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THE ROLE

The management of the Inventory department and inventory staff to ensure the highest standards are achieved of stock integrity, aged inventory management and disposal for the European and MENA regions.

The role demands developing and delivering management reports for the European region and consolidating quarterly reports from the Americas and Asia with those from Europe in

order to achieve consistent, single-point reporting to the Senior team. Delivering the training and development of staff is critical and ensuring all procedures are updated and adhered to at all times. Monitoring staff performance and compliance with all HR guidelines including yearly appraisals. Working closely with and ensuring clear lines of communication with all Operations senior management: Risk Management, Compliance and Legal department. Financial planning and control of associated budget ensure you meet the financial plan and target set and review/implement savings and revenue streams where possible.

**LAST DAY FOR APPLICATIONS Monday 24 April 2023**

RESPONSIBILITIES

Stocktaking

• The implementation and effective operation of a formal stocktaking programme for all Sotheby's locations across the European Regions.
• Ensuring that stock check reports for Bond Street, Greenford and the European stock holding locations are created and distributed such that each location can complete 2 stock-checks each year. (noting that Paris should assume responsibility for its own programme).
• Ensuring that follow-up reports are returned to Inventory on time and that any issues/exceptions/anomalies are resolved promptly.
• Maintaining the London "received and scanned" process to ensure anomalies are resolved without delay.

Aged Inventory Management

• The implementation and effective operation of a process for dealing with aged inventory.
• The effective operation of the process for "more recent" aged inventory, setting challenging disposal targets and providing regular reports to facilitate and support Department Heads in the disposal of inventory.
• In concert with Senior Management, developing and continue a commercial relationship with a small number of third-party auction houses to facilitate the disposal of inventory where necessary.
• Analyzing and segmenting the Inventory to understand the nature of the challenge.
• In concert with Senior Management develop a series of agreed processing goals to minimize instances of "new" inventory becoming aged.
• Execution of the process for dealing with "dead" inventory. Including the operation of an internal "unknown" and "uncontactable" owner process, agreed with Legal.

Reporting

• Developing and subsequently producing an "inventory processing report", building on that developed in NY, to show European performance against processing goals.
• Producing the following inventory reports within one week of the end of each quarter, integrating the detail for the Americas and Asia as necessary:
• Inventory Management Quarterly Report
• Worldwide Saleroom Report

SME Responsibility

• To act as the Subject Matter Expert for Inventory queries reported to IT, but which are policy or process-related rather than system-related.
• Liaise directly with the specialist departments to assist with proposing and facilitating recommendations for aged inventory property referrals. Whether assisting with the return of the property to the client, or reoffering the item for sale through either our sales platforms or alternatively through a third party auction houses.
• Communicate with our clients effectively in order to explain and assist in arranging appropriate recommendations regarding their property.
• Compile and produce analysis reports to demonstrate patterns and changes to the classified inventory over time, with an emphasis on monitoring and assisting with the property referral programe. Produce progress reports in order to deliver a summary of information relating to aged inventory.
• Utilize Sotheby's SAP system in order to produce reports to support and display property levels throughout the business to show the progress of aged inventory, ensuring these are clear and that they display the highest degree of accuracy.
• Liaise directly with third party auction houses in order to manage our own accounts when consigning property for sale or assisting our clients with their property transfer to the third party.
• Assist with and coordinate research into unknown and uncontactable owners, liaising directly with all internal departments in order to fulfil all the necessary criteria for the property to move through our own or a third party's auction business.

IDEAL EXPERIENCE AND COMPETENCIES

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to think outside the box and remain calm under pressure.
• Excellent time management and forward planning skills.
• Excellent client service and communication skills.
• Flexible approach to work. Able to work off site at European offices when required.
• Excellent interpersonal skills. Able to work well within a team and a proven ability to communicate well with clients and staff from other departments.
• Enthusiastic, honest and with a highly flexible approach.
• Highly self-motivated with leadership qualities and an emphasis on Team and business development.
• Very high level of attention to detail and organizational skills.
• In-depth knowledge of Sotheby's computer systems and good level of general computer literacy.