THE ROLE
At Sotheby’s, we proudly present for sale the most beautiful objects in the history of humankind. Now we need a world-class editor to help us tell their stories. Through the power of essays, interviews, collecting guides, and trend stories, you will bring to life the entire Sotheby’s ecosystem – from Monets and Picassos to fine wine, vintage cars, royal jewels, and grail-tier sneakers. As the Head of Editorial for North America & Europe, you will join a Content team loaded with alumni from blue-chip media and culture brands: Vogue, Apple, GQ, Turner Broadcasting, the Royal Academy of Art. We aspire to tell our stories at a comparable scale. And with a surpassing level of quality. The Head of Editorial reports to the Global Head of Content and is based in our New York office.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Assign, edit, and publish articles appearing on Sothebys.com. Our goal is to help a qualified audience understand and appreciate the art and luxury space, and make purchasing decisions accordingly. Story types include:
- Articles highlighting forthcoming auctions and buy-now marketplace opportunities
- Articles highlighting evergreen topics of interest in the worlds of art and luxury (e.g. How to Collect Rolex)
- Articles highlighting cultural trends that somehow have a Sotheby’s angle (e.g. Saltburn , quiet luxury)
- Articles reporting auction results and analyzing market trends
- Manage the editorial calendar for the New York, London, and Paris offices, which comprise hundreds of auctions and selling exhibitions per year.
- Orchestrate the weekly Sotheby’s Selects email newsletter. Report on performance and – in partnership with our Growth team –optimize future newsletters accordingly.
- Build, line-edit and proofread these articles in our Content Management System (CMS).
- Implement our SEO strategy, which may include managing junior writers focused on search.
- Distill departmental goals into Editorial strategies with measurable performance results. Achieve monthly, quarterly, and annual performance metrics based on those strategies – reporting on your progress along the way.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships, based on trust and mutual respect, with fine art and luxury specialists.
- Assist with copywriting across organization as needed, including print collateral, in-gallery material, and auction scripts.
- Partner with the Head of Editorial, Asia to ensure a unified editorial strategy.
- Partner with Video, Social, Photography and other departments to ensure a unified content strategy.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES
- 8+ years of experience demonstrating superb writing and editing skills. While this is primarily an editing role, you should be able and willing (and excited!) to write when needed.
- Deep knowledge of the fine-art and/or luxury worlds. At least one is mandatory. Both are preferred.
- Experience commissioning, budgeting and managing an extensive network of freelance writers, curators, and other art/luxury experts who can contribute to our website.
- Confident pitch and presentation skills.
- Strong problem-solving, analytical and quantitative skills. Ability to synthesize findings into tangible actions that help drive business outcomes.
- Strong organizational skills. A demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and lead complex projects with a high degree of ambiguity.
- Eagerness to experiment with emerging technologies.
- Fundamental visual layout skills –understanding where photos should go and how captions should read
- Mastery of Search Engine Optimization (SEO).
- Fluency with:
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
- Analytics tools (e.g. Adobe Analytics, Google Analytics)
- Google Suite (e.g. Docs, Sheets)
- Ability to work onsite Monday through Thursday.
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in art history, journalism, English, communications, or related field.
- A quick wit, a sense of humor, a boundless creativity, and a strong point of view.
The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $100,000-$135,000. In addition to base salary successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus, as well as a competitive benefits package. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.
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