Full-Time
Executive Assistant
Sotheby’s
1,001-5,000 employees
Global auction house handling fine art
Compensation Overview
$55k - $75k/yr
New York, NY, USA
In Person
Bachelor's
 Administrative & Executive Assistance (1) |
|---|
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- A bachelor's degree is required.
- Some experience in an Executive Assistant role or a role with similar responsibilities is required.
- An awareness and interest in the art market and Sotheby's, with a desire to learn about business development and strategy, is required.
- Strong multitasking and prioritization skills are required.
- Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organization are required.
- Ability to handle sensitive and confidential information professionally and maintain discretion is required.
- Ability to maintain composure under pressure is required.
- Ability to interact professionally, maturely, and collaboratively with key constituents is required.
- Ability to exercise good judgment and represent the Sotheby's brand and core competencies is required.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and a client-service attitude are required.
- Excellent written communication and analytical skills, including experience drafting reports and presentations and responding to correspondence promptly, are required.
- Strong experience with Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint is required.
- Flexibility to work some evenings and weekends when necessary is required.
- Act as a liaison with staff globally, including executives and senior experts, high-profile clients, and external stakeholders across the art business.
- Coordinate meetings by planning agendas with input, arranging speakers, organizing materials, tracking attendance, and following up on actions.
- Assist with diverse projects, initiatives, and rollouts by conducting research and gathering, analyzing, and presenting data.
- Answer calls and handle incoming inquiries from staff and clients, resolving issues or escalating them to executives.
- Ensure executives are prepared for meetings, pitches, sales, and client interactions with appropriate materials and reports.
- Draft emails, type correspondence, prepare reports and presentations, and proofread documents.
- Own busy executive calendars by anticipating business-development and sales needs, scheduling meetings, events, and travel, sending reminders, ensuring punctuality, and proactively monitoring and resolving conflicts.
- Keep executives informed about key art fairs, events, news, internal updates and initiatives, upcoming sales, and sale results.
- Book travel, identify challenges or conflicts, prepare necessary documentation, and liaise with international offices.
- Complete expense reports and ensure timely payment.
- Manage invoices by checking costs and accuracy, setting up new vendors, processing invoices, and monitoring timely payment.
- Partner with other Executive Assistants and provide coverage when needed.
1) What it does: Sotheby’s runs high-end auctions and private sales of fine art, luxury items, and collectibles for global collectors and investors. 2) How its products work: It holds live and online auctions where items are sold to the highest bidder, and also facilitates private sales directly between sellers and buyers. Revenue comes from commissions on final sale prices and service fees such as appraisals; it also provides online estimates to help sellers gauge value. 3) How it’s different: It combines a global auction network with discreet private sales, strong appraisal expertise, and curated collections, allowing access to both broad, open bidding and private, personalized transactions. 4) Goal: To connect sellers with buyers in the high-end market, maximizing value for items and delivering trusted, expert valuation and sales services for rare and valuable possessions.
Company Size
1,001-5,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
New York City, New York
Founded
1744
Get referred to Sotheby’s
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Sotheby’s first-half 2026 sales hit $4.4 billion, up 58 percent year over year.
- NIGHTCAP launches September 17, 2026, expanding wine, whisky, and new-collector engagement.
- July 2026 private sales reached $826 million, showing recurring demand beyond marquee auctions.
What critics are saying
- Patrick Drahi’s debt load keeps Sotheby’s exposed if auctions cool in 2027.
- Christie’s and Phillips compete aggressively for trophy estates, squeezing Sotheby’s consignment pipeline.
- If Breuer traffic or luxury cross-sell disappoints, the headquarters investment becomes a capital drain.
What makes Sotheby’s unique
- Sotheby’s Breuer headquarters opened in 2026, doubling visitors versus York Avenue.
- Sotheby’s Financial Services has originated over $12 billion in collector loans.
