AUCTION SALEROOM ASSISTANT WANTED

VACANCY

Auction Saleroom Assistant

We are looking to welcome a hardworking, diligent individual to our friendly team.

Job Title: Auction Saleroom Assistant Location: Kinghams Auctioneers, Moreton-in-Marsh Job Type: Full-time Salary: Competitive, commensurate with experience Reporting to: Head of Interiors

About Us:

Kinghams Auctioneers is a respected and rapidly growing regional Fine Art auction house located in the heart of the Cotswolds, Moreton-in-Marsh. Alongside our monthly Cotswold Interiors Sale, we host regular specialist auctions: Fine and Decorative Art, Silver, Jewellery, Watches and Designer Goods and Private Collection sales. We operate with a commitment to excellence, integrity, and client service and provide a dynamic and professional working environment.

This Auction Saleroom Assistant role is ideal if you are passionate about antiques and fine art and keen to enter this exciting industry, working as a key team member within a prominent and growing auction house.

Role Overview:

We are currently seeking a capable, proactive Auction Saleroom Assistant to join our team. This role includes but is not limited to light portering duties, handling a variety of fine and decorative art objects, catalogue photography and editing, lotting up and viewing room set up, liaising with the public during viewing and sale days, supporting auction operations, operating an online bidding platform and using digital systems to support inventory management. The ideal candidate will be a conscientious individual, excellent digital literacy and confident in using a variety of devices, confident in safe manual-handling, have good photographic and editing skills, highly organised with a strong attention to detail and preferably have prior experience in an auction house or similar setting.

Key Responsibilities:

· Saleroom organisation and stock management

· Catalogue photography and editing, largely in the Interiors department, but also supporting the house photographer with the Fine Art and Silver sales

· Addressing condition reports, sending supplementary photos in response to condition enquiries

· Support the business social media accounts

· Light portering duties, including safely handling, moving and displaying stock, including high value items

· Coordinate the setup and breakdown of auction viewings and salesroom displays, with support

· Operate our internal inventory system/database

· Operate digital tools such as tablets, stock control software, and Microsoft Office programs

· ‘Lotting up’ sales, assigning lot numbers and accurately stickering the objects

· Operating a bidding platform on sale day

· To set up the bidding platform laptops on sale day

· To take telephone bids on sale days

· Invigilating auction viewings, greeting and assisting clients

· To manage the consignment of items into the saleroom, set up new vendor accounts and input basic information onto the database and provide information to clients about the auction process

· Item collections and supporting in unloading and organising consignment deliveries

· Pack, unpack, and check consignments in accordance with handling best practices

· Ensure items are properly labelled with vendor/stock numbers and stored in the correct area/signposted to correct staff

· To implement and maintain a stock control and organisational system to the Fine Art and Silver storage facility

· Addressing condition reports, sending supplementary photos in response to condition enquiries

· Check on a regular basis collections and delivery appointments, liaising with admin staff to ensure items are ready for collection

· Maintain cleanliness and organisation across storerooms, galleries, and public areas

· Support auction day operations including room setup and client assistance

· Providing assistance to the general running of the auction house wherever is deemed necessary

Essential Requirements:

· Strong digital literacy – confident using smart phones, tablets and IT systems

· Photographic and editing skills

· Diligent with a keen sense of personal and collective responsibility

· Excellent attention to detail and accuracy

· Competent handling of delicate, heavy or high-value objects

· Adaptable, ability to adjust to a busy environment and multitask

· Team-oriented, reliable and professional

· Excellent communication skills and the ability to work effectively as part of a team

· Willingness to take initiative and complete varied tasks as part of a small team

· Be willing to learn quickly and take direction

· Good organisational and time management skills

· Liaise courteously with clients and colleagues

· Ability to answer the phones and address or signpost client queries to the relevent parties

Desirable Skills/Experience:

· Previous auction house, gallery, or antique/decorative arts retail experience preferred

· An interest in, and/or working experience with antiques, fine, or decorative arts

· Experience editing photographs to a professional standard using editing software like Canva and Photoshop

· Experience running or contributing to a business social media account

· Experience in cataloguing general auctions is an advantage, or minimally an interest in developing this skill

· A general knowledge of health and safety and experience working in a secure environment

· Ability to operate our internal inventory system/database (with training)

Working Hours & Conditions:

· ‘In-office’, based in Moreton-in-Marsh, Gloucestershire with onsite parking

· Full time operational hours 9am-5pm, with some flexibility required around extended viewing times, late deliveries or auction dates, including evenings and very occasionally weekends

· Physical activity and extended periods standing are part of the role. There is use of trolleys in the warehouse.

· Operating in varied environments including unheated/non air-conditioned warehouse environment