Senior Specialist, Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art

• Proactively identify, source, and secure works for Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art sales, developing coherent and dynamic business-getting strategies in partnership with colleagues across London, EMEA, and global teams
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with collectors, advisors, institutions, fiduciaries, and key market stakeholders, ensuring exceptional client service and loyalty
• Participate in valuation projects and proposal development, evaluating property at Sotheby’s and at client locations, including international travel as appropriate
• Help drive private-sale opportunities alongside auction consignments, identifying key selling points and supporting targeted, proactive outreach
• Meet individual consignment and revenue goals, contributing meaningfully to annual sales, private-sale targets, and departmental strategic objectives
• Provide high-level expertise in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art, ensuring the highest scholarly standards in cataloguing, research, and contextualization of works
• Oversee or contribute to the cataloguing process, including research, catalogue entries, essays, provenance work, condition reporting, and catalog production and layout
• Partner with internal and external scholars to strengthen expertise and accuracy
• uphold rigorous research and editorial standards that align with Sotheby’s global criteria
• Support full sale execution, including exhibition oversight, pre-sale client walkthroughs, client communication, and competitive bidding support during live auctions
• Help track client interest, communicate activity to the wider specialist team, and actively “sell the sale” during exhibition and preview periods
• Ensure proactive and accurate management of consignment-related costs, including terms, deal margins, marketing, logistics, loans, and other financial elements
• Liaise with Photography, Marketing, Press, Proposals, Registrations, and Operations to ensure seamless sale preparation from intake through settlement
• Maintain departmental archives, research materials, and library resources, ensuring their continued accuracy, accessibility, and strategic use
• Support the Heads of Department with coordination of departmental priorities, internal communication, and implementation of new initiatives
• Coordinate information flow between the department, internal partners, and the Head of Department, ensuring clarity and smooth execution of daily operations
• Prepare estimate requests, NSVs, and client correspondence at a professional standard
• Liaise with Marketing and Press teams to support social media, digital visibility, and audience engagement for the category
• Assist with highlight exhibition organization, promotional activity, and the movement and tracking of property in collaboration with the Department Coordinator and Administrator
• Serve as a collaborative partner to colleagues in adjacent departments, contributing to the broader regional and global ecosystem of specialists
• Serve as a role model of scholarship, client service, and professional conduct within the Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art department
• Support the development and mentorship of cataloguers, coordinators, and junior colleagues, offering guidance in research practices, cataloguing methods, and sale process management
• Uphold the highest standards of Sotheby’s corporate governance, compliance, ethics, and client confidentiality in every interaction

• 8+ years of experience in Modern and Contemporary South Asian Art through an auction house, gallery, museum, or private dealership
• Scholarly training in Art History or a related field, with demonstrated expertise and a sustained engagement in Modern and Contemporary Indian & South Asian Art
• Proven ability to evaluate works, produce polished research, and manage cataloguing assignments with precision and authority
• Strong working knowledge of the full auction cycle, including valuations, consignments, catalogue production, sale execution, and private sales
• Demonstrated success in building and servicing high-level client relationships
• Strong business acumen with a track record in business-getting or a demonstrable aptitude for developing new business
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey scholarly insight clearly and persuasively to clients and colleagues
• Highly organized, deadline-driven, and composed under pressure, with the ability to prioritize effectively across multiple workstreams
• Collaborative, flexible, and team-oriented, with a willingness to “pitch in” as needed
• Fluent English required
• Unquestionable integrity, sound judgment, and commitment to high professional standards

additional European languages are beneficial