AVP, Programming Manager

AVP, Programming Manager

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 AVP, Programming Manager serves as the operational and strategic anchor of Sotheby's global programming engine, overseeing the full lifecycle of exhibitions, live events, and public programs across our flagship locations. This role transforms creative concepts into flawlessly executed experiences, ensuring every activation reflects Sotheby's standards of excellence, innovation, and cultural leadership.

Just as critically, this role acts as a catalyst across the business, inspiring and aligning teams to think strategically about how to activate our global spaces with compelling, always-on programming that serves both cultural relevance and commercial goals. The AVP will help Sotheby's achieve sustained momentum, where every region, department, and partner understands how programming can drive audience growth, deepen client relationships, and strengthen the broader business ecosystem.

A key focus of this position is to build governance processes, refine organizational workflows, and strengthen collaboration across departments. By establishing clarity, efficiency, and repeatable systems, the AVP, Programming Manager enables Sotheby's to scale its global programming efforts and deliver high-impact cultural experiences that connect audiences to our brand, elevate our spaces worldwide, deepen our relationship with clients and cultivate the next generation of collectors.

Working in close partnership with the VP of Global Programming & Retail Experience, this role will help define annual program calendars, streamline cross-functional communication, introduce best practices in project and event management, and support the long-term evolution of a world-class programming ecosystem. The ideal candidate brings sharp operational instincts, exceptional cross-functional influence, and deep fluency in the cultural and luxury landscapes.

Responsibilities

• Lead project management for global exhibitions, live events, and public programs from concept through execution, managing timelines, budgets, stakeholders, and deliverables.
• Develop and manage run-of-show documents, technical requirements, production schedules, and onsite logistics for talks, performances, masterclasses, and special events.
• Build and maintain governance structures, workflows, and cross-regional systems that enable consistent, scalable, always-on programming globally.
• Serve as the central cross-functional connector, uniting specialist departments, private sales, retail, marketing, pr, events, digital, and operations around shared programming priorities and building-wide activation strategies.
• Lead pre-production and production meetings to ensure teams are informed, prepared, and aligned on responsibilities, workflows, and outcomes.
• Manage relationships with speakers, artists, performers, moderators, vendors, and production partners.
• Oversee onsite event execution globally, ensuring a seamless guest experience and consistent brand presentation.
• Track and report on KPIs for live events, including attendance, capacity, engagement, conversion, and foot-traffic impact.
• Maintain strong external networks across art, design, luxury, and culture to support talent curation, partnerships, and program development.
• Partner with regional teams to identify opportunities for ongoing space activation and ensure programming reflects local audiences while staying aligned with global strategy.
• Support the VP in annual program planning, long-term roadmap development, and the evolution of our global cultural strategy.

Ideal Experience & Competencies

The proposed base salary for this position ranges from $110,000-$140,000. In addition to base salary successful candidates are eligible to receive a discretionary bonus, as well as a competitive benefits package. Salary offers are based on a wide range of factors including relevant skills, training, experience, education, and, where applicable, licensure or certifications obtained. Market and organizational factors are also considered.