driven, a creative problem solver, and forward thinking in all elements of their work to support a positive team environment and elevated client experience. 

RESPONSIBILITIES

People & Operational Leadership

• Management, recruitment, and development of a regional bids support staff composed of colleagues and casuals.
• Responsible for identifying and planning staffing resources for peak periods across Europe. Schedule staff according to the auction calendar based on anticipated demand.
• Liaise closely with other regional bids leads to operate globally as a team, align on process, and ensure adequate coverage and support for all Sotheby’s auctions.
• Communication of broader Operations Strategy to the team; set goals, navigate change, and conduct annual performance reviews for direct reports as required.
• Responsible for developing and implementing training for new bids support staff. Provide ongoing training for Bids & Client Services teams on compliance procedures, operational processes, and system enhancements. 
• Work alongside regional bids leads and take personal accountability for the direction of transformation within the bids function and client experience.
• Establish, gather, and analyze KPIs, SLAs, and metrics to measure team performance, identify areas for operational improvement, plan resourcing, and inform the bidder experience.

Bidder Experience

• Manage all correspondence and communication with external clients and internal stakeholders regarding the bidding experience and auction process. 
• Ensure client concerns and escalations are addressed swiftly and with the utmost professionalism. 
• Oversee client registration for bidding in auctions via any type of channel: online, in-person, over the phone, and via absentee.
• Assist clients with account creation and maintenance with the highest care while upholding and abiding by Sotheby’s KYC & AML procedure. Ensure all required legal and compliance documentation relevant to bid activity is gathered, reviewed, and stored appropriately.
• Responsible for ensuring all bids support staff uphold elevated service standards and consistency in alignment with other client facing teams.

Auction Operations & Execution

• Oversee day-today operation of the bids function including management of ticketing system; bidding and account escalations; live & online auction operation; bidding platform maintenance; sale creation and management support.
• Represent the Bids department during any sale outage, live sale room, or operational escalations; manage client and stakeholder communications as necessary.
• Partner with compliance, legal, finance and commercial teams to manage enhanced vetting criteria as needed (financial checks, KYC, AML).
• Responsible for adhering to and abiding by Sotheby’s Auction Rules and Conditions of Business.
• In partnership with Client Services team, ensure the smooth operation of front of house paddle registration procedures.
• Liaise with Logistics and IT teams to ensure department sale room needs are met for all live auctions.

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• In partnership with regional Logistics and Sale Team Leads, collaborate in the planning and organization of the auction calendar in Paris and other regional European offices.
• Partner with Product & Technology teams to improve auction platform functionality and enhance bidding workflows.
• Support Sale Teams with interest reporting and tracking.
• Train telephone bidders, auctioneers, and sale clerks from across the business. Schedule these resources to ensure adequate coverage for live auctions.
• Partner closely with auctioneers, provide support and guidance as needed.
• Cross-train support staff from across the business to accommodate peak times.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Proven experience in change management, transformation, and operational leadership.
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills (written and spoken). Comfortable communicating with senior staff, auctioneers, and VIP clients.
• Positive and proactive approach to challenges. Proven experience employing problem solving skills when dealing with complex and high touch escalations.
• Leader with people management skills, talent mapping of individuals to allow personal development and retention.
• Operationally minded with an eye for process optimization.
• Meticulous attention to detail with the ability to meet strict deadlines.
• Committed, reliable, solution oriented.
• Knowledge of or experience in the auction industry, its culture, and services is preferred.
• Able to maintain the highest standard of confidentiality and discretion.
• High level of computer literacy required – prior experience with ticketing platforms (Freshdesk), Client Databases, SAP, Salesforce, Auction Management platforms, or other Sotheby’s systems is preferable.
• Fluency in French and English required. Other languages preferable.
• Flexible to work evenings, early mornings, and weekends as needed.
• Flexible to travel to other selling locations where required.

Sotheby’s applique à tous ses recrutements un principe d'égalité des chances et considère tous les candidats à un emploi sans discrimination conformément aux dispositions du Code du Travail et aux valeurs de l’entreprise.