- Sotheby’s spans 70 categories, from fine art to RM Sotheby’s and Concierge Auctions.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
Life Insurance
Disability Insurance
Paid Vacation
Paid Sick Leave
Paid Holidays
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Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
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↑ 1%Fashion updates for the New month ahead. By Silvia Blanco 16 August 2026 August marks the final stretch of the summer season, but the fashion world is showing no signs of slowing down. Notable launches this month. Mother opened the doors to its first standalone flagship in Beverly Hills, while Agua by Agua Bendita popped up at Marchanta Out East. Frame and Sotheby's launched their second capsule collection, and HM released its coveted collection with Wardrobe.NYC. Citizens of Humanity and Jennifer Meyer are bringing their shared California sensibility to a six-piece capsule designed for the way women actually get dressed. The collaboration includes a leather bomber, a silk cami and dress, flannel shirting, and the new Jen Straight Leather Pant. Collaborations and partnerships. Moncler Grenoble and Aspen's legendary Hotel Jerome are taking luxury out of the lobby and onto the trail with Hotel Jerome Treks, a new alpine experience limited to just 100 guests. Experts will lead guests along one of two specially selected hikes, offering a more intimate way into the area's trails. HM and Wardrobe.NYC are getting an early start on the fall season with an exclusive capsule collection full of transitional closet essentials. The collaboration brings the New York label's signature minimalist approach to a wider audience, translating nearly a decade of its refined design ethos into a tightly edited lineup of wardrobe staples. Frame and Sotheby's have reunited for a second collaboration. Pop-Ups and flagships. Agua by Agua Bendita is bringing its celebration of Latin American craftsmanship to the Hamptons as an official co-host of Marchanta Out East, a month-long luxury retail and cultural experience. The immersive pop-up showcases a carefully selected collection of fashion, fragrance, home, and design brands that highlight the richness of contemporary Latin American creativity. Mother is putting down deeper roots in Los Angeles with the opening of its first standalone flagship in Beverly Hills. For now, it's clear that the fashion world is showing no signs of slowing down. With new stores, collections, and collaborations like summer bags popping up left and right, there's never been a more exciting time to be a part of this industry.
Sotheby's NIGHTCAP brings Wine, Whisky and $7 million in auctions to New York. The auction house's inaugural New York festival pairs world-class tastings, collector dinners and a landmark auction series with the culture of wine and spirits. NEW YORK, - This September, Sotheby's will launch the inaugural New York edition of NIGHTCAP, a new global Wine & Spirits festival celebrating the worlds of collecting, connoisseurship, gastronomy and luxury. Taking place from 17-19 September at Sotheby's global headquarters, The Breuer, the festival will bring together exceptional educational tasting experiences, exclusive collector dinners and headline auctions in a dynamic format designed to engage both seasoned collectors and a new generation of enthusiasts. Following its debut in Hong Kong earlier this year, NIGHTCAP marks the next chapter in Sotheby's expanding global Wine & Spirits strategy. As one of the company's most important wine hubs and home to its auction and retail businesses, New York provides the ideal stage for this flagship event, reflecting the continued strength, diversity and international reach of Sotheby's Wine & Spirits community. "This inaugural New York edition of NIGHTCAP marks an exciting evolution for Sotheby's Wine & Spirits, bringing together the full breadth of our global community in one dynamic moment," said Nick Pegna, Sotheby's Global Head of Wine & Spirits. "The strength of the market today is reflected not only in its continued growth, but in its energy, curiosity, and expanding community of collectors. NIGHTCAP is designed to capture that momentum, creating a platform where seasoned collectors and new enthusiasts alike can engage, discover, and connect through exceptional experiences, world-class auctions, and the shared culture of wine and spirits. We look forward to sharing this experience with the New York community and expanding NIGHTCAP as a global celebration in the years ahead." The launch arrives at a moment of significant momentum for the category. Sotheby's Wine & Spirits business has welcomed a record number of bidders, with more than one-third of wine and spirits bidders new to Sotheby's. U.S. buyers continue to lead the market, representing 31% of total purchases, while the next generation of collectors is driving growth - 51% of bidders are now under the age of 50. Across the week, NIGHTCAP will present the most significant wine and spirits auction series ever assembled in New York, featuring more than $7 million of exceptional wines and spirits across four dedicated auctions, alongside a curated program of experiences for leading collectors, producers and enthusiasts. More than a festival, NIGHTCAP represents a broader cultural moment that positions wine and spirits alongside art, design and hospitality, bringing together the people, stories and craftsmanship that define the category. At its heart, wine and spirits are about shared experiences - exceptional bottles, meaningful conversations and connections formed around a common passion. NIGHTCAP celebrates that culture on an elevated