Head of Department, Antiquities

The Company Christie’s, the world’s largest Art Business, is an incredibly exciting & enriching place to start or continue your career. Whether you work within one of our Specialist Art Departments, or in one of our more Operational teams, we are all working together with one common goal in mind: to continue the success of this 250 year old company, steeped in history, bringing fresh ideas whilst not forgetting our shared values; Integrity, Excellence, Innovation, Responsibility & Relationships. Colleagues across all departments are truly passionate about what they do and it is inspiring to work with industry leaders across our business. Why This Role Matters As Specialist Head of Department, London, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and executing the sales strategy for the Antiquities department. Working in close collaboration with the Global Managing Director, Regional Managing Director, and International Antiquities Specialists, you will lead efforts to drive business growth, cultivate high-value client relationships, and maximise revenue across both auction and Private Sales. How You'll Make an Impact Strategic Leadership & Growth: Set the department's direction, implement robust growth strategies, and ensure the department meets all sales, revenue, and profit targets, working closely with colleagues in the NY department to align globally. Expertise & Business Development: Act as a key business getter in the region for Antiquities, proactively identifying and securing high-value works and masterpieces. Deal Structuring & Negotiation: Proactively win business for sale, drive deals, and participate in structuring and negotiating commercially viable deals that increase profitability. Client Relationship Management: Develop and nurture strong relationships with top-tier clients, dealers, and collectors globally. Lead client relationships and collaborate with Client Strategy to build dedicated teams around key clients. Compliance & Risk Management: Ensure all departmental activities strictly adhere to legal, ethical, and regulatory standards, with particular attention to cultural property and international trade. Uphold rigorous provenance research practices, applying sound business and market judgment to proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks to the company's reputation and operations. Market Expansion: Introduce new opportunities and clients to the department. Collaborate with other business getters and groups to expand client relationships for revenue growth. Appraisals & Valuations: Liaise with the Estates, Appraisals & Valuations department, utilising appraisals to generate new long-term business opportunities and re-engage inactive clients and secure major private collections. Networking: Proactively identify key external and internal stakeholders, dealers, academics and other contacts, creating and cultivating productive networks. Team Leadership & Development: Lead, mentor, and develop the department's team of specialists and support staff, fostering a culture of excellence, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the International Antiquities Specialists, Business Management, the Commercial Office, other Specialists, and the Proposals department on pitches and business-getting initiatives. As required, lead discussions in the Significant Business Forum to approve terms. Thought Leadership: Represent the department externally through lectures, publications, and participation in academic or cultural forums, reinforcing the company's reputation as a leader in the Antiquities field. Digital Engagement: Collaborate with Marketing and Digital teams to enhance the department's online presence, develop innovative sales strategies, and engage new audiences through digital channels. Travel: Undertake international travel for business development, department management, client visits, events, exhibitions, and art fairs. What you’ll bring to the team Academic Background: Advanced degree (MA or higher) in a relevant field, such as Art History, Archaeology, or Classics, strongly preferred. Antiquities Market Expertise: Extensive, demonstrable experience within the Antiquities market, with deep knowledge of its key players, trends, and complexities Leadership & Team Development: Proven ability to lead, mentor, and inspire a high-performing team, fostering a collaborative and results-driven culture. Strategic & Commercial Acumen: Strong track record of delivering exceptional sales results and driving market leadership. Skilled in developing and executing strategic initiatives, with sound financial and commercial judgment. Deal-Making & Negotiation: Exceptional negotiation skills, with a history of structuring and closing complex, high-value deals. Client-Focused Mindset: Adept at building and maintaining trusted relationships with collectors, institutions, and stakeholders at all levels. Collaborative Spirit: Highly motivated team player with a proactive and adaptable approach to cross-functional collaboration. Communication Skills: Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to influence and engage effectively across diverse audiences. Travel: Willingness and ability to travel internationally for business development, client engagement, and industry events. Languages: Proficiency in additional languages is highly desirable. What’s great about working for us 25 days annual leave + 1 day Birthday leave Christie’s Christmas office closure (guaranteed between 25th Dec – 2nd Jan) – in addition to annual leave: almost two weeks to fully switch off and spend time with friends and family Additional 1 week’s annual leave within the year of a 5-year anniversary i.e. 5th, 10th, 15th and so on Volunteering day: Take an additional day of annual leave to volunteer for a charitable organisation that’s important to you Donation matching of up to £500 per annum to help you support the organisations you care about Flexible Fitness Fund - £400 per year expense allowance for health and wellness related activity (taxable) Access to world-renowned art: with regular exhibitions in our galleries to wander around and exclusive guided tours hosted by specialist colleagues Discretionary Bonus (dependent on the business and employee performance payable in March each year) Generous retirement plan: We will double match your pension contribution up to 5% of your basic salary (Max 10% contribution from Christie’s) Private Health Insurance – no employee contribution needed, subsidised for other family members Dental Insurance – (may be extended at personal cost) Generous Income Protection Insurance in the event of accident, sickness or injury after 12 months Competitive Life Insurance policy from first day Employee Assistance Programme – access to personal advice and support services including counselling Eyecare vouchers (once a year) Cycle to Work scheme Christie’s Extras – discounts on over 800 retailers, holiday packages, dinners and weekly shops Seniorcare by Lottie, a comprehensive eldercare solution Robust family first policy: Ø 16 weeks full pay on Maternity Leave Ø Four-day week, for eight weeks, at full pay on return from Maternity Leave Ø Dependent back-up care: 10 sessions/ days of childcare or eldercare per year Ø The Stork Club: Our community of parents who meet regularly over breakfasts, lunch, afternoon tea… *Christie’s reserves the right to change company benefits at any time Closing Date: Sunday 23rd November #LI-Hybrid #J-18808-Ljbffr