Head of Wine Auction Sales: Sotheby's

• Head of Wine Auction Sales:
  Sotheby's in New York

Sotheby's New York, New York Start Date
09/02/2026

160000 Full-Time

Sotheby's is hiring a Head of Auction Sales for its wine business in New York . The role leads wine auction sales across the Americas, secures consignments, advises buyers, and manages relationships with collectors. The base salary is $150,000 to $170,000, with a discretionary bonus and competitive benefits.

The position covers business development, auction property sales, valuation research, client development, and sales administration. The successful hire works in New York and travels to warehouses, private cellars, client events, and potentially international locations. The role leads other auction wine specialists and works with the wine property, Marketing, Catalogue Production, and Sale Creation teams. Sotheby's was established in 1744 and operates auctions, private sales, and retail across more than 70 selling categories with a specialist network in 40 countries.

• Role:
  Head of Auction Sales, Wine, Americas
• Employer:
  
  Sotheby's
• Location:
  
  New York, New York
• Base salary: $150,000 to $170,000
• Additional compensation:
  Discretionary bonus

The application materials need to demonstrate auction-process experience, fine and rare wine knowledge, valuation work, and client development with high-net-worth individuals. The role also requires willingness to travel and the ability to perform physical work with wine cases in warehouses and private cellars.

Interviews test the candidate's experience with auction business models, wine-market valuation, leadership, communication, discretion, and client service before the role begins its commercial work.

The head of auction sales secures profitable consignments and works toward individual revenue targets and the department's annual plan. Fine and rare wines require careful cataloguing, proofing, valuation research, and communication with owners and buyers. The role also delivers marketing content and photographs for sale activity.

Client work continues through the sale itself. The specialist hosts clients at wine auctions, tastings, and dinners, advises buyers across auction and retail, and cross-sells retail business to auction buyers. Timely communication and compliance with Sotheby's policies remain part of the sales work.

• Advise buyers across auction and retail
• Research valuations for pipeline and insurance needs
• Catalogue and proof wine property
• Host auctions, tastings, dinners, and client events
• Coordinate marketing content and sale materials

The role requires exceptional knowledge of fine and rare wines and relevant vintages. Strong auction-process experience is required, while a WSET Diploma is preferred. Valuation experience connects wine knowledge to reserve discussions, insurance research, catalogue accuracy, and commercial decisions.

Written and oral communication carry equal weight because the work moves between catalogues, valuation research, client meetings, sales conversations, and internal production teams. High attention to detail protects the accuracy of wine descriptions, sale materials, and client information.

Wine property can require physical handling as well as specialist judgment. The position includes significant physical work moving wine cases in warehouses and private cellars. Domestic and potentially international travel is part of the role's operating requirements.

Business development centers on collectors, auction buyers, and owners of fine wine property. The head of sales networks with high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, converts social connections into business opportunities, and maintains a client-first approach through each transaction.

Client development events include wine auctions, tastings, dinners, and related entertaining. Buyer advice covers both auction and retail, so the role connects a sale opportunity with the broader Sotheby's Wine business. The commercial work requires discretion, professional judgment, and timely follow-up.

Client relationships also feed the consignment pipeline. Conversations with collectors can surface property for valuation, future sale planning, or insurance research. The position therefore links relationship management with the technical work performed by specialists, catalogue teams, and sale administrators.

The New York role collaborates with the wine property team, sales management, Marketing, Catalogue Production, and Sale Creation. The head of sales guides other auction wine specialists while supporting varied tasks across Sotheby's Wine. New York is also home to Sotheby's headquarters in the Breuer building at 945 Madison Avenue.

Sotheby's works across a global specialist network in 40 countries and sells across more than 70 categories. Wine projects can therefore involve local, regional, and global coordination. The role participates in…