stage, creating new opportunities for discovery while deepening engagement with existing communities. The NIGHTCAP Wine & Whisky Tasting. Friday, 18 September | The Breuer | 6:00 PM Tickets available to purchase here. The NIGHTCAP Wine & Whisky Tasting is an immersive, walk-around experience inviting guests to discover and compare exceptional wines and whiskies from around the world. Hosted in Sotheby's iconic Breuer building, the evening will showcase approximately 40 wines and 20 whiskies. Through guided tastings, guests will explore a thoughtfully curated selection spanning both established icons and rising stars across key regions, including Pol Roger, Vega Sicilia, Château Pichon Comtesse de Lalande, Jean-Louis Chave, Louis Roederer, Jean Marc Roulot and Pappy Van Winkle, among others. Blending education with discovery, the event celebrates curiosity and connoisseurship in a dynamic festival setting. Guests will have the opportunity to taste a diverse range of bottles from around the world while testing their knowledge and palate through a dedicated blind tasting experience. "We are delighted to inaugurate this exceptional week of auctions, exclusive dinners, and tasting in New York," said Victor Rabot, Head of Global Buying and Winery Relations at Sotheby's Wine. "These events are designed to bring together collectors, enthusiasts, but also consumers new to wine and spirits. They will offer a unique opportunity to connect, discover, and deepen one's appreciation of the remarkable stories and craftsmanship behind every bottle. We look forward to expanding the experience to other major cities around the world in the years to come." A landmark auction series. During NIGHTCAP, Sotheby's will present a comprehensive programme of four curated auctions spanning the week, each showcasing exceptional provenance, rarity and collecting opportunities across the market. The series will unfold across dedicated sales moments, offering collectors multiple opportunities to engage throughout the festival. Among the highlights is The Impeccable Burgundy Collection: Part VI, a cornerstone sale anchoring the programme. Further details on the full auction schedule and individual sales will be announced in the coming weeks. The Impeccable Burgundy Collection: Part VI. A cornerstone of the festival, The Impeccable Burgundy Collection: Part VI is the latest chapter in a remarkable single-owner wine collection. Building on the success of previous sales in New York and Hong Kong since the series debuted in 2023, this installment is the most significant to date. Featuring more than 600 lots, the sale showcases one of the finest collections of Burgundy ever assembled. At its core is an extraordinary offering from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, including a magnum of the celebrated 1990 Romanée-Conti (est. $42,000-60,000). The collection spans three centuries and includes historic wines from Bouchard Père & Fils, highlighted by an 1865 La Romanée (est. $80,000-120,000) acquired directly from the Bouchard cellars. Additional highlights include exceptional bottles from Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Leroy, Domaine des Lambrays, Ramonet, Raveneau, Rouget, Méo-Camuzet, Cathiard and Faiveley, alongside a remarkable selection of Champagne from Dom Pérignon, Krug, Salon, Philipponnat and Taittinger. Built over decades with an uncompromising focus on rarity, provenance and condition, the collection is distinguished by its exceptional depth of back vintages, rare large-format bottles and extensive verticals, many of which are rarely seen at auction. A defining feature of the collection is its impeccable provenance. The wines were acquired through importer and distributor allocations, direct domaine and château sales, and renowned private collections including The Don Stott Cellar, The Cellar of William I. Koch, The Henry Tang Collection, Wines from Joseph Lau and Dr. Ku's Apothecary Collection. The live auction will take place at The Breuer on September 19, with bidding opening on August 28. About Sotheby's. Established in 1744, Sotheby's promotes access and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions, private sales and retail. Its deep expertise across 70 selling categories is supported by a leading technology platform and a global network of specialists spanning 40 countries. Selling categories 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 through RM Sotheby's and Concierge. Sotheby's Financial Services is a leading art lender and provides capital solutions for collectors around the world, having originated more than $12 billion in loans since its inception. Sotheby's new global headquarters is now open at the iconic Breuer building in New York City, featuring Marcel, 945 Madison Avenue - a new continental restaurant designed by Roman & Williams. Images Courtesy Sotheby's
