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Art Gallery, Fine Art, Retail (High-End)

Assistant to Managing Director, Sales Department

New York, NYOnsiteFull TimeDirector$60,000–$65,000 /yrPosted 1 month agoVisa sponsorship available

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Required skills

  • gallery experience
  • auction experience
  • administrative support
  • BA in Art History
  • Art Business
  • contemporary art
  • calendar management
  • travel itineraries
  • multitasking
  • prioritize

Nice to have

  • passionate about arts
  • eager to learn
  • entering the workforce
  • career change
  • returning to work

Role summary

David Zwirner, a leading art gallery, seeks a full-time Assistant to support a Managing Director in their Sales Department. This role involves administrative duties, liaising with artists, clients, and industry professionals, and supporting sales activities such as valuations and auction monitoring. The ideal candidate possesses superior writing skills, excellent time management, strong organizational abilities, and a deep knowledge of contemporary art. This position requires discretion, poise, and the ability to manage calendars, travel, and expenses for senior leadership. The role offers exposure to the art market, international operations, and various gallery projects.

At David Zwirner, we strive to be an industry leader in our field, with our artists at the center of what we do. Our global exhibition program expands beyond our locations in New York, London, Los Angeles, Hong Kong, and Paris, representing over eighty artists and estates. Home to innovative, singular, and pioneering exhibitions across a variety of media and genres. Active in both the primary and secondary markets, David Zwirner has helped foster the careers of some of the most influential artists today.

Who will work well with us:

  • The ideal candidate is someone who is passionate and interested in the arts/larger creative arena or is eager to learn.
  • We welcome all individuals entering the workforce, those moving into a new stage of their career or vocation, making a change, returning to work, and those wanting to learn and grow within the industry to apply.

    • About the Opportunity

    Assistant to Managing Director, Sales Department | $60k-65k annual salary, paid hourly; overtime eligible

    David Zwirner seeks a full-time Assistant to work alongside one of the gallery's Managing Directors. The Assistant will fulfill administrative assistant duties as well as liaise with curators, artists, and clients for the Managing Director.

    Superior writing skills, the ability to time-manage and meet deadlines, and a thorough working knowledge of contemporary art are required. This position will involve significant contact with artists, estates, foundations, and long-time clients and other art industry professionals; therefore, discretion and poise are essential. This position will be scheduled to work Monday - Friday, 10 am - 6 pm.

    Candidates must be diligent, extremely organized, and possess excellent time management and communication skills.

    What you’ll do:

  • Direct line to sales regarding inventory, acquisitions, valuations, and sales strategy.
  • Sales support, including assisting with valuations and preparing for weekly secondary market meetings.
  • Monitor gallery artists’ works at auction; liaise with auction houses for setting up telephone bids, cataloging, research, copyright, and other general inquiries.
  • Inventory dispersal for international gallery locations and art fairs.
  • Assist with collection management and outgoing loans; Assist with the varying stages of purchases and sales.
  • Projects and tasks as requested.
  • Liaise with other gallery staff regarding all aspects of inventory & exhibition management: production, shipping, framing, photography, research, etc.
  • Daily management of the Managing Director's agendas, to-do lists, meeting preparation, and expenses
  • Prepare travel arrangements, itineraries, appointments, and expenses.
  • Liaise frequently with multiple departments within the gallery to oversee projects such as exhibition and art fair booth models, gallery exhibition checklists, online viewing rooms, sales previews, and press packets, among others.

    • What we would like you to have:

  • 3+ years of gallery and auction experience in an assistant or administrative support role
  • BA in Art History, Art Business, or a degree in a relevant area of study.
  • Focused, reliable, and with exacting attention to detail
  • Must be able to work with team members at all levels
  • Experience supporting senior leadership with calendar management, travel itineraries, and managing upwards.
  • Strong multitasking skills with the ability to prioritize and anticipate needs.
  • Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to work cross-departmentally.
  • Detail-oriented, with strong organizational skills.
  • Passion for and knowledge of contemporary art.

    • What you will love about David Zwirner:

  • David Zwirner has pioneered initiatives dedicated to the gallery’s long-standing commitment to kaleidoscopic storytelling, including: David Zwirner Online, David Zwirner Books, Dialogues, Utopia Editions, and Consignments.
  • Premier Access - to private on-site and off-site events, such as exhibition previews, book signings, talks, and walkthroughs with gallery artists and estate members, and external curators and scholars.
  • Staff-driven projects and fundraising initiatives. This includes David Zwirner's commitment to Galleries Commit.
  • Competitive Benefits Package!

    • Please submit a resume and cover letter, and be prepared to provide three (3) professional references upon request.

    David Zwirner is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Gallery is firmly committed to equal employment opportunities in all facets of its operations. The Gallery makes decisions concerning hiring and terms and conditions of employment without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law.

    If you need assistance in applying to a role, you may reach out to recruiting@davidzwirner.com. No calls or walk-ins will be considered for positions at David Zwirner.

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