An art gallery in Epping is looking for an ambitious, commercially minded Gallery Manager to lead their gallery and team, delivering an exceptional experience for every client while driving strong and sustainable sales performance.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced sales and people leader with a genuine passion for art, exceptional relationship-building skills and the energy to develop both a successful gallery and a high-performing team.
You will take ownership of the gallery’s commercial performance, client relationships, team development, local profile and overall presentation. You’ll be instrumental in introducing new clients to the gallery, developing existing collectors and inspiring people to build their own portfolios of artwork.
What you’ll be doing
Lead and grow the gallery
- Take full responsibility for achieving monthly sales targets, both individually and as a team.
- Develop and implement daily, weekly and monthly sales strategies to maximise opportunities.
- Drive new business and footfall through local networking, outreach, partnerships and community activity.
- Build the gallery’s reputation within the local area and develop relationships with businesses, networkers and potential clients.
- Monitor performance, identify opportunities and take action to continually improve results.
Lead, inspire and develop your team
- Create a positive, ambitious and collaborative team culture.
- Set clear expectations, objectives and sales plans, while coaching your team to achieve their potential.
- Hold regular one-to-ones, performance reviews and team meetings.
- Provide ongoing coaching and training in sales, client engagement, product and artist knowledge.
- Lead by example, demonstrating the highest standards of client service and professional behaviour.
- Support new team members as they develop their knowledge, confidence and sales skills.
- Address performance or morale issues promptly and constructively.
Deliver an outstanding client experience
- Ensure every visitor receives a warm, engaging and professional welcome.
- Coach the team to understand each client’s tastes, circumstances, budget and aspirations.
- Build long-term relationships rather than simply focusing on individual transactions.
- Develop clients from initial enquiry through to repeat collector and VIP relationships.
- Ensure all leads are followed up promptly and effectively.
- Encourage referrals and develop opportunities for home approvals and personalised client engagement.
- Deliver thoughtful aftercare following every purchase.
Develop client relationships and CRM
- Take ownership of the gallery’s CRM activity and client portfolio.
- Ensure client information is captured accurately and managed effectively.
- Develop regular, relevant and personalised communication with clients.
- Identify opportunities to introduce clients to new artists, original works, limited editions and new releases.
- Use CRM activity to generate new business, repeat purchases and long-term collector relationships.
Gallery presentation and operations
- Take responsibility for maintaining an inspiring, immaculate and commercially effective gallery environment.
- Ensure artwork is presented to the highest standard, with appropriate pricing, biographies and lighting.
- Create impactful window displays that attract new visitors and showcase the gallery’s artists.
- Oversee deliveries, stock management and the safe handling and presentation of artwork.
- Ensure the gallery is fully prepared each day and operates smoothly and professionally.
- Maintain high standards across all front and back-of-house areas.
Events and local engagement
- Plan and deliver successful artist and client events, building excitement and attendance well in advance.
- Develop strong guest lists and use events to deepen existing client relationships and generate new business.
- Work with local businesses and like-minded brands to create networking and partnership opportunities.
- Support wider regional events and initiatives when required.
What the gallery is looking for
Someone who can combine commercial ambition with genuine passion for people and art.
You’ll ideally have:
- Proven experience managing a high-performing sales team.
- A strong track record of achieving and exceeding commercial targets.
- Excellent leadership, coaching and people-management skills.
- A confident and engaging communication style.
- Outstanding relationship-building and client service skills.
- The ability to motivate and inspire a team in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.
- Strong commercial awareness and the ability to identify and act on opportunities.
- Excellent organisation and attention to detail.
- The confidence and resilience to handle challenges and changing priorities.
- A genuine interest in art and the ability to develop strong knowledge of artists and artwork.
Experience within art, luxury retail, premium sales or another relationship-led environment would be advantageous.
The person
You’ll be a natural leader who brings energy, enthusiasm and accountability to the role. You’ll be commercially focused without losing sight of the client experience, and you’ll enjoy developing people as much as delivering results.
You’ll be:
- A leader who creates a clear vision and inspires others to deliver it.
- A coach who develops people and creates a high-performance culture.
- A communicator who can build strong relationships with clients, colleagues and external partners.
- Adaptable and calm under pressure, with a practical and commercial approach.
- Customer-focused, always looking for ways to exceed expectations.
- Driven and resilient, with the determination to achieve ambitious goals.
If you’re an ambitious sales leader who loves people, thrives on achieving results and is excited by the opportunity to build something special within the art world, we’d love to hear from you.