Shipping Manager London

Established in 1744, Sotheby’s is the world’s premier destination for art and luxury. Sotheby’s promotes access to and ownership of exceptional art and luxury objects through auctions and buy-now channels including private sales, e-commerce and retail. Our trusted global marketplace is supported by an industry-leading technology platform and a network of specialists spanning 40 countries and 70 categories which 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. Sotheby’s believes in the transformative power of art and culture and is committed to making our industries more inclusive, sustainable and collaborative.

THE ROLE

Responsible for providing expertise to both external and internal clients for all Sotheby’s shipments. The shipping manager will serve as a crucial link to ensure that we not only deliver on our day to day activity and but also meet our longer-term strategic objectives. Responsible for maintaining compliance with all regulatory bodies. The individual will be required to deliver change to improve efficiency, reduce costs and improve the client experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Team Management, Coordination and Communication: Manage, motivate and lead the Inbound & Post-Sale shipping teams in London. Rapid resolution to enquiries and issues. Provide mentorship and professional development for the junior members of the Shipping Team. Manage overall Shipping resources to balance workload/business needs with staffing and promote consistency within group. Work alongside the Head of Shipping to ensure consistency of communication and service delivery to clients. Liaising with the Head of Shipping to provide feedback on shipper’s performance in line with their KPI’s. Communicating with shipping vendors and internal specialist departments to troubleshoot and rectify shipping issues in a timely manner, ensuring that the client remains informed.
• Process Management: Ensure resources are allocated appropriately to provide optimum coverage and support to shipping activity. Organization of training so team members remain competent in the delivery of their duties. Liaise with regulatory bodies to ensure international imports and exports are shipped in compliance with all laws. Manage the accuracy of import and export documentation in line with regulatory bodies expectation. Identifying, planning and executing on opportunities to improve Sotheby’s shipping service, with particular focus on service level and associated cost. Awareness of any changes to rules and regulations (both internal and external). Ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are informed and processes updated accordingly where necessary. Support the management of Senior Accounting Officer (SAO) and Authorised Economic Operator (AEO) requirements including (but not limited to) ensuring accurate processes for all transactions, appropriate subject matter knowledge within the team and accurate record keeping adhered to. Coordinating and executing on Pre-Sale and Post-sale shipping requests where required to support the team. Validating proof of exports for tax refunds. Supporting the Head of Shipping with shipper account management and reconciliation. Participating in and providing documentation for Sotheby’s audits as required.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE & COMPETENCIES

• Minimum of 5 years of appropriate experience.
• High level of initiative with effective time management skills.
• A strong working knowledge of international import/export procedures and licensing requirements.
• Strong management and leadership with the ability to motivate teams and work with senior levels of management.
• Good communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Decisive, flexible, versatile and innovative.
• Agility of mind, ability to plan, prioritize and multitask.
• Logical, structured, organized and disciplined.
• Able to work with complexity and ambiguity.