Sotheby's New comms chief, and more: industry moves for aug. 5, 2026. Claire Bennett The Art Market's Next Chapter: New Appointments, a Leonardo at the Met, and the Great Wealth Transfer A Leonardo has quietly entered the galleries of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, while a series of institutional appointments and funding announcements points to broader shifts across the art trade. Madonna of the Yarnwinder, attributed to Leonardo da Vinci and studio, is now on long-term loan from collector Ken Griffin and hangs in Gallery 609. It is currently the only work by Italian artist Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) on view at the museum. The painting's price has not been disclosed, but the market for Leonardo offers a revealing frame of reference. In 1967, the National Gallery of Art paid a then-record $5 million for Ginevra de' Benci, a sum estimated at approximately $50.8 million today. Another version of Madonna of the Yarnwinder carried a £40 million estimate when it was stolen in 2003. The most dramatic comparison remains Salvator Mundi, which sold at Christie's in 2017 for $450.3 million, still the auction record for a painting. The week's personnel changes were concentrated across auction houses and cultural institutions. Natasha Le Bel, formerly global head of communications at Christie's, has been named Sotheby's chief communications officer. Karina Sokolovsky, Sotheby's outgoing communications chief, will take on a leadership position connected to the auction house's strategic growth plan. At Fairfield University, Matt Malone, the former president and editor-in-chief of America Media, has been appointed the institution's first vice president for arts and culture. He will oversee the newly established Division of Arts and Culture. In Philadelphia, Freeman's has named Jelena James senior specialist and head of sale for Old Masters and 19th-Century European Art, bringing more than two decades of international auction experience to the position. Other developments underscore the expanding role of access, technology, and archival stewardship. Berlin's Deutsches Historisches Museum has received funding for Reverse Shot: Images of German Crimes in Europe, a nearly two-year project in which young adults will help develop a bilingual web application examining photographs of crimes committed under German occupation during World War II. In São Paulo, Vermelho now represents the archive of photographer George Love, an important figure in the development of photography as an artistic practice in Brazil and the United States during the 1960s and '70s. The San Diego Museum of Art and the Westmoreland Museum of American Art have each received $75,000 after winning the second annual Bridgemaker Prize for expanding public access and community engagement. Their recognition arrives as the art world confronts a more difficult demographic question: how to preserve and place the enormous volume of art likely to be inherited in the coming decade. Nearly $1 trillion worth of art is expected to change hands through the Great Wealth Transfer. Not all of it will find a willing collector or a museum capable of displaying it. Some works may be stored, neglected, or lost altogether, making stewardship as urgent a cultural concern as valuation.
Sotheby's reported record first-half sales of $4.4 billion, up 58% year-on-year, whilst Christie's achieved $4.5 billion, up 71%. Auction houses attribute the surge to wealth creation from artificial intelligence, IPOs and rising stocks. Eight lots sold for over $50 million in the first half, compared with none in 2024 and 2025. A Jackson Pollock painting led sales at $181 million. Young tech collectors are reshaping markets across categories. A Tyrannosaurus rex fossil sold for $50.1 million, setting a record. Tech-favoured watch brand F.P. Journe saw a piece fetch $13.9 million. Christie's reported 30% of buyers were new, with 47% being millennials or younger. Some 85% of bids were placed online, reflecting changing buyer engagement patterns.
Sotheby's records all-time high $4.4 billion in sales for first half of 2026. July 15, 2026 3:46 pm On Tuesday Sotheby's announced that they had logged their highest-ever numbers in sales between January and June of 2026, an astonishing $4.4 billion, representing a 58 percent increase in sales from the first half of 2025. The auction house attributed these returns, in part, to broadened engagement, some of which was fostered by their move to the Breuer Building on Madison Avenue. Within the first half of the year, their new home has drawn more than two times the visitors that the auction house's former location had received in the same period of 2025, Sotheby's said. Auctions raked in $3.4 billion of the profits, marking a 59 percent increase from the previous year. Private sales, meanwhile, hit $826 million, a 52 percent increase from last year. Sotheby's also said that the average number of bidders per lot also increased, up to 4.9. There have been several highlights for Sotheby's thus far in 2026 that have contributed to this overall financial peak. Its first Old Masters season at the Breuer earned $94.8 million; a standout being a diminutive Rembrandt drawing of a lion that sold for $18 million. Sotheby's New York marquee season recorded a record sell-through rate of 92.5 percent and earned $908.6 million in sales. A sale of works from the collection of Robert Mnuchin which included paintings by Mark Rothko, Willem de Kooning, and Franz Kline netted $173 million, reaching more than $40 million higher than was estimated. Modern and contemporary auctions in Hong Kong fetched a combined total of $91.3 million, including a record-setting sale for the most valuable work by a woman artist ever sold in Asia with the sale of Joan Mitchell's La Grande Vallée VII, 1983 going for $17.6 million. In May, Sotheby's New York parted with 98 percent of its May 19 modern evening sale offerings, which included works by Matisse, van Gogh and Russian Constructivist Varvara Stepanova. Overall, the auction earned $303.9 million in sales. Charles F. Stewart, CEO of Sotheby's, said in a statement, "our record performance over the past twelve months has further enhanced our profitability and capital position and our pipelines for the second half of 2026 are strong and healthy." Artforum Inbox Register to receive its full menu of newsletters - From the Archive, Must See, Video, In Print, Dispatch, and ArtforumEDU - as well as special offers from Artforum.